Redland City Council will pass savings from the repeal of the Carbon Tax on to residents via a rates refund and lower commercial tip fees.

Redland City Mayor Karen Williams said every rate payer would receive a one off refund of $38.48 in their next rates notice to compensate for the costs of the carbon tax.

“While Council absorbed much of the costs associated with the Carbon Tax
over the past three years we were not able to  absorb  the increase to waste management costs,” she said.

“The repeal of the Carbon Tax last month means the cost to dispose of future waste will no longer include the previous cost of carbon tax, so Council today voted to refund the savings to ratepayers.
 
“We removed domestic tip fees in 2012 and we are now able to reduce commercial and industrial tip fees by more than 10 per cent or $15.85 a tonne. 

“The rates refund and lower commercial tip fees are expected to provide approximately $2 million in savings to residents.

“Residents should note it is still in their best interest to reduce and recycle waste as these costs continue to rise as volume increases and waste disposal sites becomes scarcer.”

Cr Williams said in addition to passing on this immediate saving, Council would also seek to identify other cost savings from the removal of the tax and reinvest them into the City, helping ease cost of living pressures.

“While the full extent of the Carbon Tax repeal will depend on suppliers passing on the savings to Council, we hope it will ease cost pressures for future Council budgets, and ultimately ratepayers,” she said.

“Council has helped cushion ratepayers from rising costs of living by absorbing millions of dollars in extra costs levied on us over the past three financial years rather than pass them on in the form of higher rates.

“Our headline rates increases have been the smallest in South East Queensland since Council’s election in 2012 and we are continuing to drive efficiencies and make more savings that we can pass on to ratepayers.