By Staff Writer

The Local Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ) has created a humorous video protesting against the State Government’s proposed waste levy on households.

The YouTube video features a man eating his cake wrapper when told of the possible levy. His young son also carries off the household waste and dumps it at the school.

The LGAQ made use of social networking sites YouTube, Google Video and Flickr to “flush out a response” from ratepayers and politicians.

LGAQ president Cr Paul Bell said it was an “unfair and preposterously-timed tax” and an onus on households already struggling to save money. He added that there had been no commitment by the Queensland Government that the levy would be given back to local communities.

“It is a state-wide waste levy, constructed by the State Government, collected by local government, given back to the State Government and returned to local projects in a very reduced percentage form – 30 or 40 percent, if you’re lucky, of that waste levy will actually  be returned to local government and communities," Cr Bell told Government News.

He said the best solution for long term sustainable waste management was constructing regional arrangements, with local government putting in place the regulatory tools and frameworks.

“Our experience in Queensland has certainly been that the construction of strong regional arrangements in regards to waste management and a focus on the waste stream itself is far more benefitial and economical in the long term,” Cr Bell said.

“That is the way to move forward and we’re certainly wanting the State Government to listen to what we’re saying, to what our communities are saying, and that is that we don’t want another waste tax."