Why locals may have to pay more for rubbish collection
The future of the Eastern Metropolitan Regional Council's Red Hill waste management facility has been thrown into doubt as its member councils leave or contemplate leaving.
Red Hill accepts a wide range of waste from the general public, commercial operators and local, regional, State and Federal government organisations.
But a former EMRC chairman has warned a spate of councils deciding to 'take the money and run' could lead to Red Hill being sold to a private operator and prices for waste disposal increasing.
The City of Belmont was a founding member of the EMRC but withdrew in 2021, leaving the cities of Swan, Kalamunda and Bayswater, the Shire of Mundaring and Town of Bassendean as the remaining members.
The City of Kalamunda withdrew its membership in 2023 and the Shire of Mundaring announced in April it would withdraw its membership effective from July 1.
The Town of Bassendean and City of Bayswater each held meetings behind closed doors during July about the EMRC, with their resolutions kept confidential.
Although Bassendean's meeting on June 10 was behind closed doors, former town councillor and past EMRC chairman Jai Wilson used public statement time to speak against the town leaving the EMRC, warning it could lead to the sale of Red Hill. Jai Wilson (centre) with past Bassendean mayor Renee McLennan and past Bayswater mayor Dan Bull. Credit: EMRC
Mr Wilson said he was elected to the council in 2017 on a ticket of the town remaining an active member of the EMRC.
Its member councils then raised $100 million to develop a large-scale FOGO plant.
'What happened when that $100 million got saved is that some greedy local governments — Belmont, Kalamunda and Swan — formed a view that they would like to do a smash and grab on that $100m and divert it away from the purpose for which it was raised, to take it as money they could spend on vanity projects,' Mr Wilson said.
'They formed a view they would leave the EMRC, take that money that had been saved for that project and send their ratepayers' waste to a privately owned incinerator. A ridiculous and disappointing outcome but that's how democracy works.
'We now find ourselves in a situation where more councils are looking to leave and take the money and run.
'That means this goes one of two ways: we either keep Red Hill and the facilities we built up through shared investment in public hands, or we allow it to get sold for cents in the dollar in a fire sale to some foreign multinational corporation that will do certainly two things — jack up prices to recoup money they invest in buying the plant at all of our expense and two, cut corners which will risk the health and safety of the workers that are there and the environment.'
The EMRC released a prospectus in May encouraging investment from waste recovery and waste-to-energy related operators.
Mr Wilson said the State Government had 'sat on its hands' and needed to keep Red Hill in public ownership.
'It is open to the State Government to support whichever councils ultimately decide to stay in the EMRC, to pay out the greedy councils who want to take the money and run, and to have a borrowing facility to allow the remaining councils to continue to operate the plant,' he said.
'Make sure that the greed of those councils who have misappropriated these funds is not rewarded in any way.'
Mr Wilson also asked why the discussion would be behind closed doors.
Acting CEO Paul White said it was partly because it involved a contract the council had entered into or could enter into.
'Secondly, the urgency and haste with which circumstances have developed require the ability for the council to be fully briefed and have an open, frank discussion which in this case is best held behind closed doors,' he said.
'There will be information that is publicly made available in due course.'
Kalamunda mayor Margaret Thomas said the city withdrew its membership after a decision at its November 2022 meeting. That decision was also made behind closed doors.
Belmont CEO John Christie said the city withdrew its membership because 'after careful consideration, (it) didn't see enough value for our community to continue'.
The City of Swan was contacted for comment.
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Eastern suburbs residents have been warned they could have to pay more to have their rubbish collected if a publicly-funded waste facility is sold to a private operator. The future of the Eastern Metropolitan Regional Council's Red Hill waste management facility has been thrown into doubt as its member councils leave or contemplate leaving. Red Hill accepts a wide range of waste from the general public, commercial operators and local, regional, State and Federal government organisations. But a former EMRC chairman has warned a spate of councils deciding to 'take the money and run' could lead to Red Hill being sold to a private operator and prices for waste disposal increasing. The City of Belmont was a founding member of the EMRC but withdrew in 2021, leaving the cities of Swan, Kalamunda and Bayswater, the Shire of Mundaring and Town of Bassendean as the remaining members. The City of Kalamunda withdrew its membership in 2023 and the Shire of Mundaring announced in April it would withdraw its membership effective from July 1. The Town of Bassendean and City of Bayswater each held meetings behind closed doors during July about the EMRC, with their resolutions kept confidential. Although Bassendean's meeting on June 10 was behind closed doors, former town councillor and past EMRC chairman Jai Wilson used public statement time to speak against the town leaving the EMRC, warning it could lead to the sale of Red Hill. Jai Wilson (centre) with past Bassendean mayor Renee McLennan and past Bayswater mayor Dan Bull. Credit: EMRC Mr Wilson said he was elected to the council in 2017 on a ticket of the town remaining an active member of the EMRC. Its member councils then raised $100 million to develop a large-scale FOGO plant. 'What happened when that $100 million got saved is that some greedy local governments — Belmont, Kalamunda and Swan — formed a view that they would like to do a smash and grab on that $100m and divert it away from the purpose for which it was raised, to take it as money they could spend on vanity projects,' Mr Wilson said. 'They formed a view they would leave the EMRC, take that money that had been saved for that project and send their ratepayers' waste to a privately owned incinerator. A ridiculous and disappointing outcome but that's how democracy works. 'We now find ourselves in a situation where more councils are looking to leave and take the money and run. 'That means this goes one of two ways: we either keep Red Hill and the facilities we built up through shared investment in public hands, or we allow it to get sold for cents in the dollar in a fire sale to some foreign multinational corporation that will do certainly two things — jack up prices to recoup money they invest in buying the plant at all of our expense and two, cut corners which will risk the health and safety of the workers that are there and the environment.' The EMRC released a prospectus in May encouraging investment from waste recovery and waste-to-energy related operators. Mr Wilson said the State Government had 'sat on its hands' and needed to keep Red Hill in public ownership. 'It is open to the State Government to support whichever councils ultimately decide to stay in the EMRC, to pay out the greedy councils who want to take the money and run, and to have a borrowing facility to allow the remaining councils to continue to operate the plant,' he said. 'Make sure that the greed of those councils who have misappropriated these funds is not rewarded in any way.' Mr Wilson also asked why the discussion would be behind closed doors. Acting CEO Paul White said it was partly because it involved a contract the council had entered into or could enter into. 'Secondly, the urgency and haste with which circumstances have developed require the ability for the council to be fully briefed and have an open, frank discussion which in this case is best held behind closed doors,' he said. 'There will be information that is publicly made available in due course.' Kalamunda mayor Margaret Thomas said the city withdrew its membership after a decision at its November 2022 meeting. That decision was also made behind closed doors. Belmont CEO John Christie said the city withdrew its membership because 'after careful consideration, (it) didn't see enough value for our community to continue'. The City of Swan was contacted for comment.
