09-03-2025
Confronting photos expose $2.3m hidden reality in affordable housing race: 'Big issue'
It's no secret that Australia is in a deep housing crisis with advocates and politicians waxing lyrical about it on a near daily basis. Our population is growing and the question of where we will all live is something authorities around the country are desperately trying to answer.
But with ambitious targets to fast track construction and build more houses for those in need, a damaging consequence is emerging. Illegal dumping has become an "all too familiar story" seen nationwide.
On the outskirts of Melbourne, where suburbia meets farmland, shocking images supplied to Yahoo News show building waste such as polystyrene and plastic sheeting dumped in the environment alongside mattresses and household rubbish. It's an issue costing councils like the City of Melton $2.3 million a year to rectify with no signs of slowing down and neighbouring councils facing the same pressure.
"These images tell a frustrating but all-too-familiar story," Danny Gorog, CEO and founder of Snap Send Solve told Yahoo News."Illegal dumping is more than just rubbish left in the wrong place, it signals a bigger issue with waste disposal accessibility and awareness.
"Whether it's dumped tires in fields or household waste dumped in laneways, it shows we need better solutions to make proper disposal easier and more convenient. While most people do the right thing, it only takes a few to create a big mess for everyone else."
According to forecasts by Oxford Economics, most Australian states are falling well behind targets to hit a national target of 1.2 million new homes in five years, with Victoria is the state that appears to be meeting its targets.
On the outskirts of Melbourne, the suburb of Melton is on the rise, it has close connections to the city while house prices remain under $500,000 making it the fourth largest-growing municipality in Australia.
As people flock to the town in droves for an affordable place to live, developers have been racing to keep up with demand. An unintended consequence has become illegal dumping, something Roslyn Wai, CEO, Melton City Council, told Yahoo News is a challenge for "many areas" across the state.
"So far, this financial year we've spent around $2.3 million in the collection and disposal of dumped waste," she said. Photos show large piles of abandoned soil, tyres and household waste within eyesight of new housing developments.
"To help curb illegal dumping, Council has implemented several prevention measures," Rosyln said. They include a surveillance program at "key dumping areas". Fines for illegal dumping are as high as $1,976 for individuals and $9,880 for businesses caught in the act.
"We also offer residents two waste disposal entitlements per financial year to dispose of waste. This can include hard waste collections and drop offs at the Melton Recycling Facility," she said.
Twenty minutes down the road in Maddingley, it's a similar story. Moorabool Shire Council councillor Steven Venditti-Taylor says the problem is exacerbated by the fact that "no one is taking accountability for it".
Polystyrene and plastic sheeting from newly built houses litter the area, and is making its way into the nearby Werribee River, which was once flourishing with native wildlife like platypus, is now a "sea of foam". He believes council is doing everything to battle the problem, but there is a "lack of care" from the building industry as well as residents who dump household waste too.
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Data from the nationwide council reporting app Snap Send Solves shows just how widespread the issue is. "In Victoria alone, we've seen over 33,000 reports of illegal dumping this year, after over 263,000 reports were sent via the Snap Send Solve app across Australia last year," CEO Danny said. "[It's] costing councils and communities millions every year.
He says it's "not just an eyesore" but it puts pressure on local councils, harms the environment and creates health and safety risks. "If you come across illegal dumping, the best thing to do is report it straight away," he suggests.
"The sooner authorities are made aware, the faster action can be taken," he said. "Beyond that, it's about education – encouraging people to use council services, donate responsibly, and dispose of waste properly. Tackling illegal dumping is a community effort."
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