- Invercargill Mayor criticised the government for a "lack of transparency" in waste policy changes.
- A strongly worded letter urged full consultation and review of the Waste Minimisation Act.
- Councillors unanimously supported the letter, now sent to the Prime Minister and ministers.
Invercargill Mayor Nobby Clark has sent a strongly worded letter to the government, urging greater consultation over recent changes to waste policy. His letter, approved unanimously by the council’s infrastructure and projects committee, is addressed to the Prime Minister and several ministers.
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The mayor expressed deep concern about what he described as a "lack of transparency" around amendments to the Waste Minimisation Act (WMA). The changes, which came into effect in July 2024, include broadening the levy’s scope, allowing the Environmental Minister to approve projects to remediate contaminated sites, and adjusting levy rates in a second phase.
Mr Clark argued that the government’s fiscal priorities appeared to overshadow the Act’s original purpose. "This fiscal motivation appears to have taken precedence over the Act’s original intent to support waste minimisation and deliver meaningful environmental outcomes," he wrote.
Currently, half of the levy revenue is allocated to councils, with the remainder directed towards emergency waste management, environmental projects, government funds, and other initiatives. However, Mr Clark emphasised the need for a full, transparent review of the Act, involving a select committee and an open debate.
"We believe that a full, transparent review of the WMA is necessary to ensure a balanced approach that reflects the needs of both central and local government as well as the waste and recycling sector on whole," he said.
The mayor’s letter aligns with concerns raised by industry body WasteMINZ, which has criticised the government for not consulting adequately when reviewing the Act. WasteMINZ had called on councils to advocate for better engagement in future policy decisions.
Mr Clark’s letter asked the government to halt further changes to the Waste Minimisation Act and levies until proper consultation processes are in place. Councillors supported his stance, unanimously agreeing to send the letter.
Environment Minister Penny Simmonds, when contacted, stated she was unable to comment until she had received the letter.