As Northern Grampians Shire Council issues rates notices for the 2026/27 financial year, residents will notice an increase in waste charges.
Waste charges will rise by 17 per cent in the 2026/27 financial year to cover an increase in kerbside bin collection costs, including fuel, labour and equipment expenses.
Council will issue rates notices from mid-August.
The 2026/27 annual service charges are as follows:
- Kerbside garbage collection services - $371 (increasing by $86).
- Additional kerbside garbage collection services - $169 (increasing by $5) .
- Recycling - kerbside recycling collection services - $194 (decreasing by $1) .
- FOGO collection services - $67 (increasing by $15 for St Arnaud residents, as it is the only township in the shire to currently have a FOGO service).
Mayor Karen Hyslop said annual waste charges would continue to rise in the following three budgets to cover operational cost increases, ongoing uncertainty around the cost of fuel, and the introduction of new government mandated services.
Under the Circular Economy (Waste Reduction and Recycling) Act 2021, councils must provide access to Food Organics and Garden Organics (FOGO) and glass recycling services by 2027, creating a four-stream system in place of the current two-stream system.
"Unfortunately, there are additional charges coming as we look to meet the government's mandate to introduce a four-stream waste and recycling system," Cr Hyslop said.
"Council is very mindful of the increased costs in waste and the knock-on impact on the waste charges. For example, council recently joined 38 other Victorian councils to advocate for a review of the mandated glass recycling service. Given the container deposit scheme, we think the glass service seems an unnecessary burden on ratepayers.
"Many councils throughout the state are also having to significantly increase waste charges to comply with the legislation."
Cr Hyslop said council's 2026/27 budget included a $340,000 allocation for the purchase of new bins ahead of the FOGO rollout in 2027.
"Council has decided to implement a staged increase to soften the impact, rather than introducing a full increase in a single financial year," she said.
At the June 2 council meeting, council adopted a 2026 update to the Waste Management Strategy 2020-30, which sets out how council will manage waste and recycling services across the shire until 2030.
The 2026 revision follows a mid-implementation review of the council's progress to date and includes changes to service delivery in line with the new state laws and reforms, while weighing up cost and convenience.
Rather than applying a single model across the shire, council will use a combination of kerbside services and public drop-off services.
"We have not rushed to deliver a four-stream system because we have concerns about the potential viability of glass collection," Cr Hyslop said.
"Our focus is on delivering the most efficient and valuable waste services for residents, and not rushing the rollout ensures we know as much as possible about the different options and costings available."
Cr Hyslop said the introduction of FOGO and glass services would deliver substantial environmental benefits, including reduced landfill, lower greenhouse gas emissions, improved recycling quality, and the reuse of valuable materials.
"These outcomes remain central to council's sustainability objectives," she said.
People can view a copy of the Waste Management Strategy 2020-30 2026 update, along with the original document, on council's website, here.
