Published Thursday, 31 January, 2008 at 04:46 PM
Minister for Sustainability, Climate Change and Innovation
The Honourable Andrew McNamara
Government gets tough on roadside littering
Queenslanders are reminded that tough new littering laws will apply across the State from next month.
Minister for Sustainability, Climate Change and Innovation, Andrew McNamara, said the new laws to curb littering would commence on 11 February.
Mr McNamara said the laws include new littering offences and penalties to better reflect the seriousness of some types of litter.
“Queensland’s rate of roadside littering is above the national average,” he said.
Figures issued by Keep Australia Beautiful in 2007 showed 55 percent of the volume of litter in Queensland was found along our roadsides.
“In addition to the existing general littering and illegal dumping offences, the new offences are depositing litter from a vehicle and dangerous littering,” Mr McNamara said.
“As the bulk of Queensland’s litter is found along our highways and roadsides, the ability to enforce littering from vehicles is fundamental to changing behaviour and reducing roadside litter.
“Littering from a vehicle will incur an on-the-spot fine of $225, and dangerous littering will cost $300, with a maximum penalty ten times that if a matter goes to court.”
Dangerous littering might include:
• throwing a lit cigarette onto dry grass during extreme fire danger conditions;
• smashing a bottle and leaving the broken glass on the footpath;
• leaving a hypodermic needle in a garden bed or near a children’s playground; or
• throwing an item from a car at another road user or a pedestrian.
“The new laws will allow an authorised person to send an infringement notice to the registered operator of a vehicle from which a littering offence has been observed,” Mr McNamara said.
“This is similar to camera-detected speeding offences, where the owner of the vehicle receives the infringement notice in the mail.
“The vehicle littering offences will link to the existing State Penalties Enforcement Registry processes, and provide for a passenger to be nominated as the person who committed the offence.”
Mr McNamara said enforcement will also extend to helping keep our waterways free of litter, as a vehicle also includes a boat.
“All kinds of litter, including plastic packaging, fishing line, bottles and shopping trolleys, enters our waterways each year,” he said.
“This contributes to the declining water quality of many of our creeks and rivers and endangers our iconic wildlife.”
Mr McNamara said the majority of people do the right thing and don’t litter, but these toughened laws will send a strong message to the hip pocket of those who think littering is okay and that they can get away with it.
Media contact: Peter McCarthy 3336 8004
Minister for Sustainability, Climate Change and Innovation, Andrew McNamara, said the new laws to curb littering would commence on 11 February.
Mr McNamara said the laws include new littering offences and penalties to better reflect the seriousness of some types of litter.
“Queensland’s rate of roadside littering is above the national average,” he said.
Figures issued by Keep Australia Beautiful in 2007 showed 55 percent of the volume of litter in Queensland was found along our roadsides.
“In addition to the existing general littering and illegal dumping offences, the new offences are depositing litter from a vehicle and dangerous littering,” Mr McNamara said.
“As the bulk of Queensland’s litter is found along our highways and roadsides, the ability to enforce littering from vehicles is fundamental to changing behaviour and reducing roadside litter.
“Littering from a vehicle will incur an on-the-spot fine of $225, and dangerous littering will cost $300, with a maximum penalty ten times that if a matter goes to court.”
Dangerous littering might include:
• throwing a lit cigarette onto dry grass during extreme fire danger conditions;
• smashing a bottle and leaving the broken glass on the footpath;
• leaving a hypodermic needle in a garden bed or near a children’s playground; or
• throwing an item from a car at another road user or a pedestrian.
“The new laws will allow an authorised person to send an infringement notice to the registered operator of a vehicle from which a littering offence has been observed,” Mr McNamara said.
“This is similar to camera-detected speeding offences, where the owner of the vehicle receives the infringement notice in the mail.
“The vehicle littering offences will link to the existing State Penalties Enforcement Registry processes, and provide for a passenger to be nominated as the person who committed the offence.”
Mr McNamara said enforcement will also extend to helping keep our waterways free of litter, as a vehicle also includes a boat.
“All kinds of litter, including plastic packaging, fishing line, bottles and shopping trolleys, enters our waterways each year,” he said.
“This contributes to the declining water quality of many of our creeks and rivers and endangers our iconic wildlife.”
Mr McNamara said the majority of people do the right thing and don’t litter, but these toughened laws will send a strong message to the hip pocket of those who think littering is okay and that they can get away with it.
Media contact: Peter McCarthy 3336 8004