Page 4700 - Week 14 - Thursday, 24 November 2005

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(10) The costs to resolve the problems in question were within the RegoACT system support budget allocation, with existing team members diverted to concentrate on resolving those issues. The only incremental cost was an additional input from the original development firm, involving less than a half-day of the time of one person.

Waste disposal
(Question No 716)

Mr Pratt asked the Minister for Urban Services, upon notice, on 20 October 2005:

(1) What methods are used to assess the charges applied to waste loads disposed of at ACT waste disposal locations;

(2) On how many occasions have these methods been out of operation due to failure or other reasons, in (a) 2002-03, (b) 2003-04, (c) 2004-05 and (d) 2005-06 to date;

(3) Why is the cost of tyre disposal charged at $3 per tyre when in the “Waste pricing strategy for the ACT” which was the basis for the pricing guidelines states that tyres should be charged at $2 to cover the cost of collection and transportation;

(4) What facilities exist to process radioactive and other hazardous waste;

(5) Why have charges increased for the disposal of radioactive and other hazardous waste to $110 per tonne from $33 per tonne, when the proposed new charges for disposal of these materials is only $44 per tonne;

(6) Why have charges increased for the disposal of commercial waste to $77 per tonne from $33 per tonne, when the proposed new charges for disposal of these materials is only $44 per tonne;

(7) Why has the minimum charge for commercial waste disposal increased to $19.25 from $16.50, when the proposed minimum charge in the “Waste pricing strategy for the ACT” is $11;

(8) How many complaints have been made regarding difficulties disposing of waste at the Mugga Lane and Mitchell waste sites for each of the years listed in part (2);

(9) What are the reasons for these complaints;

(10) What has been done to improve disposal services as a result of these complaints; if nothing has been done, why not.

Mr Hargreaves: The answer to the member’s question is as follows:

(1) The methods used to assess charges applied are:

• Load sizes for non-commercial loads based on the size of the load with higher charges for larger loads.

• Weight-based charges using weighbridge measurements for commercial waste and non-commercial loads over 0.5 tonne.

• Specific unit charges for identified items such as computers, tyres and mattresses.


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