Harsher penalties for trashing communities

“ACT will increase penalties for illegal rubbish dumping, and punish anyone using the land as their personal tip," says ACT Rural Communities spokesperson Andrew Hoggard.

"Illegal dumping is vandalism by another name. It's unfair on ratepayers, damaging to the environment, and shows a complete disregard for people who take pride in their communities.

“Communities are being forced to foot the bill for this behaviour. Thousands of tonnes of illegally dumped waste are collected every year, with clean-up costs running into the millions. That cost ends up being borne out of ratepayers' backpocket.

"Every mattress dumped on a roadside, every trailer-load of rubbish abandoned, and every pile of waste thrown into a ditch ends up becoming someone else's problem, both from the costs to clean it up and the effect on the land. Dumped rubbish can contaminate streams, harm livestock, attract pests, and create fire hazards.

"Anyone who thinks that is acceptable needs to face the kinds of consequences that will make them reconsider.

“ACT will increase the infringement fee for illegal dumping from $400 to $1,000, with repeat offenders facing fines of $2,000. For the most serious offences, courts will have the power to impose higher penalties.

“In my own community, I've come home to find someone had walked down to the local river to burn a pile of nappies, glass bottles, and tin cans. They did this right beside our favourite swimming hole and a spot where the local primary school comes to learn about river ecology.

“The current $400 penalty isn't cutting it. If you're prepared to dump rubbish beside a river, and leave someone else to deal with the mess, a slap on the wrist isn't much of a deterrent.

"It's not good enough that hard-working families are left paying the price for people who think the roadside or a rural area is their personal tip.

"Most New Zealanders do the right thing. They pay for rubbish collection, use transfer stations, and follow the rules. For those who don't, stronger penalties send a simple message: if you dump your rubbish illegally, you'll face consequences."