Mornington Peninsula Shire is attempting to contain growing anger over its proposed waste charges after the issue spilled into mainstream metro media, with reports most households with kerbside bins would face a combined annual charge of $570 under the 2026/27 draft budget. The reported figure is made up of a $416 waste collection charge and a $154 public cleaning charge, which would be $137 higher than the shire’s current $433 waste service charge for 2025/26.
In a website notice and matching social media post, council has sought to reassure ratepayers that the public cleaning component is not a new cost in substance, but a clearer breakdown of waste-related services that have long sat inside the broader waste service charge.
Unlike Waste Collection, Public Cleaning Charge Is Not A New Charge
Council says the charge already covers more than household bins
The shire’s own rates FAQ states the current waste service charge is intended to recover the full cost of waste services across the municipality, including all waste collections, disposals, street sweeping, footpath sweeping, street and drain litter collection, public waste clearing from parks, reserves and foreshores, and future landfill rehabilitation works. The same page says the charge is a recovery of all waste costs, not just bin collection and street cleaning immediately outside a property.
That broader explanation is central to council’s defence of the proposed split model. The argument being put to residents is that public cleaning has always formed part of the waste bill, and that the new structure is intended to separate out those costs more clearly rather than introduce an entirely new category of charging.
Earlier review had already flagged a split waste charge
The proposed split did not emerge out of nowhere. In its earlier Rating Strategy Review, the shire outlined indicative current-year figures showing separate charges for household bin collections and public waste and cleaning services. Under that model, most households with bins would move from $433 to $474 a year, while properties without bin collection would fall from $433 to $130.
That means the structure of the change has already been on the table for some time, but the figures now attached to the 2026/27 draft budget are significantly higher than the indicative numbers shown during the rating strategy consultation. That gap is likely to be one of the key reasons the issue has drawn such a strong reaction.
Mainstream attention sharpens pressure on council
The controversy has now moved beyond local discussion, with the reports the proposal would affect about 93,000 households and describing the increase as a major jump at a time of continuing cost-of-living pressure. The report also said properties without kerbside collection would pay only the $154 public cleaning charge.
That leaves council facing a more difficult political problem than a simple communications exercise. Even if the shire is correct that public cleaning has long been embedded in the waste service charge, many ratepayers are likely to focus on the bottom line, and for most households with bins that reported bottom line is substantially higher than the current annual charge.
Waste reform adds wider financial pressure
The proposed changes are also landing as Mornington Peninsula prepares for broader state-mandated waste reform. The shire said on 7 April 2026 that household waste collection will change next year, including standardised red, yellow and green bin lids and the rollout of FOGO bins to households that do not already have them. Council also said the Rye landfill is expected to close within the next 12 months, potentially pushing landfill waste further away and increasing costs.
For council, the issue is being framed as one of transparency, cost recovery and adapting to a changing waste system. For residents, the question is simpler: if the public cleaning component is not truly new, why is the proposed annual bill for most households rising so sharply? That is likely to remain at the centre of the debate as the draft budget process unfolds.
Support Independent Nepean By-election Coverage
Help STPL News put more reporting on the ground during the Nepean by-election, with coverage focused on the candidates, issues and community concerns shaping the contest.
Secure payment processed by Square. You will be taken to a secure payment page to complete your contribution.
This would not be required but the council loves to have us pay for the tourrorists./ They are working on another strategy but wouldn’t be as effective as this and wondering how “transparent” their consultation will be on it.
I’ve put a lot of thought into the financial impact of non resident paid parking on Mornington Peninsula Shire.
Major corporations rely on thorough feasibility studies to predict revenue streams before proceeding with any initiative. These studies include both traffic and revenue projections that guide decisions, minimize risks, and justify investment to stakeholders.
Non resident paid permit parking speaks to a growing issue many communities face: balancing tourism income with costs to provide the financial sustainability and quality of life for local residents. ====================================================================
Being a financial analyst for a fortune five hundred company in the USA (ugh) and working with this kind of data to develop financials for new manufacturing plants costing 754m$ (US) and higher, I feel quite qualified to use this data to forecast the potential for non residential paid parking.
My data is based on $15/day terrorist non resident paid parking which allows them to park anywhere on the peninsula for 24 hours. This does not include other fees that could be collected, parking fines is just one. I have identified other income opportunities in other presentations I have made.
Domestic Daytrippers: 5,700,000 visitors @ 2.5 people per car = 2,280,000 car days X 80% non public transport = 1,824,000 car days @ $15/day = $27,360,000
Domestic Overnight Visitors: 2,100,000 visitors @ 2.5 people per car = 840,000 cars X 2.7 nights = 2,268,000 car days @ $15/day = $34,020,000
International Overnight Visitors: 59,000 @ 2.5 people per car =2,360 car days X 25.1 nights = 59,326 car days @ $15 = $888,540
This adds up to potential raw income of $62,268,540 which would have, of course, to be discounted somewhat for weekly, monthly, seasonal, and annual discounts. Even if we assume that 25% will be parking in residential driveways and be exempt from the fee there is a lot of money to work with.
references:
As of the year ending March 2023, the average length of stay for domestic overnight visitors to the Mornington Peninsula was approximately 2.7 nights. This figure is slightly below the Victorian regional average of 3.0 nights for domestic overnight visitors. For international overnight visitors, earlier data indicates a significantly longer average stay. Specifically, in the year ending December 2021, international visitors to the Mornington Peninsula stayed an average of 25.1 nights, an increase from the pre-pandemic average of 17.3 nights.
Estimated Average Vehicle Occupancy
In Australia, the average vehicle occupancy for leisure travel typically ranges between 2.0 and 2.5 people per car. Given that the Mornington Peninsula is a popular destination for families and small groups, it’s reasonable to assume that overnight visitors might travel with slightly higher occupancy rates, possibly around 2.5 to 3.0 people per vehicle.
As of 2024, approximately 5.7 million day trippers visited the Mornington Peninsula, accounting for about 73% of the region’s total visitors . While specific data on the modes of transportation used by these visitors isn’t readily available, several factors suggest that the majority likely arrived by car:
Limited Public Transport: Over 80% of the Mornington Peninsula lacks public transport services, making car travel the most practical option for many visitors
Low Public Transport Usage: Only about 3% of residents utilize public transport, compared to 15% in Greater Melbourne, indicating a general reliance on private vehicles in the area .
Given these factors, it’s reasonable to infer that a significant majority of day trippers to the Mornington Peninsula arrive by car.