ROADSIDE LITTERING
226. Hon DIANE EVERS to the minister representing the
Minister for Transport:
The government is encouraging
tourism as the ''road trip state'' and WA's highest
litter load area in accordance with the 2017–18 National Litter Index
report is major roads and highways.
(1) How much has the government
spent on roadside litter clean-up each year, in the past five years —
(a) across the state; and
(b) in the south west region?
(2) How much has
the government provided to the Keep Australia Beautiful Council to engage
people in roadside litter pick up?
(3) How many
hours are undertaken by volunteers to clear litter on roadside verges and how
many volunteers do this work?
(4) How many fines have been issued
in connection with roadside littering in the past five years?
Hon
STEPHEN DAWSON replied:
I thank the honourable member for
some notice of the question.
(1) Main Roads'
roadside litter clean-up expenditure information is collected under a broader
category of roadside and miscellaneous costs.
(a) The total spend for roadside and miscellaneous
costs are: $3.75 million in 2014–15; $3.49 million in 2015–16;
$3.7 million in 2016–17; $3.13 million in 2017–18; and $2.36 million
in 2018–19.
(b) The roadside
and miscellaneous spend in the south west region is: $560 000 in 2014–15;
$590 000 in 2015–16; $580 000 in 2016–17; $61 000 in 2017–18;
and $61 000 in 2018–19.
(2) In 2019–20,
the state government provided $861 000 to the Keep Australia Beautiful Council
through the waste avoidance and resource recovery account, and the Department
of Water and Environmental Regulation gave a grant of $112 000 for a range of
education and engagement programs on litter prevention and mitigation,
including roadside pick-ups. The Keep Australia Beautiful Council also retains
litter infringement fines, which totalled $375 000.
(3) The Keep
Australia Beautiful Council has had 35 000 registered volunteers in the
adopt-a-spot program since 2009. During 2019–20, 871.78 volunteer hours
were undertaken.
(4) Between 1 January 2015 and 31 December 2019, 9 351
infringement notices for roadside littering were issued.