Newcastle keeps waste service public, costs ratepayers $47 more a year
Newcastle council rejected a private tender for its FOGO waste service, keeping the work in-house but raising household rates by $47 annually.
Newcastle councillors voted to keep FOGO waste collection (food organics and garden organics) in-house instead of hiring a private operator. The decision protects jobs that had been uncertain for six months during the tender process.
Keeping the service public will cost ratepayers an extra $47 per household each year, more than Lake Macquarie, Maitland and Cessnock pay for similar services. The union welcomed the decision as a win for workers.
NSW law requires all councils to offer FOGO collection by July 2030. This diverts food waste from landfill.
The council already chose Bettergrow to process the collected material in March.
- $47
- Annual household cost increase
- Lake Macquarie, Maitland, Cessnock
- Comparison councils
- July 2030
- FOGO deadline
- Six months
- Tender uncertainty period
Why it mattersThe choice between public and private delivery of basic services will affect your household bills and whether those jobs stay in council hands or move to a contractor.
AustraliaNewcastle residents will pay the higher rate as a trade-off for keeping waste collection as a council job; other NSW councils are already running private FOGO services at lower cost.
✓ Claims checked against the source. checked 2 h ago
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