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Southern Peninsula

Celebrating 20 years in 2026 Fighting for the community since 2006

An independent voice for the community

Your weekly community newspaper covering Safety Beach to Portsea

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Wednesday 8 July 2026

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Increased waste fees locked in for peninsula residents Raia Flinos raia@mpnews.com.au

BONEO-based Peninsula Wildflowers has been awarded a Silver Gilt Medal in the individual florist competition at the prestigious 2026 Chelsea Flower Show in the United Kingdom. Owner, Dawn, created a design celebrating the lifecycle of banksia, from seed pod to full bloom. Picture: Supplied

MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire has reduced its proposed kerbside waste fee after community consultation, but residents will still face a significant increase in annual expenses under the 2026/27 budget. At the 29 June council meeting, council confirmed the fee would drop from $570 to $507 per household after consultation with the community. The revised charge is still an approximate 17% increase from last year’s fee of $433. The waste charges are part of a broader rates and charges package increase totalling $249.6m across the shire. Mayor Cr Stephen Batty said the draft budget consultation found residents generally supported the proposed 2.75% rate cap increase but were particularly concerned about the waste charges. “In response to community feedback, council reviewed the proposed curbside waste charge and reduced it from the draft amount of $570 to $507,” said Batty. The $507 fee has been split into two components: $353 for waste collection and disposal through kerbside bins,

and $154 for public cleaning, which includes street sweeping and public bin servicing. Cr Andrea Allen noted this is the first time properties without kerbside collection, such as shops and beach boxes, will not be required to pay the full amount. “They will only pay a $154 public cleaning charge, that is a $279, or 64%, decrease compared to 25/26 when they were paying the full $433,” said Allen. Allen said it was disappointing to see so much misinformation about the public cleaning charge even on mainstream media. “For the record, the public cleaning charge is not a new charge,” said Allen. “Ratepayers have always contributed to these costs as part of the overall waste charge. What has changed this year is that the waste charge has been separated into waste collection and public cleaning.” “To help lower costs, council has decided to delay the Victorian government’s bin lid standardisation program and borrow money for compulsory FOGO bins. Continued Page 5


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