Call to extend free bushfire waste disposal until June 2027

Published on 25 June 2026

Murrindindi Shire Council is urging the Victorian Government to extend free bushfire waste disposal at Council sites until 30 June 2027.

Council says ending the current support on 30 June 2026 would prematurely withdraw recovery assistance and shift the financial burden directly onto fire-affected residents, many of whom are still cleaning up from the January bushfires.

By the end of June 2026, Council expects to have received about 14,000 tonnes of bushfire debris at its landfill - equivalent to around seven years’ worth of landfill in just a few months, placing significant and unplanned pressure on local infrastructure and resources.

Mayor Cr Damien Gallagher said the extension is needed to avoid shifting recovery costs onto residents who had already been through enough.

“Recovery does not happen to a government deadline,” Cr Gallagher said.

“Many people are still working through insurance, demolition, safety issues, contractor availability and the emotional toll of what has happened. It would be deeply unfair to make them pay full disposal costs from 1 July simply because their clean-up is taking longer.”

Without an extension, Council would need to charge the full gate fee from 1 July 2026. For construction and demolition waste, that would rise to $362.59 per tonne in 2026/27. These fees include the cost to Council to operate the landfill, GST and the State Government EPA levy of $155.95 per tonne. This effectively transfers state-imposed costs onto disaster-affected communities unless intervention occurs.

Cr Gallagher said Council’s request was practical, fair and time-limited.

“This is not an open-ended subsidy. It is a targeted extension to help people finish the job safely, legally and without being hit with costs they cannot avoid,” Cr Gallagher said.

“Behind every load of fire-damaged waste is a household trying to rebuild, a family trying to move forward, or a property owner trying to make their land safe again.”

The State Government, through Forge Solutions contractors, continues to work through the devastating impact on the community. However, many properties have been deemed ineligible for State-supported clean-up, leaving owners to manage the work and costs themselves.

Emergency Management Victoria figures from 16 June show 291 properties in Murrindindi have registered for clean-up, with 125 eligible for State Government assistance. Of those eligible properties, 78 are either underway or complete.

Council says many other properties, including sheds and outbuildings, are not eligible for State support but still need to be made safe and cleaned up.

Council says removing support too soon could delay clean-up, increase risks of illegal dumping and place more pressure on residents already dealing with the long road to recovery.

Council is calling on the State Government to fully fund the disposal of debris from the clean-up, including reimbursing Council landfill operating costs and waiving the EPA levy, to ensure disposal remains free for residents and does not create a secondary financial impact from the disaster. This is consistent with the arrangements for previous disasters in Victoria.

Cr Gallagher said the extension would give residents certainty and help the clean-up continue safely and responsibly.

“Our community has carried enough. Extending free waste disposal until June 2027 is a simple, fair step that would make a real difference,” Cr Gallagher said.