It stinks

By Jade Lawton
Pakenham resident Cameron said he had repeatedly reported a pile of rubbish in Bathe Road and was frustrated to see nothing had been done.
“I first reported it two months ago. I was 4WD-ing and came across it and I kicked it with my foot – it had all personal papers with the person’s name and address on them,” he said.
Cameron said he called the council’s after-hours hotline and was told a by-laws officer would return his call.
“I waited a week and called back and they said again they would chase it up,” he said.
“But I drove past last night (Thursday) and it is still there.”
Cameron has also reported a pile of rubbish left at the intersection of Harewood Park Road and Gembrook Road in Gembrook.
“It’s been there four weeks and I have reported it four times,” he said. “Apparently it’s been there for months.
“They should be acting on it a bit quicker. It feels like a bit of a waste of time really.”
When Cameron posted a snap of the motley pile of household waste on the Pakenham Gazette’s Facebook page, other residents commented that illegal dumping was also an issue in their area.
“We get rubbish dumped not too far from us all the time because people think that the old Bayles tip is still operating, that and it’s just too expensive to take it to the tip in Pakenham. Whatever happened to the free tip voucher that we used to get with the rates years ago?” Alison Backman wrote.
And John Standfield said he had to ‘climb over’ rubbish in the car park behind Ritchies IGASupermarket.
Cardinia Shire Council’s Manager Compliance Services, Alan Giachin, said the council had received one report, in December, of illegal rubbish dumping at the intersection of Harewood Park Road and Gembrook Road, Gembrook.
“Council’s Litter Strategy highlights illegal rubbish dumping as a priority issue. Not only is dumped rubbish unsightly, it also represents a loss of council’s time and resources in the collection and disposal process,” he said.
“When council receives reports of illegally dumped rubbish, a compliance services officer will investigate the dumped items to try and establish who dumped the rubbish. If the offender can be identified, they will be asked to remove the rubbish. If the offender cannot be identified, council will include the dumped rubbish in its monthly pick-up of all dumped rubbish in the shire.”
Compliance services officers can issue fines ranging from $110 for a minor offence to up to $6000 if the case goes to court.
Mr Giachin said the council’s twice-yearly hard rubbish collection service and green waste township collection service had contributed to significant reductions in the amount of hard rubbish and green waste dumped illegally around the shire.
Council encourages anybody who finds illegally dumped rubbish to report it on 1300 787 624.