Macedon Ranges council will investigate ways to address inequity in environmental funding after councillors expressed concerns about the way the state government is spending money raised by an Environment Protection Authority (EPA) levy.
A notice of motion from Cr John Letchford last Wednesday night led to complaints about continued spending on landfills at the expense of investment in environmental projects and innovative waste management practices.
Cr Letchford also pointed to a report in The Age that showed that more than $400 million raised by the statewide levy was ‘‘propping up’’ government coffers.
Other councillors griped that they continued to be asked to be ‘‘tax collectors’’, with the levy collected via fees at rubbish tips.
‘‘They are using us as tax collectors on the very sites they then hound and charge us for,’’ Cr Russell Mowatt said.
Cr Letchford said the forthcoming investigation would provide an opportunity to examine how money raised in the municipality was being used.
A spokeswoman for Environment Minister Lily D’Ambrosio did not respond by deadline.
The council will prepare an options paper exploring ways to support electric cars, including the possible introduction of charging stations and promoting the Macedon Ranges area as an ecotourism destination.
