Victorian Liberals pledge to restore weekly bin collections across state
Victoria's opposition Liberal Party has promised that, if it wins November's state election, it will force all councils to resume weekly general rubbish collection, calling the current fortnightly system unacceptable. Dozens of councils have already switched to fortnightly pickups to cut food waste going to landfill.
Victorian opposition leader Jess Wilson has announced that a Liberal-National government, if elected in November, would require every council in the state to bring back weekly collection of general household rubbish. More than thirty Victorian councils, including several in metropolitan Melbourne, have already moved from weekly to fortnightly pickups in recent years.
Wilson, whose own electorate falls within a council area that made the switch, described the current arrangement as disgusting, saying bins routinely overflow, particularly for families with young children and nappies. She pledged that reverting to weekly collection would not raise costs for households, as the change would fall under the existing council rate cap tied to inflation.
Food waste separation drive
Most councils that reduced general rubbish pickups to fortnightly did so alongside introducing weekly collection of food and garden organics, encouraging residents to sort food scraps into a separate bin for composting rather than sending them to landfill, where they generate methane. Some councils report the change cut landfill waste by an average of 19% in its first year, while others point to the state's rising landfill levy as a driver of their decisions.
Waste policy has been a recurring flashpoint in Victoria this year, with several councils also objecting to a state mandate requiring a fourth, purple-lidded bin for glass by mid-2027. The Liberals have committed to reviewing the landfill levy and making the glass bin optional if they take office.
