Fraser Coast adopts amended local laws

Shopping centre retailers who repeatedly fail to ensure trolleys remain within their precinct and property owners or occupiers with overgrown or unsightly allotments face increased penalties under changes to Fraser Coast local laws that have now taken effect.

Cr Paul Truscott said Council was responsible for making and enforcing local laws on issues not governed by state or federal laws.

“Local laws help communities to be better places to live by regulating certain behaviours, promoting safety, harmony and good rule in the community,” he said.

“There are seven local laws that apply across the Fraser Coast, with the existing laws developed in 2011.

“Council conducted an extensive review during 2021 to ensure the laws reflect current community expectations, with the changes being implemented now flowing from that review.”

The changes taking effect include:

• Removing provisions in local laws around designated smoke-free areas, prescribed swimming pool standards and noise provisions as Queensland laws cover these;
• Adding new identified local pests;
• Simplifying regulations on the lighting of fires to make it easier to understand by having all the information in one section of the local laws;
• Increasing penalties for repeat offenders with overgrown or unsightly allotments with fines escalating from $1548 for a first offence to $7740 for a third offence within 12 months;
• Increasing penalties for shopping centre retailers who repeatedly fail to ensure trolleys remain within their precinct escalating from $1548 for a first offence to $7740 for a third offence within 12 months;
• Broadening the definitions of a fire hazard, community safety hazard and building appearance to better clarify the intent of the law;
• Preventing the disposal of previously omitted material such as radioactive waste in bins or other rubbish facilities;
• Putting the onus on property owners, particularly those who run home businesses, to ensure they are only putting general domestic waste in their general bins, not commercial waste;
• Creating a new offence of leaving a waste container on the kerb for more than 24 hours before or after scheduled collection to improve safety and prevent road hazards.

More details about Council’s local laws are available at https://www.frasercoast.qld.gov.au/local-laws