Poll: How should our kerbside rubbish collection services be paid for?
Kia ora Tāmaki Makaurau.
Auckland Council is looking to scrap bin tags in parts of Auckland.
The bin tags – or a pay as you throw (PAYT) system – were rolled out in West Auckland, Papakura and on the North Shore between 2017 and 2018.
Rather than paying for kerbside rubbish collection as part of their rates, residents in these areas purchase bin tags from supermarkets, council service centres and libraries, and attach them to their bin on rubbish collection day.
The bin tags were part of the council’s strategy to achieve its goal of zero waste to landfill by 2040, with one standard sized bin (120L, bin tag cost $4.25) fitting the equivalent of, and removing the need for, two plastic rubbish bags.
The council had planned on rolling out this system across the entire region, however it now believes it is too expensive to operate and lacks the financial incentive needed to make people reduce their waste.
Now, it is proposing to move the entire region to a rates-funded collection service, with the choice of three rubbish bin sizes to cater to different household needs and costs.
If the proposal to goes ahead, it is estimated Aucklanders will pay $314 per year for their rubbish, recycling and inorganic collection. Including food scraps collection, this will cost $375.
If the entire region moves to a PAYT system, it is expected each household would spend $353 on bin tags each year, or $415 including food scraps collection. This estimate is based on the current average collection rate of a household with a standard 120L bin.
Consultation on the matter will begin on February 28. So, what do you think should happen?
Read more here: www.stuff.co.nz...
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34.6% Bin tags make me consider what I send to landfill
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40.2% Rates-funded collection is easier than using bin tags
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19.9% Rates-funded collection, but bin tags available for those with little waste
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5.4% Undecided - tell us in the comments
Some Choice News!
DOC is rolling out a new tool to help figure out what to tackle first when it comes to protecting our threatened species and the things putting them at risk.
Why does this matter? As Nikki Macdonald from The Post points out, we’re a country with around 4,400 threatened species. With limited time and funding, conservation has always meant making tough calls about what gets attention first.
For the first time, DOC has put real numbers around what it would take to do everything needed to properly safeguard our unique natural environment. The new BioInvest tool shows the scale of the challenge: 310,177 actions across 28,007 sites.
Now that we can see the full picture, it brings the big question into focus: how much do we, as Kiwis, truly value protecting nature — and what are we prepared to invest to make it happen?
We hope this brings a smile!
Poll: 🤖 What skills do you think give a CV the ultimate edge in a robot-filled workplace?
The Reserve Bank has shared some pretty blunt advice: there’s no such thing as a “safe” job anymore 🛟😑
Robots are stepping into repetitive roles in factories, plants and warehouses. AI is taking care of the admin tasks that once filled many mid-level office jobs.
We want to know: As the world evolves, what skills do you think give a CV the ultimate edge in a robot-filled workplace?
Want to read more? The Press has you covered!
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52.7% Human-centred experience and communication
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14.7% Critical thinking
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29.8% Resilience and adaptability
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2.7% Other - I will share below!
Share your favourite main crop potato recipe and win a copy of our mag!
Love potatoes? We will give away free copies of the May 2026 issue to readers whose potato recipes are used in our magazine. To be in the running, make sure you email your family's favourite way to enjoy potatoes: mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz, by March 1, 2026.
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