A petition calling for bins at every park and bus stop across Redland City has drawn scrutiny from councillor Paul Golle, who has questioned both the financial impact and the motivations behind the proposal.
The paper petition, submitted by Callen Sorensen-Karklis, called for council bins to be installed at all Redland City Council-managed parks — including Anniversary Park, where illegal dumping has been reported — as well as at all bus shelters.
Received on February 4, the petition attracted 27 signatures and has now formally concluded, with council set to respond to the principal petitioner following its presentation at a general meeting tomorrow.
Cr Golle said he had been asked to present the petition on behalf of someone he described as a “potential candidate” intending to stand in a future council election.
“I have been asked by a potential candidate, who intends to stand in a future election, to present a petition and I will, at the next General Meeting in accordance with standing orders,” he said.
While acknowledging the proposal may appeal to residents, Cr Golle questioned its practicality and underlying intent.
“The petition for bins at every bus stop and park sounds great in theory and is being provided by someone with political aspirations, but you can’t claim Redlands has high rates and then seek to implement a standalone project that would directly increase rates,” he said.
Cr Golle outlined the scale of the proposal, noting there were about 400 bus stops and 300 parks across the city.
He said installation costs would be around $1.26 million, with annual servicing estimated at $1.47 million — figures that do not account for vandalism.
“This would mean a first-year total of $2.73 million, or about $39 per household — roughly a 0.75 to 0.8 per cent rate increase,” he said.
“Ongoing annual costs would sit at about $21 per household.”
Cr Golle said council’s current approach was to install bins at high-use locations, rather than universally, and noted that bus stops were managed on behalf of TransLink.
“Understanding these numbers helps the community see how resources are prioritised and the importance of responsible disposal to keep Redlands clean,” he said.
He also took aim at what he suggested was the political positioning behind the petition.
“I applaud anyone who wants to stand for council, but there is a whole lot more to it than putting your face on a poster and saying pick me,” he said.
The petition, while attracting relatively limited support, has sparked broader discussion about service expectations, rate impacts and the role of emerging candidates in shaping public debate ahead of future council elections.
