Mr Mehan said abandoned shopping trolleys was a real blight on the beauty of The Entrance electorate with his office receiving many complaints from constituents on the matter.
Addressing the issue has been difficult for local authorities who under the existing Impounding Act 1993 can only fine those caught in the act of dumping trolleys leaving the trolley owner with no obligation to do anything.
As a result, Council is left to clean up the mess. Many trolleys are left uncollected, particularly around Bateau Bay Square where dumped and rusted trolleys clog the nearby creek (see photo).
On November 19 the NSW Parliament passed new laws which give local authorities the power to fine the owner of the trolleys, a significant improvement to the regulation of dumping.
The reforms are expected to reduce the cost of dealing with dumped trolleys https://www.olg.nsw.gov.au/public/about-councils/laws-and-regulations/public-spaces-unaatended-property-act-2021/
