People In Canberra Could Be Fined Up To $500 For Flicking Ciggie Butts On Ground

No one likes to see the aftermath of a cigarette break sitting in the curb or worse: in our oceans.

That's why Canberra is stepping up the fines for those caught chucking their ciggie butts anywhere but a proper bin.

But it's not just an extra couple of dollars for the penalty; it'll be a whopping $500. Minister for City Services Chris Steel hopes it will make people think twice about what they do when they finish a cigarette.

"These stronger littering laws reflect the importance of reducing and deterring littering in our community to protect and enhance the natural and built environment, while ensuring the health, amenity and wellbeing of ACT residents," Minister Steel said.

"Canberrans should be able to be proud of a clean, liveable city without illegal dumping in their streets, parks and local schools.

"The new laws will amend the existing offence provisions to ensure all kinds of littering and dumping are appropriately captured.

"I know that in new suburbs, building materials on private land sometimes blow away into local waterways as well as other people's property. This Bill will ensure that builders store material securely to prevent it from becoming litter.

"The legislation introduces a framework for escalating offences, similar to other jurisdictions, where penalties increase with the volume, mass or nature of litter dumped and a more efficient framework exists for issuing fines for people who do the wrong thing."

It's also not just cigarette butts that have been targeted in the new laws, introduced last week. People who are caught throwing lolly packets on the ground will see themselves $150 down the drain, compared to $60.

Larger items seen not being dumped in the bin will be raised from $200 to $300 and there will also be a $300 penalty for not agreeing to move the rubbish. It's certainly an incentive to chuck your trash in the garbage can.

People driving with an unsecured load will be fined a cheeky $1,500 - which no one wants.

It's hoped this price hike will see the number of rubbish items requiring clean up around Canberra to drop. Last year there was more than 800 reports of illegal dumping, which cost the territory a good $2 million to clean up.

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: News, Community, Australia

Stewart Perrie

Stewart Perrie is a Trending Journalist at LADbible. His first job was as a newsreader and journalist at the award winning Sydney radio station, Macquarie Radio. He was solely responsible for the content broadcast on multiple stations across Australia when the MH17, Germanwings and AirAsia disasters unfolded. Stewart has covered the conflict in Syria for LADbible, interviewing a doctor on the front line, and has contributed to the hugely successful UOKM8 campaign.

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