PAPER PETITION - Request for the Introduction of Council Bins at Parks and Bus Shelters Across Redland City
Principal Petitioner: Callen Sorensen-Karklis
Date of Receipt: 4 February 2026
Number of Signatures: 27
Petition Request:
Introduce Council bins at all Redland City Council administrated parks including Anniversary Park where illegal dumping has taken place in recent months. Furthermore also introduce Council bins at all bus shelters to minimise rubbish dumping.
Petition Response (1 April 2026):
Thank you for your petition requesting the introduction of bins at all parks and bus shelters. The petition was tabled by Councillor Golle at the General Meeting held on 18 March 2026. The matter was defined as operational in nature and referred to officers to consider and respond.
Council has investigated the petition request and provides the following response to you as the Principal Petitioner, with the following considerations and information.
Bins in Parks
Council provides bins in parks based on established levels of service that guide where infrastructure is most effective and genuinely needed. Bins are typically installed in larger, higher use parks, such as destination and community parks, sports parks, dog off leash areas, and parks with picnic or barbecue areas. These sites attract longer visits and group activities, which naturally generate waste.
In smaller neighbourhood parks such as Anniversary Park, visits are generally shorter with lower intensity. Installing bins in these locations does not necessarily prevent littering and can introduce other issues such as vermin, odour, vandalism, household waste disposal, and animals rummaging through rubbish.
For these locations, Council encourages visitors to take their waste with them to dispose of in their household or closest bin. This approach encourages shared responsibility for keeping public spaces tidy while allowing resources to be focused on parks where rubbish is more likely to generate. It also supports Council’s broader waste minimisation principles, which aim to reduce litter, manage waste responsibly, and promote sustainable habits.
Bus Stops
New public transport infrastructure planning is the responsibility of the Queensland Government through TransLink. Decisions about which bus stops receive shelters, seating, or other infrastructure are made by TransLink based on passenger numbers and State network priorities, using the guidelines within the Public Transport Infrastructure Manual.
While Council undertakes some infrastructure works under agreement with TransLink, it does not determine the installation of shelters or associated infrastructure and has limited influence over these decisions. Council works closely with TransLink, and where TransLink identifies that rubbish accumulation is a recurring issue at a specific bus stop, Council will assess the location and install a bin where appropriate and feasible.
Bins are not routinely installed at all bus stops because these locations tend to generate very little waste. Experience shows that providing bins at bus stops does not reduce littering and can unintentionally attract household rubbish, dog waste, and contamination, creating additional issues rather than addressing the cause of litter.
Council must also consider the ongoing servicing and maintenance requirements. This includes weekly cleaning and emptying of bins, which must occur even when facilities are infrequently used.
This approach ensures that public transport infrastructure is managed consistently across the network without introducing facilities that are unlikely to be well used or effective.
Financial considerations
Providing bins in all remaining parks and at all bus stops would require a very large increase in both capital investment and ongoing operational activity.
Waste collection at Council managed sites is delivered under a contract with a third party, and any expansion of service locations would require more frequent collections, longer servicing routes and additional contract costs. This would result in a substantial increase to ongoing operational expenditure and may require either reallocation of existing resources or additional budget to maintain the expanded level of service.
Council appreciates the intention behind the petition and the community’s desire to keep parks and public spaces clean. However, given the significant financial investment required, along with existing levels of service designed to balance community amenity, environmental responsibility, and operational sustainability, Council does not support the installation of bins in all parks and bus shelters.
Council will continue to provide bins in higher‑use parks and bus stops where there is a demonstrated need and will maintain its take‑your‑rubbish‑home approach. Keeping our city clean is a shared responsibility, and we appreciate the community’s role in helping care for our public spaces.
We understand this may not be the outcome you were hoping for, however this is Council’s considered position following a thorough investigation of the matter. We have now concluded our review and consider the matter closed.