Jury to give verdict on green waste

AFTER four months of discussions, Noosa’s Community Jury is set to finalise its recommendations on the first topic: “What is the best option for minimising organic waste sent to landfill?”.
The 24 jury members will meet this Wednesday 10 June to begin their final deliberations, and start drafting their recommendations, which will go before the council next month.
Before any decisions are made however, jury members will hear from two residents from Australian communities that have experienced the introduction of a three-bin waste system for organic waste as well as the usual general rubbish and recyclables.
One of the residents is from Bunbury in Western Australia and the other from Lismore, New South Wales.
Both the Lismore and Bunbury councils have successfully introduced organic waste collection using a third bin. Organic waste collected via the third bin consists of garden waste such as lawn clippings and household food waste.
Cr Joe Jurisevic said councillors had been observing Noosa’s trial Community Jury with a great deal of interest and have learned a great deal about the jury process, and a huge amount about options for organic waste management.
“The jury members have heard from some of Australia’s foremost authorities in the field of organic waste management, who have provided a large body of information for them to consider,” Cr Jurisevic said.
“I am confident that the jury’s recommendations will contribute significantly to the council’s decision-making.”
Wednesday’s session will close to the public from 7pm, unlike previous sessions that have been fully open, to allow the jury to begin final deliberations.
The Community Jury was created to help Noosa Council make some selected, big decisions that affect everyone who lives in Noosa Shire. Noosa’s first Community Jury began its deliberations on Saturday 7 February.
Members of the jury are not the elected representatives of the people, like councillors, but they are representative of the people in terms of age and gender.
For more information please visit: yoursay.noosa.qld.gov.au/the-future-for-noosas-organic-waste.