Vandalism has cost ratepayers $550,000 so far this year, according to Logan City Council.
The shocking half-a-million dollar figure was confirmed just days after local councillor Teresa Lane urged community members to “stand up” and report damage to public facilities.
Cr Lane’s comments were prompted by a series of vandalism incidents to local playground equipment, toilet blocks, and bins.
The latest incident targetted a public restroom on Station Road at Kingston, and cost $10,000 to repair, according to Cr Lane.
Similar restroom facilities on Croydon Road and Jacaranda Avenue have also suffered damage in the last 12 months.
Cr Lane said online that “every time this happens, it costs ratepayers money… meaning it takes longer to save for new projects”.
“There are heaps of great ideas that could be up and running with that money,” she said.
“Whether it’s hoons knocking down street signs with their cars or random cars stopping and unloading copious amounts of rubbish on roadsides, or if it’s your neighbour throwing stuff onto the footpath or the local park all of that costs you money in increased rates.”
Damage to a range of public facilities, including park fencing, sports grounds, field lighting, community centres, council water meters, bus stops, public buildings, and roadsides have occurred across the city.
On Saturday 24 May, Ewing Park fencing was broken and car parts were dumped in the park, making the facility unusable for local dog owners.
This type of dumping has led to more than $1.23 million in fines issued to offenders since 2022, when Logan’s illegal dumping taskforce was created.
“This has resulted in the detection and removal of more than 11 million litres of illegally dumped waste from across the city,” a council spokesperson said.
“Through enforcement activity, the taskforce compelled offenders to remove more than 5 million litres of illegally dumped waste at their own expense, in addition to issuing large fines.”
The taskforce, which actively monitors local streets for illegal dumping, issued $509,000 in fines in the 2023/24 financial year alone.
It also regularly identifies instances of illegal dumping through the city’s camera network, which can include the deployment of mobile and covert cameras to areas of concern.
