WEDNESDAY, 27 MAY, 2026
A cool way to help out For the second year in a row, Truganina’s Venkat ram Upparlapalle will brave the elements to raise money for those in need. After participating in the Vinnies CEO Sleepout last year, Mr Upparlapalle said he wanted to continue raising awareness for vulnerable people experiencing homelessness. “Last year taught me that even one night in the cold can open your eyes to the daily struggles many people face,” he said. “It also showed me how powerful community support can be when people come together for a meaningful cause. “I wanted to continue raising awareness and funds to support those who are doing it tough, especially women, children, and vulnerable families. “It was emotional, humbling, and honestly quite confronting. “The cold and discomfort were temporary for us, but it made me reflect deeply on those who experience homelessness every day without choice.” The CEO Sleepout will take place on Thursday 18 June, with funds raised helping provide accommodation, meals and emergency assistance for those sleeping rough. To donate: https:// www.ceosleepout.org.au/fundraisers/ venkatramupparlapalle/victoria
Call for bin delay By Jaidyn Kennedy Wyndham council has scaled up its efforts to delay the state’s mandated rollout of a fourth kerbside glass recycling bin. Alongside 33 other Victorian councils, Wyndham will request the state government to revise its current legislation that would enforce the rollout by mid-2027. The state government’s mandate aims to increase glass recycling rates and reduce contamination in the yellow recycling bin. The campaign calls on the government to consider more locally tailored solutions including the expansion of the Container Deposit Scheme (CDS) to include wine and
spirit bottles, in line with other states in Australia. Council’s kerbside bin audits undertaken since the introduction of the CDS in 2023 have shown a significant reduction in the amount of glass in household yellow bins. According to figures from council, if a glass bin were to be implemented, it would take 34 weeks to half fi ll a 120 litre bin. The audit results also show a significant proportion of the remaining glass could be diverted to the CDS, further reducing the need for a glass recycling bin. Council also claims the current recycling of glass in yellow bins would produce the same environmental outcome as switching
the purple lids. Councillor Mia Shaw backed the campaign, citing a decrease in kerbside recycling of glass since the CDS launched in 2023.. “It does raise legitimate questions about cost versus benefit in a fast growing municipality like Wyndham,” Cr Shaw said. “Th is isn’t about resisting environmental reform, it is about ensuring its implementation is fi nancially responsible, practical for households and proportionate to the environmental outcomes achieved. “ Cr Shaw also said that despite a successful uptake of the CDS by Wyndham
locals, it has also provided the unintended consequence of people sifting through bins, and that kerbside bins may increase this problem. Prior to joining the campaign, Wyndham council wrote to then environment minister Steve Dimopoulos to extend the deadline for the state’s mandatory glass bin rollout. The decision on 24 February followed another council report that estimated the ratepayer would be slugged approximately $7.7 million in the fi rst year of the rollout. As it stands, all Victorian councils must implement the glass bin by 1 July, 2027. The state government was contacted.
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