Abandoned shopping trolleys

The City of Cockburn's response to WAtoday about abandoned shopping trolleys

Question: Does the City of Cockburn have an issue with abandoned trolleys?
Answer: Yes. This is not only an issue for our community, but across the Perth-metropolitan area. Local Governments are often stuck with managing this issue as there is ineffective State legislation to hold supermarkets to account.

Question: If so, what has been done to try and solve the problem?
Answer: The City has regularly contacted supermarkets and some shopping centre managers to request that they take action. This includes frequent requests that they collect abandoned trolleys.
At the WALGA Annual General Meeting held in October 2022, Mayor Logan Howlett moved a resolution that the meeting support a petition calling on the State Government to implement stringent and uniform shopping trolley containment laws for the whole state of Western Australia. This motion was carried.

Question: Does the City of Cockburn have a local law that allows it to charge retailers an impoundment fee like the City of Swan is trying to?
Answer: Yes we do. The council charges the stores a fine, which was recently raised from $25 to $100 per trolley.
Section 9.11 of the City’s Consolidated Local Law 2000 deems:
9.11 Abandoned Shopping Trolleys
(1) A shopping trolley which has been left unattended shall for the purpose of this section be deemed to be abandoned.
(2) Subject to the provisions of the Act, the local government or an authorised person may seize any shopping trolley, which has been abandoned for a period in excess of 15 minutes in any street or way or other place under the care, control and management of the local government.
(3) Any shopping trolley seized under this Part shall not be released to the owner thereof until the cost of removing it and all other costs incidental thereto shall first have been paid by the owner or on the owner’s behalf.
(4) A retailer shall clearly mark its name or its trading name on any shopping trolley made available for the use of its customer.
(5) A person shall not leave a shopping trolley in a public place, other than in an area set aside for the storage of shopping trolleys.
(6) Where a shopping trolley is found in a public place, other than in an area set aside for the storage of shopping trolleys and the retailer whose name is marked on the trolley has been advised verbally or in writing of its location by the local government, the retailer or their agent shall remove the shopping trolley from the public place within twenty four (24) hours of being advised.
 
Question: If so, when was that brought in and how effective has it been?
Answer: The legislation has been effective in helping the City maintain tidy streets. However, infringements can only be issued if we know the exact supermarket that the trolley belongs to, which can be difficult to prove. The infringements have not resulted in a notable reduction in abandoned shopping trolleys. Because of this, the City only applies them judiciously.  
 
Question: What does the City of Cockburn feel needs to be done to rectify the problem?
Answer: The issue could be resolved quickly if supermarkets took more responsibility for collecting their trolleys or installing coin-based containment systems. Where coin-operated trolleys are available in Cockburn, we rarely have an issue with these trolleys becoming litter left on our streets.

Question: Like the City of Swan, has the City of Cockburn called on retailers directly to address the problem? If so, what was the outcome?
Answer: Yes we have on multiple occasions, but unfortunately have received little response. The City asks that supermarkets take this problem more seriously.