Tom Garrett knows rubbish when he sees it. He worked in the waste business for 25 years.
At its largest, Garrett’s Waste Management was servicing 370,000 homes a week, from Wagga Wagga in NSW to Melbourne and plenty of towns in between.
“This process has been a cock-up from the start,” he says of the tender process that has seen Cleanaway recommended for a lucrative waste and recycling contract with Greater Shepparton City Council ahead of local company Foott Waste.
“They look at it. They don’t see the big picture, they only see a really small picture and they don’t understand the social and economic benefits of using local people, and it’s disappointing that councils really don’t understand the benefits that flow through the community when local people are involved,” Mr Garrett said.
“Cleanaway, they don’t give a damn about Shepp. It’s all their directors and board members, who live outside the area, and they just don’t contribute to the community — and that was so relevant in the floods.
“Whenever there’s a crisis, the local people stand up and be counted.”
Mr Garrett emphasised that the benefits of contracting local companies could not simply be evaluated on price point alone, although he suggested if Foott Waste won the Strathbogie contract it must be price competitive.
“Price is not everything. The flow-on effect of contributing to the community is way more valuable than for a single price benefit for the community,” he said.
“He (Peter Foott) has grown that business incredibly well. He’s had experience in domestic waste and he’s got experience in all the other facets of waste, commercial, industrial and liquid waste.
“He’s had the experience and he’s got good people working for him, and it’s a family business. That’s what I like about it.
“It’s frustrating for local contractors, who really put into their community and their town.
“They think the locals haven’t got the ... (wherewithal) to do and they have. They absolutely have. What I’ve found, with multinationals, they can’t make a decision; whereas a local guy, an independent, can make a decision instantly.
“It’s just so disappointing that our people don’t look after each other.”
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