Craigieburn Compares Costs Against Five Cities, Reviews Waste and Road Fees

The mayor of Craigieburn announced on 7 July that the city will implement the Municipal Benchmarking Policy beginning in August. The policy directs local officials to compare spending and service delivery on waste management, road repairs and parks with five peer municipalities and to adjust local practices where gaps appear.

The move follows a 2025 directive from the regional oversight body that requires all municipalities above 50,000 residents to publish annual performance tables by December. Craigieburn last issued such figures in 2023, showing higher per-household costs for bin collection than the group average.

Service changes for residents

Under the policy, Craigieburn will examine its twice-weekly rubbish pick-up against the once-weekly standard used by three peer cities. Residents on streets such as Oak Avenue and River Road could see collection reduced to once a week if the comparison holds, with the council stating the change would be phased in after public consultation sessions scheduled for September.

Park maintenance crews at Craigieburn Central Green currently operate on a seven-day rotation. The benchmarking exercise will test whether that frequency exceeds the four-day average recorded in the peer group, which could shift mowing schedules and reduce overtime costs listed in the 2026 operating budget.

Budget figures and next steps

The city's 2026 budget paper records $2.8 million allocated to waste services, 22 percent above the peer average cited in the same document. Officials say they will release a revised allocation table by October that brings Craigieburn's figures within 5 percent of the group median.

The government projects that full alignment reviews will conclude before the 2027 financial year begins. Any rate adjustments approved by council must be published at least 60 days before they take effect.