Fiji hikes litter fines five-fold amid stronger enforcement

Fiji is set to implement a five-fold increase in littering fines, raising the fixed penalty from $40 to $200 starting September 1, pending official gazetting. Environment and Climate Change Minister Lynda Tabuya stated the increase is intended to deter offenders and foster behavioral change, rather than to generate revenue.

Enforcement efforts will be bolstered by integrating municipal councils, the Fiji Police Force, and the Land Transport Authority into the Litter Prevention Officers network. Tabuya emphasized the importance of tracking issued notices, identifying offense hotspots, and monitoring behavioral shifts to ensure the law's effectiveness. "We don’t want to simply assume the law is working, we need to prove that it is working," she said.

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We’ll track how many notices are issued, where offences are occurring and whether behaviour is changing. Because we don’t want to simply assume the law is working, we need to prove that it is working. So, from the 1st of September, the people of Fiji should expect two things.

Officers will receive training in evidence gathering and issuing fixed penalty notices, while the ministry will monitor offense locations and behavioral trends. However, Opposition MP Virendra Lal questioned the fairness and enforceability of the new fine, arguing that stricter penalties alone are insufficient without improved waste infrastructure and consistent enforcement. He also sought evidence for the $200 figure, asking if it was based on comparable jurisdictions or other data.

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The Minister has told this House that the fixed penalty for littering will rise from $40 to $200, a five-fold increase. I ask the Minister, where is the evidence base for that figure? Was this number modelled against comparable jurisdictions, or arrived at by other means?