ROCKINGHAM council is refusing to refund almost $400,000 it took as carbon tax from neighbouring councils that used its tip.

Both the Australian Local Government Association and the Australian Landfill Owners Association urge landfill owners to return the carbon tax but Rockingham is sticking firm.

In a letter to the Southern Metropolitan Regional Council in July, it said the federal Coalition government hadn’t mandated refunds when it repealed the carbon tax legislation, so it was under no obligation to repay.

The SMRC, which represents Cockburn, East Fremantle, Fremantle, Kwinana and Melville councils, paid $378,764 in carbon tax to Rockingham.

Fremantle says its portion of the refund is $41,306 and last week the council voted to send mayor Brad Pettitt and CEO Graeme Mackenzie to put the hard word on Rockingham.

Cr Doug Thompson, who’s long represented the council on the SMRC, won support for a motion stating if the council is successful, it will look at ways of returning the money to ratepayers.

by STEVE GRANT