Parents on the hook for kids’ littering under new law

Parents and guardians who fail to stop their children from dumping rubbish in public can now be held legally responsible under a new law passed in Parliament this week.

The Litter Amendment Bill 2026, passed on Thursday, introduces a formal duty of care on adults to take reasonable steps to prevent children in their care from littering on streets and in public spaces.

Minister for Environment and Climate Change Lynda Tabuya said the provision was deliberate.

“We’ve imposed a duty of care on parents and guardians to be responsible for their children in terms of dumping rubbish,” she said.

“They must take reasonable steps to ensure that rubbish is not dumped out on the streets or in public places.”

The bill also raises the fixed penalty for littering from $40 to $200. Litter officers are now empowered to demand identification from suspects, and photographic evidence will be accepted as proof in court.

Of fines collected, 80 per cent will go to municipal councils for cleanup and awareness programmes, while the remaining 20 per cent will be directed to the Environmental Trust Fund.

Ms Tabuya said the law is about more than penalties.

“We need to build a sense of civic pride. We need to strengthen that again,” she said.