£3500 council tax for trip to Oz - to learn about rubbish - Evening Times The trip was also criticised by the Scottish Socialist councillor for Pollok, Keith Baldasara. He said: "It should be cancelled immediately. It is a bigger waste of the council's time and money than anything they will find out about waste management in Australia. "These conferences are usually a waste of space because the topics discussed are almost always available on the internet a short time after the event and can easily be accessed from George Square."