Page 4715 - Week 13 - Tuesday, 31 October 2017
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Container deposit schemes are also about extending producer responsibility for the waste that they produce. At the moment the beverage industry has little to no responsibility for the waste generated from its packaging. We have seen in the Northern Territory that large beverage companies such as Coca-Cola have been dragged kicking and screaming to these kinds of reforms. Ultimately, community sentiment has changed, and in a world where waste is becoming an increasing problem it is important that industry is part of the solution. That is why the Greens are pleased to see that under this scheme beverage suppliers will be required to make contributions towards the cost of paying refunds on empty beverage containers as well as towards the administration of the scheme.
The bill also includes key provisions about the marketing and financial management of the scheme, defining which containers are eligible, a proposed 10c refund amount per container and a range of offences to prevent fraud and noncompliance. While many of the details of the scheme will be worked out further in the regulation, I want to make a few points on the issue of container eligibility. Overall the Greens are very supportive of this bill and have been calling for its introduction for a long time. However, I do hold some concerns that the scheme will not be as effective as it could be if the criteria for container eligibility are too narrow.
For instance, it would be a shame if common containers such as milk bottles and wine bottles were not eligible for refunds under the scheme. I understand the need to ensure consistency with the New South Wales model in order for the scheme to be mutually beneficial. However, I raise this issue because I think it is an important aspect of ensuring that the scheme can help to improve recycling rates. While the New South Wales scheme has set the framework for our CDS right now, the ACT government should always be looking to improve the scheme and make it more accessible where possible.
I place on the record my thanks and acknowledgement to my Greens colleagues, who have continued to raise this issue in this place and who will be enjoying seeing this legislation finally come before the Assembly. I want to take this opportunity to place those efforts on the record today. The introduction of a container deposit scheme was an ACT Greens policy back at the 2004 ACT election. In 2008 former Greens MLA Deb Foskey introduced the Waste Minimisation (Container Recovery) Amendment Bill. In tabling the bill Ms Foskey noted:
It is smart, it is efficient, it makes economic and environmental sense, it is overdue, and I am hoping that the government will see fit to support it.
In 2010 my colleague Ms Le Couteur called on the responsible minister to vote in favour of a national container deposit scheme at a COAG forum. And in 2013 the Assembly passed a Greens motion supporting the progress of container deposit recycling schemes across Australia—although I note our colleagues in the Canberra Liberals were not supportive of a CDS at that time.
I am disappointed to see again today Mr Wall, on behalf of the Canberra Liberals, opposing this scheme. It is symptomatic of what we see in this place from the
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