Page 373 - Week 02 - Tuesday, 19 February 2019
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
problematic and unnecessary single-use plastic packaging will be phased out through design, innovation or the introduction of alternatives.
We welcome the approach by APCO, but all governments also need to be taking the lead in addressing single-use plastics. This includes strong national targets, actions or supporting strategies around issues like plastic pollution and resource recovery incentives. I will be encouraging my state and territory counterparts, as well as the Australian government to agree to actions to address single-use plastics under our new national waste policy framework.
We believe that more can be done to stem the flow of single-use plastics into landfill in the ACT, onto our landscape and into our waterways. Jurisdictions elsewhere have already started to take action. Last year the European Parliament voted to approve a measure to ban plastic cutlery and plates, cotton buds, straws, drink stirrers and balloon sticks, as well as other types of single-use plastics, including food and beverage containers. This follows the development of a European strategy for plastics in a circular economy adopted in early 2018.
In addition, the United Kingdom has also committed to eliminating avoidable plastic waste over the next several decades and to the removal of single-use plastic from central government buildings by 2020. The UK has also announced a new tax on produced or imported plastic packaging. Subject to consultation, this will apply to all plastic packaging that does not include at least 30 per cent recycled content.
Most recently, South Australia, which introduced Australia’s first state-wide lightweight plastic bag ban in 2009, is considering potential step changes that could be made to address the impacts of single-use plastics and other single-use items on the economy, society and the environment. Last month, the South Australian Liberal government released a discussion paper titled “Turning the tide on single-use plastic products.” We commend the consultative stance that South Australia is taking.
South Australia has recognised that there is a clear benefit in addressing the related issues of single-use plastic bags and other single-use plastics together. This is an approach that we support. So rather than consulting on altering the existing plastic bag ban as a stand-alone measure, I want the ACT community, businesses and industries to tell us how the ACT should address single-use plastics as well.
Why is it that the single-use plastic items that we have such as cutlery, straws or plastic-lined takeaway cups are still being used, especially when there are clear alternatives? We will consult with the community on banning these products or taking alternative regulatory or other measures. Initially, we plan to launch an information paper on moving beyond single-use plastics, including plastic bags, which will be developed in the coming months. This process will allow us to consider the feasibility of the commissioner’s recommendations and the government’s proposed options to curb the consumption, production and disposal of single-use plastic more broadly.
Madam Speaker, the time is right to go further. The ACT has the opportunity to take progressive action on problematic plastics, such as the action we are seeing in the EU, the UK, New Zealand and, even closer to home, here in South Australia. Doing
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video