Page 375 - Week 02 - Tuesday, 19 February 2019
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
These are all actions to be proud of and I am proud to say that in the past two years I have further contributed to this action. Through my work in this Assembly I have called for reform of the ACT energy efficiency rating scheme, a trial of a virtual power plant and secured a commitment for the first single use plastic-free government event.
In the motion I moved in this Assembly in October last year, I called on the ACT government to continue to find meaningful and significant ways to reduce single-use plastic usage in the ACT, and I am pleased that Minister Steel and the ACT government are acting on this call. In 2019 I will be advocating for even more environmental action from ACT Labor and this Assembly; action that not only responds to the challenges of climate change but action that also looks to improve the health of our environment across a range of areas.
With this in mind I am pleased that Minister Steel will be releasing a discussion paper which will consider phasing out single-use plastic in the ACT. I appreciate that the minister has flagged a number of paths forward, including adopting the recommendations made by the commissioner for sustainability in her report. But faced with a mounting quantity of plastic waste that will last for generations, we need to take strong action.
Plastic pollution is harming our local waterways and causing greater damage to the world’s oceans. We have all seen the images of animals strangled by milk container rings, suffocated by plastic bags or washed up dead on beaches after ingesting masses of plastic waste. There is also growing evidence that these discarded single-use plastics are harming us, with micro plastics filtering into our bodies via the food and water we consume. We cannot continue along the path of producing and consuming harmful single-use plastics, products we use for minutes—and sometimes even just seconds—that scar the earth for hundreds of years.
In response to Minister Steel’s statement today I call on the ACT government to commit to phasing out single-use plastics that have a readily available and affordable alternative. I know constituents in my electorate and people right across Canberra are supportive of this call. I will be encouraging businesses, community groups and individuals to take part in consultation once the discussion paper is released.
Phasing out single-use plastic is a bold move but it is not unprecedented. Considerable work will need to be undertaken and behaviours will need to change. Ultimately, though, not only is it the right thing to do but we have no other choice; we have to look after our environment so our environment can look after us.
MR RATTENBURY (Kurrajong) (11.00): The Greens are pleased to hear that the ACT government is willing to take steps towards firm action to address the scourge of waste on our planet. As we all know, plastic is a wicked problem started long ago by generations before us who thought plastic was a revolutionary product and was a good use of easily available fossil fuel oil. At the time we marvelled at the ability to make things out of plastic—containers, bags, GLAD Wrap, straws, cutlery, plates, cups—you name it, it can probably be made from plastic. However, many decades later, we are instead trying to embark on a different plastic revolution, that of decreasing its use.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video