Rebekha Sharkie (Mayo, Centre Alliance) Share this | Hansard source

I move:

That this House:

(1) notes that:

(a) discarded plastic, glass, cardboard and aluminium beverage containers are detrimental to the environment and represent a valuable economic resource;

(b) Australians use more than an estimated 13 billion beverage containers a year, which represents over 35 million beverage containers used every day;

(c) South Australia's container deposit legislation, the Beverage Container Act 1975, later incorporated into the Environment Protection Act 1993, became operational in 1977 and has now operated to great environmental and social effect for 41 years;

(d) South Australia leads the nation in the recovery, recycling and litter reduction of beverage containers with an overall return rate of 79 per cent;

(e) a major survey in 2012 demonstrated a 98 per cent level of support from South Australians for a national container deposit scheme;

(f) in 2016-17, South Australian collection depots recovered almost 587 million beverage containers (43,298 tonnes) for recycling and over $58 million was refunded to South Australians, especially to community groups, charities, and sporting clubs;

(g) beverage containers have been estimated to make up only 2 per cent of litter in South Australia, compared to 43 per cent in NSW prior to the introduction of their container deposit scheme; and

(h) according to the 2016-17 National Litter Index, the Northern Territory has seen a 50 per cent decrease in beverage containers as litter since the introduction of their container deposit scheme;

(2) congratulates South Australia, the Northern Territory, and now the ACT and NSW, on their successful container deposit schemes, and welcomes the upcoming introduction of schemes in Queensland and Western Australia;

(3) calls on the Tasmanian and Victorian governments to enact a container deposit scheme and to do so with speed and urgency; and

(4) calls on the Australian Government to work with the state and territory governments to begin implementation of a National Container Deposit Scheme before the next federal election.

This makes good cents, and that's 'cents'—c-e-n-t-s. South Australia is very proud of its container deposit recycling scheme. Australians use more than an estimated 13 billion beverage containers each year, which is over 36 million beverage containers every single day for 41 years. That's right, since 1977, when people were still wearing flares, each generation of South Australian kids has been crunching cans on the pavement or under the back veranda for that extra bit of pocket money. For decades, the Scouts and other community groups have fundraised with recycling bins at their local fairs, shows and other community events to keep our state of South Australia clean and to give back to our community. In 2016-17, South Australia's collection deposits recycled almost 587 million beverage containers, refunding over $58 million to South Australians, particularly charities, community groups and sporting clubs, and directly providing additional income for the most disadvantaged in our community.

The South Australian deposit scheme is a simple and elegant policy. It is an effective public policy and creates so much good for South Australia. It's a great wonder to me that it took decades for other states and territories to realise the benefits. Firstly, it creates significant public environmental amenity. Since our deposit scheme began, you only have to travel interstate to see the big difference in cleanliness between public places in South Australia and other states. Beverage containers account for less than three per cent of South Australia's litter, compared to 43 per cent in New South Wales before it adopted its own scheme in 2017. The Northern Territory has seen a 50 per cent decrease in beverage-container litter since the introduction there. It raises environmental awareness on the issues of waste and has built a culture of intolerance to litter in South Australia. The scheme emphasises the importance of—and the community pride we have in—keeping our public spaces clean. It also directly benefits our environment. As a result of our container deposit scheme, South Australians have a recycling rate of cans and bottles of up to 85 per cent while the rate in other states is less than half.

I've spoken before about the need for us to reduce plastics and, in particular, how much of a detrimental effect occurs when plastics get into our waterways. Anyone who has seen the straw in the turtle's nose on the ABC's War on Waste knows exactly what I'm talking about. Aluminium is an energy-intensive product to make, and so recovery of aluminium cans significantly reduces our carbon emissions and helps us meet our Paris commitments. Given Australia's recent potholed history on climate change action—or, rather, lack thereof—we need every bit of help we can get.

Lastly, as I indicated previously, the scheme puts money back into the community and to organisations and individuals who need the help the most. I was heartened to hear ACT and New South Wales have recently got onboard to have their own container deposit schemes, and Queensland and Western Australia have also realised how great South Australia's scheme is. However, just like with the ban on lightweight plastic bags, we still have our recidivist states—Tasmania and Victoria.

I said before that South Australians are proud of our container deposit scheme. A major survey in 2012 discovered that 98 per cent of those surveyed support this policy. It is a rare public policy indeed that secures a 98 per cent commitment from the community. Young people, particularly in my electorate of Mayo in South Australia are also incredibly supportive of the scheme and so are many schools that I visit. So I call on the Tasmanian Premier and the Victorian Premier to adopt what is an effective and popular policy, and for the federal government to help facilitate a national container deposit scheme so that all Australians can benefit from what generations of South Australian kids have known as a good idea for more than four decades. As I said, it just makes cents!

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