Trevor Evans (Brisbane, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Waste Reduction and Environmental Management) Share this | Hansard source

2020 has been an incredibly challenging year for so many Brisbane residents, families and businesses. Many Brisbane businesses have shut their doors, many locals have lost their jobs or saw their hours reduced to zero, old Australians have been kept apart from their loved ones, while young Australians, so many of whom flock to Brisbane to live, study, work and play, have had their lives and plans put on hold. In responding to the challenges of 2020, the Morrison government has implemented an economic recovery plan containing the most significant financial support measures in our nation's history—measures that are delivering vital support around Brisbane. Under our plan, over 7,500 age pensioners and carers in the Brisbane electorate have received support payments, while nearly 10,000 other Brisbane residents have received JobSeeker, with the coronavirus supplement. Some 11,600 Brisbane businesses and their employees have been supported by JobKeeper this year, and around 11,200 accessed the cash flow boost.

Thanks in part to the federal government's economic policies and support since the onset of the pandemic, the Australian economy is now fighting back. The federal budget brought down this month moves Australia to the next important phase of our economic recovery, with $98 billion in targeted investments to rebuild our economy as quickly as possible and as sustainably as possible.

This federal budget was the first ever to focus on recycling and to link recycling to Australia's future potential when it comes to manufacturing and remanufacturing. It was fantastic to have the Prime Minister in Brisbane last week after the budget. Along with my colleague the member for Bonner, we visited the Gibson Island recycling plant to witness the potential for recycling, resource recovery and remanufacturing around Australia. The federal budget included $190 million in co-investments in the Recycling Modernisation Fund, which is helping to turbocharge the building of new recycling infrastructure and facilities that we need right around our country. Our plan will see over 10 million tonnes of materials kept out of landfill—recovered, sorted and processed into resource streams that can be used again in the manufacturing chains and in the next generation of products. This will support the creation of over 10,000 new jobs around Australia. This is about creating jobs and about creating value and prosperity, which Australia so critically needs at this juncture. It's about Australia becoming more self-reliant and more self-sufficient, whilst we simultaneously drive better outcomes for our environment, keeping waste out of landfill and out of our rivers and oceans. All Australians can be excited about the role of recycling as we rebuild our economy.

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