Jerome Laxale (Bennelong, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Plastic waste is a major environmental issue affecting our oceans and marine life, and it's filling our landfill. Every year millions of tonnes of plastic waste ends up in our oceans, polluting our waters and harming our marine ecosystem. It's estimated that in Australia alone we produce more than 2½ million tonnes of plastic waste each year, much of which ends up in our waterways. After a decade of neglect in plastics recycling and management by the former government, the new government is making progress towards a circular economy and reducing plastic pollution. The environment is back, and the circular economy is on the agenda. The former government had years to fix this issue, and they simply failed to do so. It has been over 1,600 days since they first announced their plastics reduction target, with the result being next to nothing. Am I surprised? Not really, but should we be angry about it? Yeah, we should. But what else do we expect from a government that couldn't deliver one energy policy?

To add some context, the coalition promised the electorate over 1,600 days ago that we'd have 70 per cent recyclable packaging by 2025—great target, but they stayed at 16 per cent for four years, which is not so great. I know the collapse of REDcycle and the supermarket soft plastic recycling system was devastating to Australians across the country and of course to those in my electorate of Bennelong. Many members of my community in Bennelong reached out to me to express their concerns about the program and to request the support of government to take action on soft plastic waste. We have a community in Bennelong that is committed to the war on waste, and that's what made this collapse so devastating. Like many who have written to me, I simply cannot bring myself to throw these soft plastics out into landfill. I've got about 10 bags collecting in my garage, just waiting for these schemes to start up again.

So, thank goodness—not only for the sake of my garage space but also for the sake of the planet—that the Minister for the Environment has stepped in. The major supermarkets have now agreed to take responsibility for the thousands of tonnes of soft plastic that sit stockpiled in warehouses nationwide. Woolies and Coles will start collecting soft plastics in select stores by the end of year and all stores by 2024. Importantly, the government will invest in more recycling infrastructure in Australia. We're rolling out investments that the former government just didn't make. We've budgeted for a $250 million recycling modernisation fund and a $60 million fund to support new recycling infrastructure. We've also led the charge on reforming plastic packaging. That means ensuring that all packaging in Australia will be reused, recycled and reprocessed. We know that the minister has also put plastic producers on notice. If producers don't use recycled plastic, we'll force them to. We know that it is not only the consumers that need to change their habits on plastic use; the producers themselves also need to change. Product manufacturers must use recycled plastic in their products and the minister has put the industry on notice. The message is clear: stop using new plastic and use recycled plastic. We can no longer afford to be complacent about this issue. The time for action is now and we must act decisively to protect our environment and our future.

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