Sussan Ley (Farrer, Liberal Party, Minister for the Environment) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That this bill be now read a second time.

On behalf of the Morrison government, I'm incredibly proud to introduce this package of legislation, representing the first time ever a Commonwealth government has shown true commitment to taking on this important environment and economic policy reform. This has been a joint effort with my friend and colleague the member for Brisbane and Assistant Minister for Waste Reduction and Environmental Management.

This bill implements the agreement by all of Australia's governments to ban the export of waste plastic, paper, glass and tyres. It also incorporates the framework of the existing Product Stewardship Act 2011. It includes improvements to better regulate and encourage our businesses—those that design, manufacture, distribute and use products—to take greater responsibility for their environmental impacts.

The ban on the exports of certain waste materials will begin with waste glass on 1 January 2021. This will be followed by:

This bill will ensure that Australia steps up to take responsibility for our waste.

The waste export ban is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to transform our waste management and recycling sector to collect, recycle, reuse and convert waste into a resource.

This reform is expected to see the Australian economy turn over an additional $3.6 billion and potentially generate $1.5 billion in economic activity over the next 20 years.

The ban follows extensive consultation with industry, state and territory, and local governments.

The bill reflects a fundamental change in the way we collectively address waste.

From an economic perspective, from an environmental perspective and from a moral perspective it is a resource that we need to manage effectively. Waste is not just an environmental problem to solve; it is an economic opportunity to create.

Together, all levels of government—Commonwealth, state and territory, as well as local government—have agreed upon the design and phasing in of the ban.

And together we are equally committed to successfully introducing these reforms.

This bill establishes an important framework. It enables the legislative instruments needed to bring the waste export ban to life. Rules will be in place for glass by the end of this year, and rules for other waste streams will follow in line with the agreed time frames.

In advance of each material being phased in, the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment will continue consulting with relevant stakeholders to ensure their views are considered in developing the legislation.

The export ban relates only to unprocessed waste. The legislation sets the requirements and conditions to allow waste plastic, paper, glass and tyres to be exported when they have been processed in Australia. That onshore processing will create a raw material for export, that can be used in remanufacturing overseas. Businesses exporting processed waste materials will need to apply for a licence.

The government is designing an online licensing and declaration platform to streamline processing times and enhance compliance and intelligence sharing. We are working with Australian Border Force to connect our platform to their Integrated Cargo System.

The legislation takes a stepped, targeted and measured approach to compliance and enforcement. Infringement notices will be issued for less serious offences, while serious enforcement measures may include civil penalties and criminal offences.

A person may be subject to a criminal offence or liable to a civil penalty if they:

If proven, penalties include imprisonment of up to five years or fines of up to $133,000 for an individual, depending on the breach. A company could be fined up to $666,000.

Product stewardship means considering the entire life cycle of a product. To reduce waste and meet the seven ambitious national targets within the National Waste Policy Action Plan, we need manufacturers and industry to lead the product stewardship charge.

They must genuinely consider their product through the 'life after use' lens—from design and materials used, through to recycling, remanufacturing and disposal.

On 9 July 2020, the government released the Review of the Product Stewardship Act 2011 and supported all 26 recommendations to improve product stewardship outcomes. A number of these recommendations will be taken forward with this legislation.

We will also strengthen the minister's priority list by adding clear time frames, recommended actions, and by increasing transparency around listed products.

This bill provides the incentive for industries to act and to demonstrate leadership but it also sends a clear signal that the time to show that leadership is now.

Those industries that do not step up and do not take part can assume that the government will step in for them, and enforce its own regulatory scheme.

For voluntary schemes, we are making changes to improve the cost-benefit outcomes of accreditation.

We will significantly reduce the costs, and environmental impacts, through streamlined accreditation processes that are industry led.

We will create a new logo for accredited voluntary schemes to help foster 'the product stewardship brand' in the Australian conversation, and foster our values and purchasing habits.

The product stewardship reforms will encourage companies to accredit voluntary product stewardship, adopt innovative practices, and use the logo to market their credentials to the growing number of consumers who are seeking out sustainable products.

In addition, the government will make an annual statement in parliament. This will celebrate our accredited voluntary product stewardship schemes and their member organisations who are delivering great outcomes for their industries and the environment.

Equally, this will be an opportunity to call out those who are letting consumers and their own industry down by not participating where an accredited scheme is available.

The legislation I am introducing today is only part of the new measures and the unprecedented level of industry investment the government is making to transform our recycling industry and help Australia transition to a truly circular economy.

A circular economy is one where we can trust that the products we use today can at the end of their life add value to the products we will buy tomorrow and that when we buy those products in the future that they will not be creating the same drain on our natural resources and they will not be adding to the mountains of waste in landfills, oceans and the natural environments.

Call it a circular economy, call it a buyback economy, call it maximising resources—or just call it doing the right thing.

The government has made targeted investments to build a stronger Australian recycling industry and create more jobs. We have introduced a number of complementary measures to support the objectives of this bill.

They include:

Australians care deeply about recycling, and they want to be confident that when they put things in their recycling bin, or deliver them to a collection centre, they will be repurposed effectively, and not dumped in landfill or simply sent overseas. With the export bans in place the items placed in our kerbside recycling bins will be re-used in roads, carpets, building materials and a range of other essential uses. At the same time, we need to stop throwing away tonnes of electronic waste and batteries each year and develop new product stewardship schemes to recycle valuable resources from the waste generated from these products.

We are setting clear expectations about the need to take responsibility for our waste, we are regulating, we are expanding the capacity of industry, we are investing in new ideas and new technologies and we are expanding markets for recycled products.

The reforms will grow our economy and our future prosperity and will ensure the sustainable use of our resources for future generations.

I commend this bill to the House.

Debate adjourned.