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.

The Recycling and Waste Reduction (Consequential and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2020 is a companion bill to the Recycling and Waste Reduction Bill 2020.

It will facilitate the smooth transition of the existing provisions of the Product Stewardship Act 2011 into the new legislative framework.

This bill provides for the repeal of the Product Stewardship Act 2011to make way for the improved regulation of product stewardship within the framework of theRecycling and Waste Reduction Bill 2020.

This consequential and transitional provisions bill will do this by ensuring that arrangements to manage waste are transitioned appropriately, without disruption to industry or to the public.

Schedule 1 of this bill repeals the whole of the Product Stewardship Act, which will be replicated by chapter 3 of the Recycling and Waste Reduction Bill, with a number of improvements following the outcomes of the Product Stewardship Act review. Chapter 3 of the Recycling and Waste Reduction Bill will establish a new framework for voluntary, co-regulatory and mandatory product stewardship to enable Australia to more effectively manage the environmental, health and safety impacts of products and a broader range of materials.

Schedules 2 and 3 of this bill will provide for the continuation of existing accredited voluntary and co-regulatory arrangements, for example, the National Television and Computer Recycling Scheme. It will ensure that administrators of approved arrangements may continue their operations and do not have to re-apply for approval when the Recycling and Waste Reduction Bill commences.

Additionally, this bill will provide that the existing product stewardship regulations for the National Television and Computer Recycling Scheme, as in force immediately before the repeal of the Product Stewardship Act, will continue to have effect for the current financial year.

National Television and Computer Recycling Scheme administrators are already in the process of setting their outcomes, recycling targets and other obligations in respect of the 2020-21 financial year. This bill will ensure no disruption is caused due to the repeal of the Product Stewardship Act and commencement of the Recycling and Waste Reduction Bill. I commend the bill to the House.

Debate adjourned.