Janet Rice (Victoria, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

I, and also on behalf of Senator Muir, move:

That the Senate—

(a) notes that:

(i) in July 2015, the Government withdrew from a longstanding commitment to supply 100 per cent Australian recycled paper to government departments, as outlined in the Australian Government ICT Sustainability Plan 2010-2015,

(ii) industry and environment groups, including the Victorian Association of Forest Industries, the Australian Forest Products Association, the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union and the Wilderness Society, support the commitment of government purchase of 100 per cent recycled paper.

(iii) Australian Paper opened a new $90 million recycling plant in Maryvale in May 2015, which was supported with a $9.5 million grant from the Federal Government, and which was positioned to supply recycled paper to federal government departments, and

(iv) using Australian recycled paper will boost the Australian manufacturing sector, reduce expensive and unnecessary imports, and reduce the Government's ecological footprint, carbon emissions and resource waste; and

(b) calls on the Government to immediately reinstate an ongoing commitment to procuring 100 per cent recycled paper.