Perin Davey (NSW, National Party) Share this | Hansard source

I want to reinforce to the chamber that the Australian government is introducing the Recycling and Waste Reduction Bill 2020 and related bills because it does take responsibility for our waste very seriously. We take this issue so seriously we are one of the first nations to have actually stepped out and said, 'We are going stop exporting waste; we are going to deal with it on shore.' To do this, we need these bills to pass, and I am absolutely amazed that the Greens aren't backing us 100 per cent in doing this. This legislation implements that export ban so we stop exporting our problems to other nations.

But that is what we see time and time again from the Greens. They want us to stop mining clean-energy, high-efficiency coal on shore so that we leave the responsibility of meeting the international demand for coal to other nations, who produce dirtier coal. They want us to stop sensible forestry in this nation, where we have a sustainable long-term forestry policy; they'd rather have us export forestry so we see massive clearing in other nations. We have to stop exporting our problems. We have to continue, in this nation, to implement policies that increase our sustainability, both for our environment and for our international obligations, and also for our industry.

This export ban that we're proposing for waste glass will commence from 1 January 2021, and all waste export bans will be in place by July 2024. This legislation will also incorporate the existing Product Stewardship Act 2011, with improvements to encourage companies to take greater responsibility for the waste they generate, including through better product design and increased recovery and re-use of waste materials. What in that is going to be a problem? This legislation will lead to increased recycling and increased remanufacturing of waste materials, which will transform our waste and recycling industries, boost jobs and, importantly, provide massive opportunities for regional areas that have the space to develop waste-recycling and waste-remanufacturing warehouses and the capacity to deal with it. This legislation is good for the environment, good for jobs and good for regions. I'm still struggling to see what the problem with this legislation is.

The important thing about this legislation, when we're talking about the recycling and waste reduction components of it, is that it provides a framework for three kinds of product stewardship schemes: voluntary, co-regulatory and mandatory. The voluntary product stewardship scheme drives action to reduce the negative impacts of waste from products and materials on the environment. Again, where's the problem in that? It is a good thing. It also provides accreditation of voluntary product stewardship schemes. A member of such an arrangement can use the product stewardship logo on their products to signal to the community that they are taking responsibility for the waste their product generates.

The co-regulatory product stewardship scheme is a combination of industry action and government regulation where government sets the minimum outcomes and operational requirements while the industry has some discretion about how those requirements and outcomes are achieved. The National Television and Computer Recycling Scheme is a successful and well-established co-regulatory product stewardship scheme that will continue under this legislation.

The mandatory product stewardship scheme can require a person, such as a manufacturer, importer or distributor of a product, to take specific actions in relation to a product. The mandatory requirements may be imposed where there is a high level of environmental or human health risk.

The government has consulted widely on this legislation. The Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment have conducted this consultation over the past couple of years on these measures, including discussion papers, industry consultation and a regulatory impact statement. Now we have finally have the bills before us, and I can see no reason not to support these bills. I commend them to the chamber.