Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Trade) Share this | Hansard source

The government doesn't support these amendments. There are a number of existing processes that are occurring at present, and we think it would be prudent to enable those processes to run and assess progress at a future point, rather than impose another process on or expectation of industry. Some of the steps from industry at present in relation to packaging and some of the regulatory frameworks that already exist at the state and indeed Commonwealth levels are seeing real progress, and we're concerned that another layer will not necessarily be helpful at this point in time. We see that the APCO are working to implement the 2025 national packaging targets—as acknowledged, I think, by Senator Whish-Wilson—which will see 70 per cent of plastic packaging being recycled or composted by 2025, and working to gain government accreditation for their packaging product stewardship scheme.

The government has already put in place a legislative framework focused on packaging via the National Environment Protection (Used Packaging Materials) Measure 2011, which I understand will be reviewed over the next 12 months, providing further opportunity. We have of course already discussed the role of the states and territories in phasing out problematic plastics, and the Commonwealth's willingness to play a supportive and coordinating role in that regard—as we've discussed the role that the national plastics plan will play in the development of various measures and initiatives to reduce plastic pollution at every stage of the plastic life cycle.

The government is also concerned, at this rather challenging economic time—coming out of recession—that the additional red-tape requirements for or the costs that could accrue to some 26,000 Australian businesses might not be helpful. It is better to push and encourage the types of processes underway to be fully implemented than for iconic local food-manufacturing and food-processing businesses like Bundaberg, Coopers Brewery or Beechworth Honey potentially to face additional cost pressures.

So at this stage the government is not inclined to support these Greens amendments but certainly, through the different steps that are underway, expects to be held to account in relation to seeing a continuing decline in the use of single-use plastics and greater responsibility in the management of plastics. I note Senator Whish-Wilson's opening remarks and I acknowledge he is nothing but persistent in relation to such matters, so I anticipate fully that, as we work through the implementation and development of that national plastics plan, we will certainly face further engagement and scrutiny from the Greens on those matters, and we welcome the opportunity to be able to outline the next steps in the progress that will be being made.