Peter Whish-Wilson (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That the Senate:

(a) notes:

  (i) that South Australia, the Northern Territory, New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory all have a container deposit system in place,

  (ii) that Queensland's container deposit scheme will come into place on 1 November 2018,

  (iii) that Western Australia is planning to implement a container deposit scheme in 2020,

  (iv) that South Australia has had a container scheme in place for decades, and has continuously had the highest rate of beverage container recycling in the country, and

  (v) the recommendation contained in the report of the Environment and Communications References Committee on the waste and recycling industry in Australia, calling for a nationwide container deposit scheme; and

(b) calls upon the Victorian and the Tasmanian Governments to introduce a container deposit scheme.

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Sue Lines (WA, Deputy-President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Peter Whish-Wilson (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I genuinely want to compel all senators to support this motion by the Australian Senate. The Australian Senate's Environment and Communications References Committee has done two absolutely critical reports collecting evidence from all around the country on issues relating to waste and the toxic tide of marine plastics. We know that we can remove nearly half the plastic stream that goes into our beaches and waterways in Australia by having a container deposit scheme that actually collects bottles and cans and gets recycling rates up over 80 per cent. This creates money for the community and jobs across the community, and it solves an environmental problem.

Many of us grew up with these cans and bottle schemes as kids. We know how they work. The only reason we don't have one around the country at the moment is the big power of corporations like Coca-Cola, Schweppes and others who have lobbied against this.

The community wants this. I urge the Senate to send a strong message to my home state of Tasmania and to Victoria to implement these schemes; otherwise, we need to do it here federally in the federal parliament.

Mitch Fifield (Victoria, Liberal Party, Minister for Communications and the Arts) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Sue Lines (WA, Deputy-President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Mitch Fifield (Victoria, Liberal Party, Minister for Communications and the Arts) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Through the meeting of environment ministers, the Australian government is working with states and territories to reduce waste and increase recycling. The Australian government encourages states and territories to adopt policies that are appropriate for their circumstances.

Question agreed to.