Media release – Roger Jaensch, Minister for Environment, 28 October 2021
Delivering a Container Refund Scheme that is right for Tasmania
The Tasmanian community has long called for a Container Refund Scheme and the Tasmanian Government is getting on with the job of delivering the best scheme for Tasmania, tabling the Container Refund Scheme Bill in Parliament on Tuesday.
During a period of public consultation earlier this year, 98% of people surveyed stated they were supportive of a scheme in Tasmania. Labor’s plan to refer it to an inquiry will either delay the roll-out of a scheme unnecessarily, or kill the bill entirely.
Our preferred model is a split responsibility scheme that will bring together the beverage industry and the waste, recycling and community sectors to deliver the best scheme for Tasmania.
This model aligns the incentives for the Scheme Coordinator and the Network Operator with the Government’s objectives – the Scheme Coordinator seeks to keep costs down and the Network Operator seeks to maximise containers returned.
There is no evidence the split-responsibility CRS model leads to higher costs per container for the beverage industry.
We’ve carefully examined all CRSs operating in Australia, and some overseas, and remain concerned that schemes entirely controlled by the beverage industry may not work as well, over time.
The split responsibility model is already operating in NSW and the ACT and is being developed in Victoria and will see people receive a 10 cent refund for returning eligible drink containers to designated Refund Points around the State.
Just like schemes operating in other states, Tasmanian charities and community groups will be able to be part of the scheme in a number of ways. They can be involved by collecting containers, receiving donations or operating return points and receiving a handling fee. This ensures that charities and community groups, big and small, have plentiful opportunities to be part of the Scheme, and to benefit from it.
The NSW and Queensland Schemes operate different types of schemes but have both created around 700 new jobs. This clearly suggests that either governance model is equally well placed to create jobs.
LGAT, Charitable Recycling Australia, Waste Management and Resource Recovery Australia, Australian Council of Recycling, Boomerang Alliance, Clean Up Australia Day and other organisations others have also come out in support of the Government’s split responsibility model scheme.
We are confident that our scheme will be convenient for the community, provide opportunities for communities and charities, be good for the environment and maximise the number of containers returned and recycled.
Rosalie Woodruff MP | Greens Environment spokesperson, 29 October 2021
Labor Wrong on Container Refund Scheme
Labor’s furthering the interests of big beverage companies risks delaying, or worse derailing, the implementation of Tasmania’s Container Refund Scheme (CRS).
Bringing in a CRS has been an extensive process, with an already exhaustive years-long debate on the shape of a Tasmanian scheme. During that time, other states have set up their own CRS models, and Tasmania has seen which ones would work best to maximise our recycling rates.
It has taken a massive effort from recycling advocates and the community to get the Liberals over the line on CRS, and there is now wide agreement about the proposed effective scheme model.
The last thing Tasmania needs is a Labor Party putting the brakes on – potentially sending us back to square one.
In the same week Labor rolled over to Federal Hotels on pokies, they now seem to be doing the bidding of big beverage companies.
It’s notable that Boags’ staunch opposition to the container refund scheme model has been presented by a spokesperson who stood for Labor at the last state election.
It says everything about Labor’s priorities that they’re prepared to push for an Upper House Committee on a broadly-supported Container Refund Scheme, but are refusing to do so on pokies.
Labor’s new anti-recycling stance would rightly have Tasmanians wondering if there’s been any political donations involved.
The Greens are proud to stand with recycling advocates and the community in supporting an effective Container Refund Scheme. We urge Labor to rethink their position and do the same.
