LOCAL GOVERNMENT (LITTER) AMENDMENT BILL

Introduction and First Reading

The Hon. I.F. EVANS (Davenport) (10:45): Obtained leave and introduced a bill for an act to amend the Local Government Act 1999. Read a first time.

Second Reading

The Hon. I.F. EVANS (Davenport) (10:45): I move:

That this bill be now read a second time.

This bill, which is the same bill that I introduced in the last few weeks of the previous parliamentary session, is designed to reform the litter laws in South Australia. I remind the house that in South Australia we issue around 220 litter fines a year; 70 of those relate to hoon driving and laying rubber on the road, and some local council has got creative and called that litter. If you take those 70 fines off the 220 what I would call traditional litter fines—that is, for paper, drink bottles, and those sorts of things—it is about 150 fines a year.

Victoria issues around 22,000 fines a year. Some of that difference, of course, is population base, but some of it is the fact that we have container deposit legislation. However, the reality is that I do not think anyone accepts that 150 litter fines a year in South Australia is anywhere near adequate. I do not intend to go through the bill clause by clause. I simply refer the house to my previous contribution because all the arguments for this bill are there. Hopefully, the house will have the good sense to support it.

Debate adjourned on motion of Ms Breuer.