Single-Use Plastics

Ms LUETHEN (King) (15:16): The Marshall Liberal government is 100 per cent committed to addressing the use of single-use plastic products in our community. I am proud that we are the first state to progress banning single-use plastics. Our plan is delivering in a practical and sustainable way for our environment. We are committed to South Australia continuing to be a national leader in recycling and resource recovery. We see this as a key part of the government's environmental agenda, which is focussed on delivering practical, on-the-ground environmental outcomes, not just empty gestures and slogans.

I would like to thank the many King community members who have spoken to me over the past few months to have their say and voice their strong support that it is time for a change in how we use and handle single-use plastic products. Based on the feedback received through public consultation, a stakeholder task force and the Plastic Free Precincts, the Single-use and Other Plastic Products (Waste Avoidance) Bill 2020 has been developed by the Marshall Liberal government.

The bill proposes that, on commencement of the legislation, single-use plastic straws, cutlery and drink stirrers will be banned from sale, supply or distribution, and 12 months from the commencement date the distribution of expanded polystyrene cups, bowls, plates, clamshell containers and oxy-degradable plastic products will then be prohibited.

On a separate note, our Marshall Liberal government has also introduced a bill to ban political posters on public poles, and I added to the discussion my constituents' views yesterday. It has been made clear to me by my community that they wish to support a ban for many reasons, including environmental reasons. We believe they are detrimental to the environment, costly and do little to educate voters. Furthermore, business representatives have advised that there is widespread support for taking action and banning single-use plastics, and voluntary measures are already underway to reduce their use.

To support businesses and the community to transition to alternative products in the lead-up to and during the implementation of the legislation, Green Industries SA will be developing more communication materials. The legislation will include exemption-making powers that will allow for the continued sale, distribution and supply of single-use plastic straws to people who require them due to their disability or particular medical requirement. These matters have been extensively worked through by the task force, which includes two disability representatives.

In 2019, a discussion paper was released to engage South Australians on what could be included as single-use items to ban. Responses to the discussion paper returned were overwhelmingly positive. Additionally, plastic-free precincts have been established at Jetty Road, Brighton; The Parade, Norwood; Adelaide Central Market; and all SA surf lifesaving clubs, with champions at each of these sites leading the way. We have received a huge amount of positive feedback from the conservation community, from the business community and from my community, which recognises that customers are interested in seeing this, and from the broader community as well. Our single-use plastic ban is leading the way. It is sending a strong market signal, and it is providing case studies for organisations not just here in South Australia but right across the nation and the world.

In more good environmental news, Para Wirra Conservation Park is the National Parks and Wildlife Service park of the month for September. There have been ongoing activities day and night that have been organised for the park. They have been well attended and, in actual fact, booked out. We announced this month the addition of an extra 179 hectares of park being added to the Para Wirra national park for conservation.

I thank Mike and Patsy Johnson, the previous owners of this land, for their initiative, for working with the various departments and for their persistence over a decade to make this state government purchase happen. How amazing this news is for our community. I thank the Minister for Environment for his work to introduce a range of practical environmental projects that are helping South Australia continue to lead the way in recycling, in greening South Australia and in opening up our parks and helping people get back into nature.

Time expired.