PLASTIC SHOPPING BAGS

The Hon. G.A. KANDELAARS (15:20): Will the Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation provide an update to the chamber of the operation of the plastic bag ban within South Australia?

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation, Minister for Water and the River Murray, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation) (15:20): I thank the honourable member for his most important question and for his ongoing interest in this important environmental initiative. As you are aware, Mr President, South Australia became the first state in Australia to ban checkout style, single-use plastic bags in May 2009. In fact, I recall that it was led by my colleague and leader, the Hon. Gail Gago, when she had the portfolio. She led the campaign to introduce the ban and, despite some opposition, she prevailed. It was a fantastic public policy initiative that she initiated and one of which we can all be very proud.

Four years on, switching from the single-use bags to the more durable, multiple-use bags, which are also biodegradable, I am told, has had a dramatic effect on our environment. It is now estimated that, as a result of this ban, there are 400 million fewer plastic bags in South Australia every year. That is a fantastic outcome and I congratulate minister Gago on that public policy achievement.

This has obviously reduced the amount of our waste going to landfill and the amount of litter in the form of plastic bags in our land and marine environments. It has also reduced the use of energy and water and other materials that are required in the production of plastic bags. It has also caused a significant drop in the number of plastic bags entering our land and marine environment as litter.

Following the introduction of this ban, major supermarkets complied quickly by stocking the more durable biodegradable bags. Recent research commissioned by Zero Waste into the consumer choice of plastic bags identified that a high level of consumers were taking their own re-usable shopping bags to grocery stores. I am told that almost seven in 10 shoppers come prepared.

Consumers are adept at estimating the number of bags needed for larger shopping trips, therefore reducing the need to purchase any more bags at the store. Green bags were also, I am told, the most popular bag to take shopping, with almost eight in 10 shoppers possessing at least one green bag, although I think I possess about eight or 10 'Steph Key for Ashford' bags, which are purple, and about eight or nine 'Grace Portolesi for Hartley' bags, which are dark blue—but that is just me.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER: I buy a lot of broccoli and a lot of vegetables. Three in 10 grocery shoppers said that they recycle shopping bags through a grocery store rather than send them to landfill, and that is a positive finding. Lastly, I understand that there is enduring support for the plastic bag ban but less support, I am told, for extending the ban to the more durable plastic bags that you might get at a department store when you purchase something.

In light of the success South Australia has had following the plastic bag ban, I am pleased to advise that other states and territories are beginning to follow suit. The Australian Capital Territory was the first off the ranks in December 2010, passing legislation banning plastic bags, which commenced on 1 November 2011, I am advised. The Northern Territory parliament was next, passing legislation in February 2011, which commenced on 3 January this year. I can now also advise that the Tasmanian parliament passed legislation on 30 May to ban plastic bags, with the ban to take effect from 1 November.

It is my belief that these developments following on from the Labor government's lead in South Australia will bring us closer to seeing a consistent national approach to the use of plastic bags and the eventual nationwide banning of this extremely wasteful and environmentally damaging single-use bag. The leadership and knowledge within South Australia has been a resource for these other jurisdictions as they begin to both consider the ban and educate their communities about its operation.

I can advise that officers from my department have been consulted by their interstate counterparts and have been happy to lend a hand where necessary. Information from the South Australian website, www.byobags.com.au, has been used by the Northern Territory government and, more recently, we have provided advice and support to the Tasmanian government.

This is another great example of the truly great South Australian tradition of leading the way on social and now environmental reforms. I welcome the decision by Tasmania to follow in our footsteps and I am looking forward to other jurisdictions following suit into the future. Once again, I have to say how very proud I am, as a South Australian, that we were leading this great social change, policy change, and that it was my leader, the Hon. Gail Gago, who led this campaign in this place and in this state and achieved this fantastic outcome, which is being emulated across the country.

Further, a review of recycling activities in South Australia, I should advise, is undertaken annually by Zero Waste SA to guide activities and programs and to monitor the progress of South Australia against targets in South Australia's Strategic Plan and South Australia's Waste Strategy 2011-2015. The latest report of 2011-12, shows that South Australia remains a strong performer in recycling and the recovering of resources.

The Hon. G.E. Gago interjecting:

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER: We are, and in this one instance I am happy to extend the hand of bipartisanship across the aisle and invite members opposite to enjoy the leadership that this state—

The Hon. S.G. Wade interjecting:

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER: No; to enjoy the leadership that this state provides to the country in so many other areas, but particularly environmental initiatives. We shouldn't be backward about saying, across the country, that South Australia does have a different approach to these policy developments. We can lead because we have the sort of attitude in this state where we are prepared to go out and make some hard decisions, to sell those policy initiatives and to get the community on board, and with remarkably little partisanship, I think, in these situations we can push these initiatives through our community by working with industry and other levels of government.

I think we can all be proud of that. I am certainly proud of the actions of my leader, the Hon. Gail Gago, in initiating this wonderful change in recycling policy. Honourable members don't have to go quite so far, but they can, I think, be proud that South Australians are leading again in terms of environmental issues and recycling in general. I am very proud to advise the chamber of this update.