WASTE MANAGEMENT

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (15:18): My question is to the Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation: will the minister advise how the government is assisting South Australia's regional areas recycle resources and ultimately reduce waste going to landfill?

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation, Minister for Water and the River Murray, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation) (15:19): I thank the honourable member for his most important question. As most members will be aware, recycling is something that we do particularly well in South Australia—particularly those on the other side of the chamber who recycle their ministers and shadow ministers over and over and over again. We see the same old ministers. The same old faces have been put forward as a new team, of course—we have the Chapmans, the Evanses, the Lucases—and, of course, they were all failures in their day and they are being recycled once again to fail once more. That is not the recycling that we on this side like to engage in. We like to actually talk about waste reduction.

The Hon. G.E. Gago: We're a hothouse of growth and innovation.

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER: Absolutely right. My leader reminds me that we are a hothouse of innovation and leadership—

The Hon. G.E. Gago: Vision.

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER: —and vision, and we lead for this state. But let me come back to the question about recycling. Our state's rate of waste diversion currently sits at just under 80 per cent. That is a fantastic outcome.

Every year since 2003 the amount of material being recycled or diverted from landfill has grown by about 8 per cent. Despite this great and ongoing success within our state as a whole, the rate of waste diversion in regional areas when compared to that of metropolitan Adelaide has been significantly lower. There are, obviously, a number of reasons for that, the most predominant being that recovering and recycling waste in regional communities presents a number of challenges not shared by larger metropolitan communities. That also means that there is room to improve, and that is exactly what the state Labor government has set out to do under our South Australia's Waste Strategy 2011-2015.

Earlier this year, I spoke in this place about the Regional Implementation Program whereby Zero Waste SA was working with councils to progressively implement waste reforms to continue to improve the recovery of materials from country areas. I am pleased to advise the council that the state government has awarded just over $1.3 million in funding to help councils and recyclers within South Australia's regions complete a number of projects that will help meet this strategy.

This funding will enable the upgrade or establishment of new transfer stations and other improvements, such as the construction of sheds and compost pads. Transfer stations and resource recovery facilities have a critical role to play in diverting waste from landfills and recovering materials. The funding is stimulating further investments in regional waste management, with grant recipients contributing a further $5 million towards these projects.

Some of the projects awarded funding include a citrus packing shed for Foodbank SA in the Riverland and a number of waste transfer station upgrades for the Mid Murray Council's facilities at Swan Reach, Blanchetown and Cadell. In the South-East, moneys have been provided for a recycling depot at Penola Recyclers and additional funds have been awarded for the expansion of the Tatiara District Council's waste transfer station.

On Kangaroo Island, money has been awarded for an upgrade to the composting area at Kingscote; and, at Roxby Downs, funds have been awarded for the construction of a new resource recovery and waste transfer station. These are only a few of the examples of the great work that we are continuing to do in partnership with regional areas. Applications were assessed against broad criteria in recognition of the different set of challenges regional councils face but, ultimately, were selected on their ability to divert the greatest amount of waste.

I am also pleased to advise that, in support of these projects and the wider strategy to reduce waste in the regions, seed funding has been awarded of up to $261,000 towards four regional waste coordinators in the Fleurieu, Adelaide Hills and Central, and South-East areas. Jointly funded with and employed by councils, these roles will assist in waste and recycling education within the regions, manage the coordination of contracts, and update regional waste management plans.

As I said earlier, dispersed population centres across the state, fewer people and considerable transport distances create additional difficulties for achieving viable recycling outcomes in many regional areas. We as a government understand that, but it does not mean that it is impossible for regional communities to reduce, re-use and recycle their waste. We have seen some outstanding improvements in waste recovery and diversion from landfill across our state over the last few years, and we have seen some great infrastructure constructed right around the state for the benefit of everybody. I am sure these projects will also make a considerable reduction in waste heading to landfill and, most importantly, assist in continuing to place South Australia where it belongs—as a world leader in recycling and the diversion of waste from landfill.

I am told that $1.45 million was awarded in February this year for round 7 of the Regional Implementation Program, and this funding under any grant infrastructure program delivered by Zero Waste SA will differ from year to year, but it depends on the number and quality of projects submitted and also on the type and cost of these projects. At the end of the day, we will end up with quality infrastructure for regional as well as metropolitan South Australians.