Waste Management

The Hon. T.T. NGO (14:48): I have a question for the Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation. Can the minister tell the chamber how the state government is working towards reforming the waste sector for the benefit of the waste industry and the environment?

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation, Minister for Water and the River Murray, Minister for Climate Change) (14:48): I would like to thank the member for his most important question. The waste industry is one of the fastest growing manufacturing sectors in the country, and here in South Australia the state government has been actively working with industry and the community to ensure that both the policy settings and our regulations support the industry to grow and expand.

For example, we have transformed Zero Waste SA into Green Industries SA in order to support the industry to grow and expand into new markets, and benefits are already being felt. I am advised that this was evident during the recent state government trade mission to India, where talks began about the exporting of South Australian waste management expertise.

We are working to reduce red tape and allow industry to work more efficiently. An example of this is Waste Tracker, the EPA's online system for tracking hazardous waste. This new system is designed to simplify and speed up the process by offering an online presence in a real-time tracking service. Waste Tracker began operating in March 2015 and around 30 per cent of licences, I am advised, are now using the system online.

The number of users of the system is steadily increasing and the feedback from the industry has been highly positive, I have been told. As a result of these and many other measures, the South Australian waste sector has grown into a billion dollar industry that contributes more than $500 million a year to our GSP and employs almost 5,000 South Australians and, of course, the resulting environmental benefits are also very welcome. South Australia, for example, has one of the world's best recycling rates. We recover about 80 per cent of our waste, I am advised, which has the equivalent environmental benefit (if you like to do these sorts of sums) of taking approximately 256,900 passenger cars off the road.

The economic benefits to our state are just as notable. Access Economics has estimated, in a report released in 2009, that recycling creates over three times the number of jobs compared to sending waste to landfill. Given these enormous benefits, we want to work with industry to ensure that South Australia realises the full potential of the green economy. This is partly why we have recently released the Reforming Waste Management discussion paper to encourage public comment. I am seeking feedback to understand how we can improve our regulatory settings, to help drive the next phase of growth for this sector.

As part of this consultation process, we will be holding a series of public information sessions, including in regional areas of the state, and targeted stakeholder meetings. I would like to encourage everyone to take a look at the discussion paper and make a submission, which I understand closes on 2 October of this year, or join the online discussion on waste reform in South Australia on the government's YourSAy website.

We have some of Australia's best recycling and waste recovery rates; that is true. This has created economic opportunities for our state, while at the same time protecting our great environment. I am committed, however, to work even further with the sector to explore ways to create more jobs in this industry and support the industry growing into the future and capitalising on our know-how and expertise and see if we can't encourage the private sector to export that overseas and create even more jobs for South Australians.