Waste and Resource Recovery Sector

The Hon. J.M. GAZZOLA (15:19): My question is to the Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation. Will the minister update the chamber as to how South Australia is leading the nation when it comes to the waste and resource recovery industry?

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation, Minister for Water and the River Murray, Minister for Climate Change) (15:20): I thank the honourable member for his most important question. Not only is it International Road Safety Awareness Week but I'm advised that this week is also International Compost Awareness Week.

The Hon. J.M.A. Lensink: And volunteers week.

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER: And volunteers week. I don't believe the International Compost Awareness Week has a ribbon and I'm sure that's an oversight which will be rectified—

The Hon. R.I. Lucas interjecting:

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER: Well, if you want to take us there, Rob, we can take you there. I had the pleasure this morning of speaking to the 2017 Australian Organics Recycling Association National Conference in Adelaide. The conference being held in Adelaide represents a recognition of this state's leadership in terms of organic recycling, waste management and resource recovery.

We have always thought of waste in this state (this state government at least) as an economic opportunity—if only we knew how to recycle more effectively. However, our sustained efforts over a number of years now has helped to create what is now a $1 billion industry that I am told employs about 5,000 South Australians. We are not finished yet. Our ambition is to continue working with the waste and resource recovery sector to help them grow and, of course, employ many more South Australians. We want to lift our recycling rate, which currently is Australia's best, beyond the 80 per cent or thereabouts that it is at the moment in terms of reduction of waste to landfill and to drive it to even higher levels.

Reducing organic waste going to landfill is an important part of this challenge, and for many reasons. I am very pleased that the government has been able to support local councils across the state to continue their food waste recycling program through $745,000 in grant funding from Green Industries SA. This funding builds on $2.8 million, I am advised, in funding announced earlier this year that is helping to deliver waste infrastructure and has or will create 67 jobs—funding that also contributed to over $10 million of additional investments in the sector.

In fact, through Green Industries South Australia the government has a four-year, $12 million infrastructure program that will increase the capacity of recycling systems and reprocessing infrastructure in the state. Investing in new and improved infrastructure gets to the heart of what we are attempting to achieve and that is to stimulate economic growth and support the goals of South Australia's Waste Strategy 2015-2020.

It was very interesting to hear some of the speakers today. One speaker in particular was talking about the impoverished soils in China and how recycling waste materials and putting organics back into the soil has driven soil productivity up to very high levels. This is an area where South Australia in particular can export its technical knowledge and capabilities to countries that really do need to grasp this and are struggling with some of the issues that we have struggled with in the past as well, but need to struggle with issues of soil and making it much more productive.

In delivering this next set of reforms, reforms that were called for by the industry, the government is building on our past achievements and those of the Dunstan Labor government that helped deliver our iconic container deposit scheme, which is now sweeping the nation, a scheme that, 40 years later, is being copied by the Northern Territory, will be copied by Queensland and New South Wales and the ACT, and even WA has indicated an interest in becoming involved as well.

This Labor government's reforms to ban lightweight, checkout-style plastic bags was a campaign led by the Hon. Gail Gago, as leader of this house, and which will be a tribute to her and her stamina, driving through change—again, leading this country—which is now being picked up right around the country by other states. That is a fantastic achievement.

Our transformation of Zero Waste SA into GISA, recognising the broad potential this sector can deliver and working with industry, is an important part of this strategy because we are committed to work together with industry to drive these strategic goals. We know that as a state we pride ourselves on our clean and green image. It is an image that is yielding benefits for other sectors, such as premium food and wine and the export markets they seek to enter, and working to improve recycling and re-use while also growing jobs is very important for the state's green reputation. This government will continue to work on the fantastic achievements of the Dunstan Labor government and Gail Gago, and we hope to get even more outstanding results into the future.