Green Industries Fund

412 The Hon. H.M. GIROLAMO ().29 October 2024). Can the Minister for Climate, Environment and Water advise:

1. What is the current FTE under Green Industries SA ('GISA')?

2. Who is the Chief Executive, GISA?

3. Has the budget for GISA changed since estimates earlier this year?

4. What is the budget for GISA in the current financial year?

5. How much has been expended thus far?

6. The details of the programs or priorities of GISA to improve kerbside collection systems.

7. The details of the programs or priorities GISA will likely fund in 2024-25 that will slow waste generation in South Australia.

8. Will GISA continue to support the Regional Transport Subsidies Program?

9. Has the Chief Executive, GISA, and/or the Chief Executive, Department for Environment and Water ('department') read the final report of SA Parliament's Select Committee on Recycling of Soft Plastics and Other Recyclable Material?

10. What considerations has the department and/or the minister made to the findings of the report?

11. Has the department conducted any investigations, reviews, or improvements to the government's procurement policies in efforts to reduce non-recyclable waste?

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Attorney-General, Minister for Industrial Relations and Public Sector): The Minister for Climate, Environment and Water has advised:

1. GISA's FTE budget for 2024-25 is 32.1, as outlined in the 2024-25 Agency Statement.

2. I refer you to the South Australian Government Gazette of 3 October 2024 for the information you seek.

3. Estimates earlier this year, GISA's revenue budget remains unchanged. The expenditure budget has decreased by $19,000 due to the cessation of audit fee charging arrangements aligned with a whole-of-government initiative.

4. As of 31 October 2024, GISA's revenue budget is $61.132 million, and GISA's expenditure budget is $30.605 million for 2024-25.

5. As of 31 October 2024, GISA has expended $15.093 million in 2024-25.

6. South Australia's Waste Strategy 2020-2025 sets targets to stimulate action towards a circular economy, including a target of zero avoidable waste to landfill by 2030 and a landfill diversion target for metropolitan municipal solid waste (MSW) household bin systems of 70 per cent by 2025.

Green Industries SA's programs are outlined in an annual business plan that is available on the agency's website: https://www.greenindustries.sa.gov.au/resources/business-plan-2024-25.

The key programs targeting improving South Australia's kerbside recovery rate are:

council modernisation grants

kerbside food waste incentives

statewide recycling education (Which Bin)

regional transport subsidies

Local Government Association of SA partnership.

GISA's programs supporting investments in resource recovery infrastructure and circular economy market development projects, as well as single-use plastics initiatives also support increasing the MSW recovery rate.

7. Reducing waste generation is a significant challenge that implementing the principles of the circular economy is endeavouring to address. South Australia's Waste Strategy 2020-2025 includes an overall target of reducing waste per capita by 5 per cent from a 2020 baseline.

All of GISA's programs seek to implement the principles of the circular economy and waste management hierarchy, which seek to eliminate waste and prioritise avoidance and reuse above recycling and recovery. For example, through implementation of South Australia's single-use plastics bans, GISA promotes avoidance and reusable alternatives wherever possible.

8. The Regional Transport Subsidies Program, which was introduced as a temporary support measure in response to the China National Sword Policy, is supported in 2024-25 and future support for the program is anticipated, noting that this is subject to budget availability and evaluated annually by GISA through development of its business plan.

9. Yes.

10. A government response to the report is being prepared by GISA.

11. Government procurement policy is the responsibility of the Department of Treasury and Finance.