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House of Assembly - Fifty-First Parliament, Third Session (51-3)
2008-10-30 Daily Xml
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ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION (PRODUCT DEPOSIT SCHEME) AMENDMENT BILL

Introduction and First Reading

The Hon. I.F. EVANS (Davenport) (11:11): Obtained leave and introduced a bill for an act to amend the Environment Protection Act 1993. Read a first time.

Second Reading

The Hon. I.F. EVANS (Davenport) (11:12): I move:

That this bill be now read a second time.

Given the stunt pulled by the government this morning, I intend to be quick so as many private members as possible can get their items dealt with this morning.

This bill seeks to introduce a system that allows the government to introduce product deposits on more products than just containers. The house would be familiar with the container deposit—

The Hon. M.J. Atkinson: Your dad opposed it to begin with. He opposed the whole thing.

The Hon. I.F. EVANS: Another error of judgment. The house is familiar with the container deposit legislation. I was one of the—

The Hon. M.J. Atkinson: He didn't put it on containers, but now you want it on everything.

The Hon. I.F. EVANS: Madam Deputy Speaker, during question time the Speaker normally rules that interjections are out of order—on this side of the house.

The Hon. M.J. Atkinson: You don't like it, do you?

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! The Attorney knows that interjections are out of order.

The Hon. I.F. EVANS: I will respond to the interjection, Madam Deputy Speaker. The Attorney should realise that I—

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Well, that's also out of order, member for Davenport.

The Hon. I.F. EVANS: I am just going to clarify that I often have different views to my father. The house is familiar with the container deposit legislation that has been successful in South Australia. I was the first minister to expand the container deposit legislation to more containers. I think there is now scope for the system to be expanded to other products. This bill sets up a framework within government that allows the government of the day to introduce product deposits on products other than just containers.

A classic example is electronic waste, which often contains heavy metals. It seems the perfect opportunity to consider deposits on some of the electronic goods so that the amount of waste going to landfill is reduced. I think that is a classic example for the introduction of product deposits.

Europe and other countries have producer extended liability, where the manufacturer of a product is actually responsible for the collection and recycling of the product. We do not have that here in Australia. So, I think product deposits is the way to go. If this legislation was adopted, it would make South Australia the first jurisdiction in the world—certainly the first jurisdiction in Australia—to adopt such a scheme.

We are all familiar with the container deposit legislation. It has been highly successful. There seems to be no reason why we should not consider introducing deposits (on the merit of each case) on other products to reduce waste and increase recycling. I do not wish to hold up the house any longer—

The Hon. M.J. Atkinson: Used former leader.

The Hon. I.F. EVANS: The Attorney-General says, 'used former leader'—it is the typical smart-arse remark you would expect from this Attorney-General. I just wish that the Attorney-General was not a part of the stunt this morning to bring on the matter about—

The Hon. M.J. Atkinson: I wasn't.

The Hon. I.F. EVANS: You were; you voted, Attorney. You were paired out; your pair was on the side of the government so, in effect, your vote was recorded as a pair for the 'ayes'. What you did this morning, Attorney, was decide you would rather debate the matter in relation to Marble Hill instead of victims rights—

The Hon. M.J. Atkinson interjecting:

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order, the Attorney-General!

The Hon. I.F. EVANS: I commend the bill to the house.

Debate adjourned on motion of Mrs Geraghty.

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