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Legislative Council - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, Second Session (54-2)
2020-07-02 Daily Xml
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Single-Use and Other Plastic Products (Waste Avoidance) Bill

Second Reading

Adjourned debate on second reading.

(Continued from 30 June 2020.)

The Hon. D.G.E. HOOD (16:13): I rise to speak to the Single-Use and Other Plastic Products (Waste Avoidance) Bill. South Australia is a global leader in waste management and resource recovery and we should be enormously proud of the way that our state continues to implement best practice policies, procedures, programs and initiatives in the area of waste management and resource recovery.

The South Australian community has an expectation that we, as a government, will continue to promote this culture by pushing the boundaries when it comes to world-leading waste management and resource recovery. Single-use plastic legislation forms a key part of what the South Australian community expects of their government and of their political leaders and representatives in this place. I am encouraged by the broad level of support for this legislation across all sides of politics in South Australia.

In 1977, South Australia was the first state to introduce the world-leading container deposit legislation. It has taken other jurisdictions literally decades to catch up, and in some cases they are only just getting there now. The Victorian government only announced earlier this year that they are moving down the path of a container deposit legislation scheme. Some might say Victoria is 43 years behind South Australia.

It is not just the Victorians who are taking inspiration from South Australia. The Scottish government is also going down this path in the coming months, and it is no coincidence that a delegation from Scotland visited a couple of years ago and was apparently very impressed by what South Australia has achieved in this area over several decades.

This bill marks another historic moment for our state. We know other jurisdictions are looking at us as an example, and they will follow. As they follow us by adopting their own container deposit schemes, they will also follow us in acting against the unnecessary consumption of single-use plastics. The Minister for Environment and Water, the Hon. David Speirs, has worked hard on this legislation. The minister has detailed the message received from the South Australian community during consultation, and it is exceptionally clear.

Put simply, South Australians are committed to the environment and they want action on single-use plastic products. It is the message coming from the community members. It is the message we have heard from many businesses hearing that their customers are seeking alternative products to single-use plastics, and that is coming at the point of sale at cafes, restaurants, events organisations and others. It is almost unanimous.

It is important to understand that plastic itself is not a bad thing, of course. It is a product that has led to greater hygiene and is used in the preservation of food and other essentials. It is essential to draw the line between plastic as an incredible invention of the 20th century and plastic that is a great environmental problem. When dealt with in unsuitable ways, when discarded into the environment, when used in a way that sees it become overabundant and unnecessary, plastic can be detrimental in that regard.

This legislation has been introduced by the Marshall Liberal government to deal with the serious consequences of the preventable environmental impacts from excessive plastic use. We want South Australia to continue to lead the country, and indeed the world, in dealing with this important issue. This bill seeks to restrict and prohibit harmful products such as single-use plastic drinking straws; single-use plastic cutlery; single-use plastic beverage stirrers; expanded polystyrene cups, bowls, plates and clamshell containers; as well as oxo-degradable plastic products.

Most businesses in South Australia that supply these types of products source them from various producers and manufacturers, and many are imported from overseas. It is expected that suppliers will quickly adapt to the changing market to meet the growing demand for equivalent environmentally friendly alternatives. We are already seeing this in many cases, for instance in cafes, restaurants and events-based organisations, as well as households across the state. People are adapting.

There is a consumer-driven push to see that adaptation, which is driving a greater availability of alternative products to single-use plastics. There is now a growing opportunity for South Australia to position itself as the place where these products are manufactured. Importantly, this will create jobs in South Australia. Alternatives will drive growth. When the other states catch up and when demand for these alternative products increases in those states, the manufacturers of these alternative products will already be in South Australia, and they will no doubt have willing purchasers in the other states.

Although sales associated with the ban on prohibited plastic products will cease, legislation such as this provides businesses with the opportunity to know that there is a pathway, that government is really aligning itself with an environment that is freer of single-use plastics and that community sentiment and expectations are backing that up. The emergence of a wide range of alternative products to single-use plastics is testimony to how the market can and does respond.

Before adding other items to the list of prohibited plastic products via regulation, the consultation process outlined in the bill must be undertaken. In early 2019, the Marshall Liberal government released a discussion paper seeking the views of the community and businesses on reducing the impacts of single-use plastic products on the environment. The discussion paper received overwhelming support from the community, industry, local government, business and interest groups for government intervention on single-use plastics.

A stakeholder task force group comprising relevant businesses, industry, local government and relevant interest groups was established to assist with the development of legislation and to consider matters associated with implementation. Additionally, voluntary Plastic Free Precincts were established to trial the removal of single-use plastics and to inform the development of legislation. These precincts have been well publicised, and positive feedback has been received from businesses and consumers.

It is the government's clear intention that the regulatory approach will focus on education and communication about prohibited products and that efforts will be made to support businesses in their transition to alternative products. However, as outlined in this bill, expiations and penalties can be applied and certainly will be if required. Nevertheless, the success of this legislation will be a shift in consumer behaviour and a transition to other products, not necessarily in the number of expiations issued or the number of penalties applied.

As mentioned earlier, communication activities will help businesses and suppliers to understand the requirements of the legislation and to find appropriate alternative products, including the replacement of any oxo-degradable products. A big part of this, clearly, will be education and raising awareness amongst retailers and consumers about what is degradable and what is not, and what is good packaging and what is not.

If businesses are seeking products that can be legitimately composted, the government strongly recommends these products have the appropriate certification to Australian standards. If not, they should be seeking appropriate reusable and recyclable alternatives.

We believe that we will have substantial conservation benefits in our outdoor areas, in our parks, along our coastline and in our marine environments, and we strongly believe that this is something South Australians will support and be proud of. Indeed, the consultation process has indicated just that. I strongly support the bill.

Debate adjourned on motion of Hon. I.K. Hunter.

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