Tuesday, 22 February 2022

Responses

Ms D’AMBROSIO (Mill Park—Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change, Minister for Solar Homes) (19:23): I will begin by responding to the member for Nepean’s request of me for an update for his community on what we are doing to tackle litter on our beaches and in particular beaches in his electorate. I do this noting that the member for Nepean is very passionate about the environment. He is very much in touch with the environment—and how could you not be, living in a beautiful electorate as Nepean is. I know his community are very, very alive to the impact of litter on what is a beautiful local community where people can holiday and also of course a really important tourism destination. I know that many in his community volunteer many, many hours each and every year, working together to ensure that the beaches are pristine and free of litter. But we know it is a big challenge, and the member for Nepean was very clear on that. That is why as a government we have made a very concerted effort to tackle litter.

One of the critical sources of litter on beaches especially of course is plastics, and that is why in 2019 we moved to ban lightweight plastic shopping bags in Victoria. Prior to that ban Victorians were using about a billion plastic shopping bags each year. Since the ban came into effect three in four Victorians are now shopping with re-usable bags, and I am sure many in the member for Nepean’s community have really embraced that. Now, this is less litter in our environment, in our waterways and on our beaches, and these are all related.

From February 2023 single-use plastic straws, cutlery, plates and drink stirrers and expanded polystyrene food and drink containers and cotton bud sticks will be banned from sale or supply across Victoria. That is really an important piece of good news, and again this will further reduce problematic litter across our precious environment.

So there are bans of problematic waste materials, strong laws and regulations, along with community education, which is always a really important feature, because people want to know how their own actions can be adjusted so that ultimately they can tread more carefully on our environment. People are very hungry for education on good recycling practice, supporting Victorians of course to make those right choices—businesses and individuals—to avoid waste in the first place, choose renewables and recycle well.

We know Victorians want to do more to reduce litter, and as the member for Nepean says, there is always more work to be done. Certainly very soon we are going to be introducing our new container deposit scheme. That is coming online in 2023, and that will provide a cash incentive for everyone to do their bit by returning glass bottles and cans to container deposit drop-off points. That is estimated to reduce Victoria’s litter by up to 50 per cent. I know that the member for Nepean will be very delighted, and his community will be too, that there are terrific fundraising opportunities for all the wonderful not-for-profit organisations in his community who want to do the right thing but at the same time can raise those really important extra dollars to help the organisations and help communities to keep going further in terms of the support that they provide.

I really do want to thank the member for Nepean for his great interest in this area, and I look forward to continuing to work with him to be able to deliver more reforms and more improvements in reducing litter, especially the litter that ends up on our beaches. Of course Clean Up Australia Day is coming up soon, and I am sure there will be many community members in Nepean who will be taking part in that—and certainly in my own electorate and across the state.

In terms of other matters that have been raised by other members, I refer the matter raised by the member for Croydon for the Minister for Roads and Road Safety, and the matter raised was about initiating an advertising campaign for improving safety for workers on road sites, if you like, or construction on roads. The member for Bayswater raised a matter for the Minister for Disability, Ageing and Carers to support residential aged care facilities in the Wantirna area and to look at promoting that further. The member for Lowan raised a matter for the Minister for Planning to intervene to revoke an increase in practitioners fees set by the Victorian Building Authority.

The member for Mount Waverley raised a matter asking the Minister for Consumer Affairs, Gaming and Liquor Regulation to update the house on the property market review that is underway. The member for Warrandyte raised a matter for the Minister for Emergency Services requesting that the former CFA station at Warrandyte South be used by the local community and made available—‘gifted’ I believe is the word that was used—to the local community. The member for Yan Yean raised a matter for the Minister for Health and Minister for Ambulance Services to inform regional Victorians about what services are in the pipeline to be made available to regional Victorians.

The member for Morwell raised a matter for the Attorney-General to commit funding in the upcoming state budget for a Drug Court in the Latrobe Valley. The member for South-West Coast raised a matter for the Minister for Health asking for the public release of the Hillis report, I believe it is called, into Portland District Health. And the member for Tarneit raised a matter for the Minister for Transport Infrastructure to update her and her community on the Geelong fast rail project via the Werribee line. I will certainly ensure that all these matters are referred to the appropriate ministers.

The SPEAKER: The house now stands adjourned until tomorrow.

House adjourned 7.29 pm.