Pascoe Vale electorate
Anthony CIANFLONE (Pascoe Vale) (14:50): (297) My constituency question is for the Minister for Environment. What are the next steps to progress the rollout of the Victorian Labor government’s container deposit scheme across the suburbs of Pascoe Vale, Coburg and Brunswick West? As I said in my first speech, the environment is fundamental to all life on earth. That is why, along with taking real action to combat climate change, investments to grow our recycling and circular economy are just as important as we strive to build healthier and more sustainable communities. In this respect I am very proud to be part of an Andrews Labor government which is embarking on the most ambitious strategy in the state’s history to deliver a new world-class recycling system. Supported by a record investment of $515 million, the Recycling Victoria: A New Economy strategy sets out Victoria’s plan for a cleaner state with less waste and pollution while creating more jobs through a new four-stream waste and recycling system – the purple bin – investments to strengthen the waste and recycling industry with new infrastructure, the introduction of new recycling laws and governance to support best practice and a statewide ban on single-use plastics. However, a key pillar of course is the introduction of Victoria’s first ever dedicated cash-for-cans scheme, the container deposit scheme, which will reward the return of used cans, cartons and bottles for recycling.