Wednesday, 30 July 2025

Container deposit scheme

Cindy McLEISH (Eildon) (19:03): (1222) I have a matter for the Minister for Environment, and the action I seek is for the minister to work with Visy to ensure that the container deposit scheme operating in Eildon township is approved at a new location. I am particularly grumpy about this, and the Eildon community are as well, and rightly so, because it seems to be almost out of the blue that this program, this scheme, was halted, and they want it back up and running pronto.

Visy have not approved the scheme to continue operating at a different but commonly thought better location. Jason Lodge, the operator, has done everything right, and the community, extending well beyond the township, are right behind him. Local councillor Anita Carr is also right behind him. It sounds to me that Visy do not want this successful scheme operating. They will not even respond to Jason’s emails, which he sends every second day, or his phone calls, since they sent him a letter to say they will not approve this new location. I have been to Jason’s previous location. I have witnessed him in operation, and he has managed very well. He has been there from the start, and he had this over-the-counter scheme operating at the back of his business, Nanny Jan’s.

It was very popular, very successful. He collected nearly 2 million containers, and that returned almost $200,000 to local groups and clubs and to the broader community, the Buxton CFA and the Alexandra football club. He has met all of the compliance requirements through the Visy audits. He has done a great job. This is so popular during the tourist season that people flood there from all of the neighbouring caravan parks and campgrounds with their containers. Mr Lodge – Jason – needed to change the location of the site when the lease on the current premises was up. It was out of his control, and he found a new location and notified Visy as required. The site was previously a hardware store. There is ample storage, it is secure, it is under cover and it is easy for trucks to come in and turn around. After having to wait six weeks, Visy declined approval of that new site, citing lack of adequate amenities – goodness knows what that means – and close proximity to residential dwellings. It is in a farming zone, and it has previously operated as a hardware and electrical outlet. Visy has suggested, and I cannot believe this, that people go to one of three other locations in the Murrindindi shire – Pheasant Creek, an hour and 20 minutes drive from Eildon, and Kinglake pub and pantry, an hour and 12 minutes. Alexandra is closer, but the reason this was so successful was because everybody in and around Eildon supported it at that location. The minister needs to fix this ASAP. The community is fuming.