Waste and recycling management
Mr MORRIS (Mornington) (12:34): My question is to the Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change. Last week the Treasurer announced that this Labor government will be imposing $4 billion of cuts, and he said he is ‘looking at every line item’. With recycling going to landfill and Victoria’s waste management in crisis, will the minister guarantee that none of these cuts will be made to waste management?
Ms D’AMBROSIO (Mill Park—Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change, Minister for Solar Homes) (12:35): I thank the member for Mornington for his question. What I can say absolutely clearly is that what Victorians will get from this government and have got from this government is record investment in our recycling system—record investment—and that will not stop there. We will improve resources, and we will improve services for Victorians. That is our commitment and that is exactly what it is that we will deliver.
Mr MORRIS (Mornington) (12:35): The supplementary: will the minister today give Victorians a guarantee that there will be no increase in the bin tax to pay for Labor’s budget black hole?
Ms D’AMBROSIO (Mill Park—Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change, Minister for Solar Homes) (12:35): I thank the member for his supplementary question. Let me set the record straight: there is no bin tax. There is no bin tax; it does not exist. There is no bin tax.
What I will guarantee is that Victorians cannot expect to have an incinerator in every suburb right across the state, as is planned by those opposite. We will be delivering a comprehensive recycling circular economy policy, and we will have more to say about this in the coming period of time. There is only one side of the house that will deliver a reinforced, strengthened recycling system and industry in this state, and that is the Andrews Labor government.