Mr HIGGINS - 2013-03-27
Could you please advise how successful the container deposit legislation has been for the community of Alice Springs and surrounds?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Daly for the question. It is a very important issue. We warned the previous government about all the problems they would face. Potential breaches of the Mutual Recognition Act were argued wonderfully by the shadow minister at the time.
Nevertheless, we will try to do what we can to salvage the benefits of the container deposit legislation scheme while the Chief Minister does his best in Canberra and at COAG to work with the other state Premiers through some of the legalities.
The benefits to the Alice Springs community have been widespread. I am advised by the manager of our local depot at Territory Metals that container returns are currently around 45 000 per day and growing. That is approximately 270 000 containers per week no longer blowing around the streets of Alice Springs or filling up the rubbish dump. As a result of the scheme, Territory Metals has employed nine new staff to handle this work. That equates to jobs, jobs, jobs - something this government is very supportive of. We are pro-development and pro-jobs, not like the anti-development Luddites on the other side.
Territory Metals has invested in many tens of thousands of dollars of infrastructure and equipment. The manager is receiving 20 to 30 phone calls a day from locals wanting to ensure the program is still operating ...
Members interjecting.
Mr CONLAN: It is very difficult; we have Karl Marx and Groucho Marx sitting on the other side of the Chamber. We did warn you from the beginning that this was going to be a problem, despite the benefits.
Ladies in town camps are collecting containers for the payment. Seventeen Central Australian schools have recycling trailers to help raise money and teach recycling behaviours to their students. Dog walkers are picking up containers on their morning or afternoon walks. The schools, streets, town camps, and parks are tidier. Alice Springs and surrounds are tidier as a result of the container deposit scheme.
We always said it was a pretty good scheme, it was just your model was legally flawed. Now we have to clean up the Labor mess. The Chief Minister will do whatever he can to make sure we work through the Mutual Recognition Act and can continue with the great benefits of the container deposit scheme.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Daly for the question. It is a very important issue. We warned the previous government about all the problems they would face. Potential breaches of the Mutual Recognition Act were argued wonderfully by the shadow minister at the time.
Nevertheless, we will try to do what we can to salvage the benefits of the container deposit legislation scheme while the Chief Minister does his best in Canberra and at COAG to work with the other state Premiers through some of the legalities.
The benefits to the Alice Springs community have been widespread. I am advised by the manager of our local depot at Territory Metals that container returns are currently around 45 000 per day and growing. That is approximately 270 000 containers per week no longer blowing around the streets of Alice Springs or filling up the rubbish dump. As a result of the scheme, Territory Metals has employed nine new staff to handle this work. That equates to jobs, jobs, jobs - something this government is very supportive of. We are pro-development and pro-jobs, not like the anti-development Luddites on the other side.
Territory Metals has invested in many tens of thousands of dollars of infrastructure and equipment. The manager is receiving 20 to 30 phone calls a day from locals wanting to ensure the program is still operating ...
Members interjecting.
Mr CONLAN: It is very difficult; we have Karl Marx and Groucho Marx sitting on the other side of the Chamber. We did warn you from the beginning that this was going to be a problem, despite the benefits.
Ladies in town camps are collecting containers for the payment. Seventeen Central Australian schools have recycling trailers to help raise money and teach recycling behaviours to their students. Dog walkers are picking up containers on their morning or afternoon walks. The schools, streets, town camps, and parks are tidier. Alice Springs and surrounds are tidier as a result of the container deposit scheme.
We always said it was a pretty good scheme, it was just your model was legally flawed. Now we have to clean up the Labor mess. The Chief Minister will do whatever he can to make sure we work through the Mutual Recognition Act and can continue with the great benefits of the container deposit scheme.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016