Zali Steggall (Warringah, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

The amendment moved by the member for Fremantle is welcome, and I support it. Item 1 will insert new requirements on the minister to publish packaging products on the minister's priority list. Currently, packaging is dealt with under the National Environment Protection (Used Packaging Materials) Measure established by the National Environmental Protection Council in 1997 and also under the Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation, or APCO, co-regulatory arrangements, which in 2018 listed a number of targets for packaging.

Packaging, especially plastics, is one of the leading contributors to waste in our oceans and elsewhere in the environment. Community alarm at the deterioration in the health of our oceans and the extent of the issue means we must escalate our ambition in dealing with the problem. This amendment will ensure that packaging is a matter of priority for the government and ensure that attention is on the steps industry and APCO must take to deal with this issue.

This bill is an opportunity to make headway on a pervasive and complex problem, and we must ensure we get it right. This amendment will help in doing that.

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