Hon. Sally Talbot questions the Minister for Environment about failing to meet recycling targets despite the landfill levy. The Minister acknowledges the missed target but anticipates future improvement due to industry investment.

AnsweredQoN 394Legislative Council
Asked
25 May 2011
Portfolio
Environment

QuestionView source ↗

WASTE LANDFILL LEVY — RECYCLING TARGET
I refer the minister to the 2011–12 budget papers, which show that the government failed to meet its targeted reduction in the amount of waste diverted from landfill through recycling. As well, the budget papers show that cash receipts associated with the landfill levy—in other words, from the dumping of waste into landfill—are expected to increase in 2011–12. Will the minister now admit that the government’s 2009 assumption that using 75 per cent of the landfill levy to fund programs not connected with recycling would cut the amount of waste dumped in landfill was wrong? Hon HELEN MORTON

AnswerView source ↗

I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question. The Minister for Environment’s response is no. The budget papers show the percentage of waste in the metropolitan area diverted from landfill through recycling increasing from 34 per cent in 2009–10 to an estimated 40.6 per cent in 2010–11. Hon Sally Talbot : The target was 45 per cent! Hon HELEN MORTON : Although that is less that the target of 45 per cent, this is a trend that is expected to continue as industry continues to respond by investing in recycling infrastructure in response to the increase in the landfill levy.
Hon HELEN MORTON replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question. The Minister for Environment’s response is no. The budget papers show the percentage of waste in the metropolitan area diverted from landfill through recycling increasing from 34 per cent in 2009–10 to an estimated 40.6 per cent in 2010–11. Hon Sally Talbot : The target was 45 per cent! Hon HELEN MORTON : Although that is less that the target of 45 per cent, this is a trend that is expected to continue as industry continues to respond by investing in recycling infrastructure in response to the increase in the landfill levy.
I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question. The Minister for Environment’s response is no. The budget papers show the percentage of waste in the metropolitan area diverted from landfill through recycling increasing from 34 per cent in 2009–10 to an estimated 40.6 per cent in 2010–11. Hon Sally Talbot : The target was 45 per cent! Hon HELEN MORTON : Although that is less that the target of 45 per cent, this is a trend that is expected to continue as industry continues to respond by investing in recycling infrastructure in response to the increase in the landfill levy.
The Minister for Environment’s response is no. The budget papers show the percentage of waste in the metropolitan area diverted from landfill through recycling increasing from 34 per cent in 2009–10 to an estimated 40.6 per cent in 2010–11. Hon Sally Talbot : The target was 45 per cent! Hon HELEN MORTON : Although that is less that the target of 45 per cent, this is a trend that is expected to continue as industry continues to respond by investing in recycling infrastructure in response to the increase in the landfill levy.
Hon Sally Talbot : The target was 45 per cent! Hon HELEN MORTON : Although that is less that the target of 45 per cent, this is a trend that is expected to continue as industry continues to respond by investing in recycling infrastructure in response to the increase in the landfill levy.
Hon HELEN MORTON : Although that is less that the target of 45 per cent, this is a trend that is expected to continue as industry continues to respond by investing in recycling infrastructure in response to the increase in the landfill levy.

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