❓ The Minister for Environment explains how increasing the landfill levy will encourage recycling, reduce landfill waste, and drive investment in alternative waste treatment and infrastructure in WA.
AnsweredQoN 338Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
STATE
BUDGET 2014–15 — LANDFILL LEVY INCREASE
338. Mrs G.J. GODFREY to the
Minister for Environment:
I note the increase in the landfill levy rates in the state
budget. Can the minister please explain to the house how that will help
increase recycling and reduce rubbish being dumped in landfill tips in the
metropolitan area?
BUDGET 2014–15 — LANDFILL LEVY INCREASE
338. Mrs G.J. GODFREY to the
Minister for Environment:
I note the increase in the landfill levy rates in the state
budget. Can the minister please explain to the house how that will help
increase recycling and reduce rubbish being dumped in landfill tips in the
metropolitan area?
AnswerView source ↗
Absolutely. I thank the member for Belmont for the question.
As the member noted in her question, this government is increasing the landfill
levy in the state budget. This increase is, in the first instance, to help
divert the amount of waste in this state that is simply ending up in tips.
Secondly, it is also geared to encourage investment in alternative waste
treatment options as well as other waste initiatives. This increase will also
drive investment in new infrastructure in Western Australia, which is much
needed to support recycling. It has a long lead time. The increase will not
kick in until 1 January 2015, so there is an eight-month lead time. This announcement
has been welcomed by a number of key industry players. The first of those was
the Western Australian Local Government Association, which obviously picks up
most of the rubbish, or its members do. It has said that this makes very good
sense, particularly on the recycling front and what can be achieved through it.
The Western Australian Waste Industry Alliance has also come out in support of
this move. This one surprised me: even the Australian Landfill Owners
Association has come out in support of this increase. Increasing the levy will
act as a financial disincentive not only to people but also to businesses to
avoid simply sending waste to landfill. It is a fact of life that the easiest
and cheapest way to dispose of waste, if people want to do it the cheapest way
possible, is to simply bury it in a tip. Although that is very easy and cheap,
it is not sustainable. It is also not desirable and not in line with community
expectations. I believe the community wants to see us increase our recycling rates.
It wants to see us more environmentally responsible, as we are a modern and
expanding city. Quite simply, a landfill levy is the key driver to make that
happen.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Leader of the Opposition, I call you to order for the first time. I also call
to order for the first time the Leader of the National Party.
Mr A.P. JACOB : A
landfill levy will make it more expensive to simply dump waste at a tip. This
is a proven tool that is well used by other states to divert waste away from
landfill and encourage recycling. Western Australia currently has the lowest
landfill levy rates in the country. The last rise in this state was about four
years ago. The increase announced in Western Australia will only bring our levy
into the broad range of that applied in South Australia and Victoria. With this
increase, WA will still sit at half the rate that is applied in New South
Wales. Our rate will still be the lowest of all other states in its first year
of application. Western Australia's recycling rate, in the last
comparative tables of 2010–11, sat at 39 per cent, which lags well
behind the national average of 60 per cent. In comparing WA's landfill avoidance rates with the other states,
Victoria tracks in at 62 per cent; New South Wales' diversion rate is
65 per cent; South Australia's is 77 per cent; and Western Australia is
lagging right back with 39 per cent. It is also very important to note that the
money collected through this levy is utilised in the first instance as a driver
towards investment in recycling and better and more sustainable waste outcomes,
and that a significant amount of that money is hypothecated directly back to
the Waste Authority for waste initiatives. For example, I mentioned the Better
Bins program in this place last week that has been funded through levy money.
We will see more and more funding from that levy going into direct programs to
assist households in the Perth metropolitan area, particularly to increase
their recycling rates. It is also important to note that Western Australia is
the only state that has a dedicated portion of the waste levy fund specifically
hypothecated into waste outcomes. The levy increases are a responsible and
necessary course of action. Put simply, when it is more expensive to drop
rubbish in a tip, recyclable items have more value. This increase will
encourage investment in alternative waste treatment options and in other
industries that manufacture products through recycling materials. This will be
a key economic driver for recycling industries to develop and grow in Western
Australia.
As the member noted in her question, this government is increasing the landfill
levy in the state budget. This increase is, in the first instance, to help
divert the amount of waste in this state that is simply ending up in tips.
Secondly, it is also geared to encourage investment in alternative waste
treatment options as well as other waste initiatives. This increase will also
drive investment in new infrastructure in Western Australia, which is much
needed to support recycling. It has a long lead time. The increase will not
kick in until 1 January 2015, so there is an eight-month lead time. This announcement
has been welcomed by a number of key industry players. The first of those was
the Western Australian Local Government Association, which obviously picks up
most of the rubbish, or its members do. It has said that this makes very good
sense, particularly on the recycling front and what can be achieved through it.
The Western Australian Waste Industry Alliance has also come out in support of
this move. This one surprised me: even the Australian Landfill Owners
Association has come out in support of this increase. Increasing the levy will
act as a financial disincentive not only to people but also to businesses to
avoid simply sending waste to landfill. It is a fact of life that the easiest
and cheapest way to dispose of waste, if people want to do it the cheapest way
possible, is to simply bury it in a tip. Although that is very easy and cheap,
it is not sustainable. It is also not desirable and not in line with community
expectations. I believe the community wants to see us increase our recycling rates.
It wants to see us more environmentally responsible, as we are a modern and
expanding city. Quite simply, a landfill levy is the key driver to make that
happen.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Leader of the Opposition, I call you to order for the first time. I also call
to order for the first time the Leader of the National Party.
Mr A.P. JACOB : A
landfill levy will make it more expensive to simply dump waste at a tip. This
is a proven tool that is well used by other states to divert waste away from
landfill and encourage recycling. Western Australia currently has the lowest
landfill levy rates in the country. The last rise in this state was about four
years ago. The increase announced in Western Australia will only bring our levy
into the broad range of that applied in South Australia and Victoria. With this
increase, WA will still sit at half the rate that is applied in New South
Wales. Our rate will still be the lowest of all other states in its first year
of application. Western Australia's recycling rate, in the last
comparative tables of 2010–11, sat at 39 per cent, which lags well
behind the national average of 60 per cent. In comparing WA's landfill avoidance rates with the other states,
Victoria tracks in at 62 per cent; New South Wales' diversion rate is
65 per cent; South Australia's is 77 per cent; and Western Australia is
lagging right back with 39 per cent. It is also very important to note that the
money collected through this levy is utilised in the first instance as a driver
towards investment in recycling and better and more sustainable waste outcomes,
and that a significant amount of that money is hypothecated directly back to
the Waste Authority for waste initiatives. For example, I mentioned the Better
Bins program in this place last week that has been funded through levy money.
We will see more and more funding from that levy going into direct programs to
assist households in the Perth metropolitan area, particularly to increase
their recycling rates. It is also important to note that Western Australia is
the only state that has a dedicated portion of the waste levy fund specifically
hypothecated into waste outcomes. The levy increases are a responsible and
necessary course of action. Put simply, when it is more expensive to drop
rubbish in a tip, recyclable items have more value. This increase will
encourage investment in alternative waste treatment options and in other
industries that manufacture products through recycling materials. This will be
a key economic driver for recycling industries to develop and grow in Western
Australia.
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