Parliamentary Secretary for the Central Coast, Adam Crouch, has hit back at claims by NSW Labor that the State Government is dragging its feet on the issue of banning single-use plastics.
Shadow Environment Minister Kate Washington said the recent announcement by the Victorian Government to ban single-use plastics, and the start of South Australia’s broad plastics ban, had highlighted the NSW Government’s “longstanding strategy of delay and inaction”.
“NSW is already the only state in the country where single-use plastic bags are not banned,” Washington said.
“Now, the other states and territories are going even further to protect their environment and marine species.
“South Australia, Queensland, the ACT, and Victoria have announced or introduced broader bans on plastic straws, plastic utensils, and other single-use plastics.
“NSW Labor has introduced legislation to ban single-use plastic bags four times in the previous four years, but the NSW Liberal-National Government have voted against it every time.
“On the last occasion – in 2019 – Environment Minister Matt Kean claimed that he could not support Labor’s Bill because it did not go far enough.
“In the two years since, the Government has failed to act.”
Washington said NSW generates 800,000 tonnes of plastic waste each year, and only 10 per cent is recycled.
‘Every year of delay means more and more plastic ending up in our environment and waterways,” she said.
“There’s a world-wide war on plastics. But when it comes to protecting our environment from plastic pollution, NSW is coming dead last.”
But Crouch said the Government is committed to tackling the environmental threat of single-use plastics.
“Last year two discussions papers on plastics were published and community feedback was requested,” he said.
“The NSW Government is currently working through the 16,000 submissions that have been received from the two discussion papers.”
Crouch said the two discussion papers specifically sought feedback on a proposal to: phase out key single-use plastics; triple the proportion of plastic recycled in NSW; significantly reduce plastic litter items; and make NSW a leader in national and international research on plastics.
The NSW Government’s Plastics Action Plan is expected to be released in the next few months.
Terry Collins