Recycling and Waste Reduction Bill 2020 and others

The majority voted against amendments introduced by Tasmanian Senator Peter Whish-Wilson (Greens), which means it failed.

Senator Whish-Wilson explained that:

These amendments put plastic packaging on the next priority list. So, once this legislation is passed tonight, the minister can go through a process where they can put any packaging stream on a priority list. When it's on a priority list, what is different about it is that the minister can name and shame an organisation, a company or a member of the Packaging Covenant for not meeting their targets.

Amendment text

(1) Clause 67, page 68 (after line 21), after subclause (1), insert:

First priority list must include plastic packaging

(1A) The first Minister's priority list prepared after the commencement of this section must include plastic packaging in the list of products referred to in paragraph (1) (a), and set out information as required under paragraphs (1) (b), (c) and (d) in relation to plastic packaging.

(1B) To avoid doubt, subsection (1A) does not prevent the first Minister's priority list from including products other than plastic packaging.

(2) Clause 185, page 183 (line 10), omit "a review", substitute "an independent review".