Question Without Notice No. 483 asked in the Legislative Council on 24 August 2017 by Hon Robin Chapple
Parliament: 40 Session: 1
RECYCLING — LANDFILL LEVY
483. Hon ROBIN CHAPPLE to the Minister for Environment:
I refer to an article in yesterday's The West Australian titled ''Recycling Farce'', which states that WA's recycling rates have dropped to just above one-third of recoverable waste.
(1) Is the landfill levy still being redirected out of the waste avoidance and resource recovery account and into consolidated revenue, or directly into any other agency?
(2) If not into consolidated revenue, to which agency is the levy going?
(3) If yes to (1), will the government now redirect this money back into recycling initiatives, as was its policy in 2009 when the function of the landfill levy was amended?
(4) Is the McGowan Labor government committed to achieving the waste strategy goal of recycling 65 per cent of recoverable waste by 2020 in the state of Western Australia?
(5) Will the McGowan Labor government legislate to ensure that this target is met and maintained?
Hon STEPHEN DAWSON replied:
I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question.
(1) The money collected via the waste levy is received into a departmental operating account. As per the Waste Avoidance and Resource Recovery Act 2007, 25 per cent is allocated to the WARR account and the remainder is allocated to consolidated revenue.
(2) Not applicable.
(3) All moneys, as required by the act, are allocated to the WARR account and administered by the Waste Authority to meet the objectives of the act and the waste strategy.
(4)–(5) The McGowan Labor government is committed to improving the waste recovery and recycling performance of the state. The government will undertake a review into the waste strategy. This review will consider the targets for the diversion of waste from landfill, including municipal solid waste. The review will also look at options for increasing the rate of recycling and waste recovery and achieving sustained improvements. The government will legislate to establish a container deposit scheme, which will further assist achieving the state's waste recovery and recycling goals.