MEMBER for Mildura Ali Cupper has credited the advocacy of community members as a contributor to the State Government’s announcement that Victoria will introduce a container deposit scheme.
“There have been a number of individuals and community groups in the electorate who have reached out to my office about this issue, and their advocacy has helped push the Victorian Government to act,” she said.
Premier Daniel Andrews announced Monday, on his Facebook account, that the scheme would be introduced as part of a “massive overhaul of our state’s recycling industry”.
Victoria is the last state to introduce a container deposit scheme to help tackle its recycling and water crisis, but it will not be in place until 2023.
The Victorian Government resisted calls from the public, municipal and industries bodies, the opposition and the Victorian Greens to introduce a scheme for some years.
In August last year, the Greens introduced a bill to state parliament for a 10-cent refund on bottles and cans.
Ms Cupper also raised the matter in parliament in November last year, after she received a petition from the Red Cliffs Landcare Group led by John Burfitt.
“I was able to take receipt of the Landcare Petition from John and refer to it as part of a Member’s Statement in the Legislative Assembly, including the fact that it had achieved over 1000 signatures, which is a significant level of interest,” she said.
“I also wrote to the Energy Minister Lily D’Ambrosio on behalf of a number of constituents and local councils who have contacted my office in the past 12 months. I’m happy to have been able to contribute on behalf of Mildura.”
Ms D’Ambrosio announced on her Facebook account that the container deposit scheme would be the first of suite of reforms to Victoria’s recycling industry.
Ms Cupper has called for the container deposit scheme to be introduced as soon as possible.
“I will be working with the Andrews Government to support the container deposit scheme to be introduced as soon as possible, recognising the huge impact that this scheme will have on reducing waste in Mildura, and also the benefit the scheme brings to local clubs and groups who can contribute to the environment while also fundraising for their efforts,” she said.
