NSW push for 10c per bottle levy

ANDREW CLENNELL
June 26, 2013
The Daily Telegraph

NSW Environment Minister Robyn Parker is leading the push for the introduction of a national container deposit levy – 10c for every bottle returned to manufacturers – in a move that industry warns could cost Sydney families up to $300 a year on their beer and soft drink.

Ms Parker is under pressure from backbenchers to establish a bottle return scheme similar to South Australia, with the nation’s environment ministers set to receive a report from state and federal bureaucrats next month on whether to press ahead with the levy.

Those encouraging Ms Parker to get a container deposit levy up include Murray-Darling National MP John Williams and Liberal David Elliott.

Opponents argue it will drive up beer and soft drink prices and lead to people going around emptying yellow bins.

Ms Parker’s office said yesterday if the evidence stacked up and a national container deposit levy scheme could be set up “so it would not lead to increased cost of living pressures, we would be supportive of a national scheme”.

“NSW is leading an examination of container deposit legislation and better ways to manage Australia’s packaging waste through a COAG process,” Ms Parker said.

“We remain open to all the options being considered, provided they are demonstrated to be cost effective and generate a benefit to the community without significantly increasing the already rising cost of living.”

Mr Elliott confirmed he was among those lobbying Ms Parker.

“I represent the Garden Shire and the Garden Shire is having to spend every Sunday and Monday morning picking up plastic Coca-Cola, sports drinks and water bottles,” he said.

The Australian Food and Grocery Council warned that the proposal could increase the retail price of drinks by up to 20c per container, factoring in a 10c deposit and system costs.

This could lead to price rises of $300 a year to the grocery bill of the average NSW family, the council warned, with the price of beer to increase by as much as $4 a carton.

“NSW residents could be forced to make their homes into de facto garbage centres – taking bags of glass bottles and cans to collection points to reclaim their deposits,” a spokesman for the council warned.

“Now that yellow-topped recycling bins are available on everyone’s front lawn, this will create an incentive for people to knock your bins over on rubbish night looking for cans.”

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