Senator FIERRAVANTI-WELLS (2:36 PM) —My question is to Senator Wong, the Minister representing the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts. I refer to the statement of Mr Garrett on 9 March in which he stated that reports of the Labor government introducing a plastic bag levy were incorrect. How was this claim consistent with evidence from the environment department at estimates in February that the government was looking at options including a Commonwealth bag levy or a mandatory retailer charge? Did Mr Garrett mislead the Australian people?

Senator WONG (Minister for Climate Change and Water) —I thank the senator for the question. I am advised that the government will not impose a Commonwealth levy on plastic bags. I am also advised that this government, along with other members of the Environment Protection and Heritage Council, is committed to phasing out free, single-use plastic shopping bags, and that such phase-out should be under way by 1 January 2009. I understand that the council expects to make a decision on the plastic bag phase-out mechanism at its meeting of 17 April 2008, and the Commonwealth government is working with the states and territories to examine options for phasing out plastic bags. As I said at the outset, my advice is that the government has not determined what form a phase-out should take but we have been clear that we will not introduce a Commonwealth levy on bags. There are other options that the council may consider.

I do want to make the point that Australians, I would think, are concerned about the 40 million plastic bags that litter our bushland and waterways, and harm our wildlife. The community has made it very clear that they want this problem solved. This is an issue which first came onto the agenda of the Environment Protection and Heritage Council in 2002; however, unfortunately, under the previous government we saw nothing but dithering and inaction. Whilst making vague noises about the problem, the former government had no position on how to take this issue forward. Mr Garrett is working with the states through the EPHC, the Environment Protection and Heritage Council, to come up with a solution. All environment ministers, state, territory and Commonwealth, are meeting on 17 April to examine a range of options, and any solution that is agreed will take into account rigorous analysis of practical options, and public and industry views on this issue. Whilst I will not speculate on the outcomes of that discussion, the Australian government has made it clear that the introduction of a federal government plastic bag levy is not on the table.

Senator FIERRAVANTI-WELLS —Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Is the minister aware that major retailers have estimated that a compulsory retailer levy of 25c would add $650 million a year, or $156 a shopper, to the annual grocery bill? Minister, you have not explained the inconsistency between the statement of Mr Garrett on 9 March and the evidence that was given in estimates so clearly in February that the government was looking at options, including a Commonwealth bag levy or mandatory retailer charge.

Senator WONG (Minister for Climate Change and Water) —Whilst we are on the issue of inconsistencies, I invite honourable senators opposite to consider some of the comments of the member for Flinders, who has been vocal in past time over the importance of using reusable shopping bags. I quote the member for Flinders when he took part in the Plastic Bag Famine as part of National Science Week in July 2004. He said:

We do not often agree with the member for Flinders, but on this occasion we do agree with him: phasing out plastic bags makes sense: ‘It is good for the environment and it will save our landscapes, landfills and the lives of countless wild animals.’