NSW Labor has stepped up its calls on the Berejiklian government to follow Queensland’s lead in banning single-use plastic bags from July 1 this year.
Shadow environment minister Penny Sharpe and shadow minister for the North Coast Walt Secord made the pledge as the Queensland government and retailers begin an advertising campaign alerting families to its July 1 ban.
Opposition leader Luke Foley says if the Berejiklian government fails to legislate, his Labor Government will ban them in 2019, if elected.
The opposition says South Australia (2009), the ACT (2011), the Northern Territory (2011) and Tasmania (2013) all have bans in place. Queensland, Western Australia and Victoria have all indicated that they will act this year.
‘NSW is the only Australian jurisdiction refusing to move to ban the single use plastic bag,’ the two MPs said.
‘In addition, Woolworths, Coles and Harris Farm Markets have agreed to a voluntary ban on plastic bags,’ they said.
In 2016, Ms Sharpe introduced legislation – Plastic Shopping Bags (Prohibition on Supply by Retailers) Bill – into the NSW Parliament to ban single use plastic bags in NSW, which was defeated on October 19, 2017 by just three votes (20 to 17)
NSW Labor said the environmental impact of plastic bags on the environment is stark. They include:
1. Every second, 159 single-use plastic bags are used in Australia – which is more than 10 million new bags each day;
2. In NSW, up to 61 million bags are littered each year;
3. More than 70 per cent of the rubbish entering our oceans is identified as plastic;
4. The average time a plastic bag is used between the shop and home is 12 minutes before it is discarded; and;
5. Plastic kills up to one million sea birds, countless fish and 100,000 sea mammals each year.
‘A number of international jurisdictions have taken steps to ban plastic bags. In 2008 China banned production of ultra-thin bags under 0.025 millimetres thick and ordered supermarkets to stop giving away free carriers, the MPs said in a joint statement.
‘England introduced a 5 pence minimum charge for single use plastic bags. South Africa has banned plastic bags. Ireland has imposed a plastic bag levy.
‘France banned single‑use plastic bags from supermarkets and small corner stores in 2016, and last year the ban was extended to single‑use plastic bags used to carry fruit, bread, vegetables, meat and fish.
‘In the United States a large number of individual states have successfully placed a levy or ban on plastic bags.
‘In South Australia, it is estimated that 400 million fewer plastic bags are used each year since the ban began, while there was a 36 per cent reduction in bags going to landfill in the ACT.’
Ms Sharpe called on the premier and environment minister Gabrielle Upton to ‘join the community on this important environmental reform’.
‘Plastic bags kill thousands of turtles, dolphins, fish, and birds each year. A ban can help stop the carnage.
‘NSW should have been leading the nation in banning single-use plastic bags, but instead the Premier is dragging her feet on this important environmental reform.’
Mr Secord said ‘The community – especially the North Coast – has spoken and they are ready for action on single use plastic bags. They want a State-ban, but they are puzzled by the priorities of the Berejiklian Governmen’t.
‘The whole country – in fact, large sections of the developed world – are moving to ban single use plastic bags, but still the Liberals and Nationals are moving in another direction.
‘The Premier will spend $2.7 billion on stadiums but they refuse to act on single-use plastic bags.’
