Rosalie Woodruff MP | Greens Environment spokesperson
We were delighted to join Scouts Tasmania's Chief Commissioner, Michael Hovington, and members of local scout troops on Kingston Beach today to call on the government to legislate a container deposit scheme in Tasmania.
Scouts from the Blackmans Bay, Kingston and Taroona troops gathered on the beach and constructed a giant scout emblem, the Fleur de Lis, in the sand from drink containers.
The Greens have written to the Premier and the Leader of the Opposition, inviting them to comment on a draft Notice of Motion we will be tabling in State Parliament, to introduce legislation to implement a container deposit scheme*. Scouts Tasmania have also written to Premier Hodgman in support of our Motion**.
Scouts Tasmania strongly support a container deposit scheme as a fundraising mechanism, and because it would dramatically reduce plastic rubbish and the damage it does to waterways and the marine environment.
The South Australian scouts are able to rely on fundraising stemming entirely from container deposit activities. They are one of many community organisations that depend on the cash for container scheme South Australia has had in operation for 40 years.
Scouts Tasmania are severely underfunded and spend a large amount of time fundraising just to cover the basic activities like troop leader training, and managing safety requirements. A Tasmanian cash for container scheme would help ease their burden.
Across Australia, only Tasmania and Victoria have yet to commit to a cash for containers scheme.
Tasmania has the worst roadside littering rates in the country, which puts great risk on our state's clean, green reputation.
A container deposit scheme in Tasmania would reduce littering and plastic pollution in the marine environment, and it would help support underfunded community organisations, like the Scouts, who would be able to cash in. It would be a win for the environment and the community, and Tasmania shouldn't be the last to adopt it.
We hope the Hodgman Government follow the lead of other States and Territories and support our Motion to bring in this simple, win-win recycling initiative.
* Letter from Rosalie Woodruff MP to Premier and Opposition Leader, along with draft Notice of Motion, attached.
** Letter from Scouts Tasmania to Premier and Opposition Leader, attached.
