Environment Bulletin - March 2023
Queensland – Waste Reduction and Recycling and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2023 introduced
The QLD Government has introduced the Waste Reduction and Recycling and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2023 to Parliament. The Bill aims to remove the definition of waste from the Environmental Protection Act 1994 into the Waste Reduction and Recycling Act 2011 to enable factors such as circular economy and product stewardship arrangements to be considered when prescribing a thing to not be a waste. The Bill will also remove the automatic levy exemption for clean earth, make changes related to resource recovery areas declarations, place a ban on the outdoor release of lighter-than-air balloons, and provide 31 December 2025 as the expiry date for any exemption from the single-use plastic ban on an item that is integral to a shelf-ready product.
Western Australia – Net zero emissions legislation to be introduced
The WA Government has announced that it will introduce climate change legislation this year to establish a framework for meeting the State’s net zero emissions goal by 2050. The legislation will formalise the State government’s commitment to reduce its own emissions by 80 per cent below 2020 levels by 2030, require interim emission reduction targets to be set and require climate change management strategies to be developed. The new legislation will also require the Minister for Climate Action to provide Parliament with an annual report on the State’s progress.
Read the Western Australian Government’s announcement here.
South Australia – Review of Animal Welfare Act underway
The SA Government has commenced a review of the Animal Welfare Act 1985 to ensure that the legislation is consistent with community expectations for animal treatment and to identify potential improvements. Organisations and the community are invited to read the consultation paper and provide feedback through a survey. Comments close 26 March 2023.