Container Deposits
I lodged a new notice of motion for Council to support a National Scheme as legislation is currently being debated at the federal level.
With community members telling me they have great concerns about the amounts of litter in our streets and water ways, this is a very practical solution that turns litter into community money and litter bugs into recyclers. Click here to see the motion and my address to the chamber.
Unfortunately Council voted to defer this motion until the Ordinary Council meeting in August. Watch this space for more container deposit discussion!
Showing posts with label container deposit scheme. Show all posts
Showing posts with label container deposit scheme. Show all posts
28.7.09
6.7.09
Container Deposits Scheme (and Legislation)
I've just received news from Colleen Hartland MLC's office Queenscliffe Borough passed a motion in support of drink container deposits. Northerh Grampians Shire also resolved to offer in principle support to container deposits.
Unfortunately Brimbank is at the back of the class for voting against. Please see here to view the motion and a brief comment on how it fared in the council chamber.
Nationally Greens Senator Scott Ludlam's container deposit legislation is in the process of gathering submissions for a Senate inquiry (submissions are due 23 July 2009).
I've just received news from Colleen Hartland MLC's office Queenscliffe Borough passed a motion in support of drink container deposits. Northerh Grampians Shire also resolved to offer in principle support to container deposits.
Unfortunately Brimbank is at the back of the class for voting against. Please see here to view the motion and a brief comment on how it fared in the council chamber.
Nationally Greens Senator Scott Ludlam's container deposit legislation is in the process of gathering submissions for a Senate inquiry (submissions are due 23 July 2009).
26.6.09
10c deposit win in Victorian Upper House
In an historic win, Western suburbs MP Colleen Hartland's private member's bill for a 10c deposit on drink bottles, cans and cartons in Victoria has passed in the State Upper House on 24th June 2009.
The State Government quickly moved to blocked debate in the lower house, on a legal technicality.
Colleen Hartland Greens MLC warned "This campaign came from the community. It remains a community supported campaign. 94% of Victorians support a container deposit system, and now the Legislative Council of Victorian Parliament also supports it."
"The government should understand how damaging it is to them to oppose a move which is supported throughout the community."
In an historic win, Western suburbs MP Colleen Hartland's private member's bill for a 10c deposit on drink bottles, cans and cartons in Victoria has passed in the State Upper House on 24th June 2009.
The State Government quickly moved to blocked debate in the lower house, on a legal technicality.
Colleen Hartland Greens MLC warned "This campaign came from the community. It remains a community supported campaign. 94% of Victorians support a container deposit system, and now the Legislative Council of Victorian Parliament also supports it."
"The government should understand how damaging it is to them to oppose a move which is supported throughout the community."
2.6.09
Section 223 meeting of Council to hear submissions on the Council Plan and Budget occured this week
Victoria Wind Study Launch
The Alternative Technology Association presents its latest report that looks into the suitability of micro wind-turbine installations in and around Melbourne’s CBD: The Victorian Urban Wind Resource Assessment. Speakers at the launch include the report's author, Mike Bagot, and CEO of the Clean Energy Council, Matthew Warren.
10c can save the world
Greens MLC Colleen Hartland has released a report by her Parliamentary Intern, Ashleigh Kemp, that examines the benefits of a 10c deposit on bottles, cans and cartons.
In Brimbank, 14% of the rubbish going to landfill from kerbside is recyclable containers. In public place bins, it's even higher, at 16% by weight – and that would be even greater by volume. The recycling bins are contaminated by broken glass from drink bottles. With a 10c deposit, those items simply wouldn't be in the bin. No wonder the report concludes that the positive effect it would have on Brimbank cannot be overstated.
I took the idea to Council but despite the financial, social and environmental benefits to Brimbank Council, the Council voted against a motion in support of container deposits. Ours is the only Council to have failed to pass a motion in support of container deposit legislation, one week before the Ombudsman's report into corruption on Council was released.
Victoria Wind Study Launch
The Alternative Technology Association presents its latest report that looks into the suitability of micro wind-turbine installations in and around Melbourne’s CBD: The Victorian Urban Wind Resource Assessment. Speakers at the launch include the report's author, Mike Bagot, and CEO of the Clean Energy Council, Matthew Warren.
10c can save the world
Greens MLC Colleen Hartland has released a report by her Parliamentary Intern, Ashleigh Kemp, that examines the benefits of a 10c deposit on bottles, cans and cartons.
In Brimbank, 14% of the rubbish going to landfill from kerbside is recyclable containers. In public place bins, it's even higher, at 16% by weight – and that would be even greater by volume. The recycling bins are contaminated by broken glass from drink bottles. With a 10c deposit, those items simply wouldn't be in the bin. No wonder the report concludes that the positive effect it would have on Brimbank cannot be overstated.
I took the idea to Council but despite the financial, social and environmental benefits to Brimbank Council, the Council voted against a motion in support of container deposits. Ours is the only Council to have failed to pass a motion in support of container deposit legislation, one week before the Ombudsman's report into corruption on Council was released.
17.5.09
10 cents can change the world
Today saw Greens MLC, Colleen Hartland, present over 4000 postcards to the Minister for the Environment supporting the Greens Container Deposit Legislation.
A Green New Deal for Victoria
Friends of the Earth are putting together a paper, A Green New Deal for Victoria. It is a first attempt to articulate how we think Victoria can and should respond to the coming crisis of the recession, climate change and peak oil. They have done this as a blog to invite your feedback and involvement in developing this document. There is a huge amount of excellent thinking in the community about how to deal with these issues, and this is an attempt at collaborative, community-based approaches to developing solutions. FoE welcome your thoughts and suggestions on how to improve this document. Please send feedback before May 18. You can find it at: http://greennewdeal.wordpress.com/
Today saw Greens MLC, Colleen Hartland, present over 4000 postcards to the Minister for the Environment supporting the Greens Container Deposit Legislation.
A Green New Deal for Victoria
Friends of the Earth are putting together a paper, A Green New Deal for Victoria. It is a first attempt to articulate how we think Victoria can and should respond to the coming crisis of the recession, climate change and peak oil. They have done this as a blog to invite your feedback and involvement in developing this document. There is a huge amount of excellent thinking in the community about how to deal with these issues, and this is an attempt at collaborative, community-based approaches to developing solutions. FoE welcome your thoughts and suggestions on how to improve this document. Please send feedback before May 18. You can find it at: http://greennewdeal.wordpress.com/
28.4.09
Draft budget for 2009/10 endorsed by Council for public exhibition.
I alone voted against the draft budget. I believe that we should not be spending $30M on a new civic centre at Errington Reserve. It was bequethed to the community and remains of vital community importance as a recreation reserve. We should not be thinking of building a new civic centre while our community parks and facilities need so much work.
I put forward 2 motions tonight, both were defeated. I managed to get up an altered version of the TV Takeback resolution that included all e-waste, and the Container Deposit Scheme (CDS) one was referred to the Metro Waste Forum for opinion.
Container Deposit Scheme
I spoke about the success of our community meeting on Wednesday 22nd April hosted by Colleen Hartland Greens MLC for Western Metro Region and the support in our community for such a scheme As one resident said that night “it’s a no brainer”. Whatever way you look at it is a win for Brimbank. The savings have been calculated conservatively to be around $660,000 for Brimbank. Such a simple system where the 10c is added by the manufacturer onto the price of the bottle, can or carton, that money is turned over to the EPA who will administer the scheme. The fantastic thing is that the system pays for itself and works to complement the kerbside recycling we already have.
TV Takeback Motion
As you know Brimbank is already a leader in TV recycling. We are one of only two councils in Victoria who have a TV recycle programme (and accepting much broader items at our ‘Detox Your Home’ drop-in drop-off facility in Keilor Park). Given the move to digital TV and the ensuing dumping of pre-loved TVs, such an important initiative that it deserves to be run out nationally as a matter of urgency.
Motion of Congratulations
I successfully moved motions of congratulation for Gwen Goedecke, the sacked John Holland Workers and the Akzo Nobel Workers.
Congratulations to Gwen Goedecke for being inducted onto the honour roll of the Australian Council for Women. As you all know Gwen was a founder of the Sunshine International Women’s Committee in 1974 along with Win Graham. Gwen has campaigned tirelessly for years for equal pay for equal work, childcare, and women’s rights particularly those of ordinary working women and women from the western suburbs Gwen is an active member of our Sunshine community and was a councillor with Sunshine Council in the 1980s.
The workers at the Akzo Nobel plant on McIntyre Rd North Sunshine won their fight with the company who was trying to increase their working week for no extra pay. These workers were on strike for two weeks at a time of incredible financial hardship. Meanwhile this company made $264M of profits last year and was using the circumstances to try to freeze wages and attack working conditions.
Support for the sacked Westgate Bridge workers as their ex-employer John Holland is exploiting the economic crisis, job insecurity and rising unemployment to coerce workers and their unions to accept lower wages and working conditions. John Holland is a wholly owned subsidiary of Leighton Holdings a giant multinational construction company who in spite of the economic down turn reported a profit of $250 M last year.
Sunvale Primary School site
Council moved to send a letter to the Education Department saying that we support the land sale to developers for “affordable housing” and open space. I spoke against this for a number of reasons.
A report for potential uses of the site has only superficially touched on open space and has very little to do with genuine affordable housing. On closer reading you see that it is simply supporting a sell off to developers. As far as I am aware there has been no specific consultation over the development of this site but the community have been continually asking for it.
When community members became aware of the possible sale, SUNRAA wrote on their behalf to both the Minister and Brimbank Council CEO Nick Foa to outline what they thought the site should be used for. When Council conducted the ‘Creating Better Parks’ community consultations the participants were unequivocal about the need for more open space and community meeting facilities.
This site is already owned by our community, as a public asset that has served a school community. The State Government, however, have this perverse process which requires Councils to buy this land, already publicly owned, at market value.
At the moment our community groups cannot get regular Council meeting spaces in Sunshine because it either costs too much or it is at unsuitable times, or both. The wellbeing and civic life of our community cannot be supported if voluntarily formed groups with no money cannot get together and organise activities. Use of the existing school rooms for instance is an immediate resource, available without having to go to the extra expense of building new structures.
The detail of Council’s formal letter indicates its support for a private housing development with increased residential density in line with Melbourne @ 5 Million - probably 16.9 houses per hectare and a sop of .8 of a hectare (about 10 house blocks) left for a neighbourhood park.
But it is folly to think that any housing they build at the Sunvale PS site will be “affordable”. Those on very low incomes are struggling to afford houses in Sunshine as it is. The only genuinely affordable housing is public housing. And if it is going to be public housing, it would need to be high quality, attractive, environmentally sustainable houses. There would need to be a mix of people and a mix of housing. But without proper consultation we are left to live with what a developer’s cost-efficient imagination allows.
I proposed an alternative resolution on the night which failed.
“That Council authorises the CEO to write to the State Government stating that:
1. The site stays 100% in public hands; and
2. That Council will conduct an immediate consultation with the Sunshine community"
I alone voted against the draft budget. I believe that we should not be spending $30M on a new civic centre at Errington Reserve. It was bequethed to the community and remains of vital community importance as a recreation reserve. We should not be thinking of building a new civic centre while our community parks and facilities need so much work.
I put forward 2 motions tonight, both were defeated. I managed to get up an altered version of the TV Takeback resolution that included all e-waste, and the Container Deposit Scheme (CDS) one was referred to the Metro Waste Forum for opinion.
Container Deposit Scheme
I spoke about the success of our community meeting on Wednesday 22nd April hosted by Colleen Hartland Greens MLC for Western Metro Region and the support in our community for such a scheme As one resident said that night “it’s a no brainer”. Whatever way you look at it is a win for Brimbank. The savings have been calculated conservatively to be around $660,000 for Brimbank. Such a simple system where the 10c is added by the manufacturer onto the price of the bottle, can or carton, that money is turned over to the EPA who will administer the scheme. The fantastic thing is that the system pays for itself and works to complement the kerbside recycling we already have.
TV Takeback Motion
As you know Brimbank is already a leader in TV recycling. We are one of only two councils in Victoria who have a TV recycle programme (and accepting much broader items at our ‘Detox Your Home’ drop-in drop-off facility in Keilor Park). Given the move to digital TV and the ensuing dumping of pre-loved TVs, such an important initiative that it deserves to be run out nationally as a matter of urgency.
Motion of Congratulations
I successfully moved motions of congratulation for Gwen Goedecke, the sacked John Holland Workers and the Akzo Nobel Workers.
Congratulations to Gwen Goedecke for being inducted onto the honour roll of the Australian Council for Women. As you all know Gwen was a founder of the Sunshine International Women’s Committee in 1974 along with Win Graham. Gwen has campaigned tirelessly for years for equal pay for equal work, childcare, and women’s rights particularly those of ordinary working women and women from the western suburbs Gwen is an active member of our Sunshine community and was a councillor with Sunshine Council in the 1980s.
The workers at the Akzo Nobel plant on McIntyre Rd North Sunshine won their fight with the company who was trying to increase their working week for no extra pay. These workers were on strike for two weeks at a time of incredible financial hardship. Meanwhile this company made $264M of profits last year and was using the circumstances to try to freeze wages and attack working conditions.
Support for the sacked Westgate Bridge workers as their ex-employer John Holland is exploiting the economic crisis, job insecurity and rising unemployment to coerce workers and their unions to accept lower wages and working conditions. John Holland is a wholly owned subsidiary of Leighton Holdings a giant multinational construction company who in spite of the economic down turn reported a profit of $250 M last year.
Sunvale Primary School site
Council moved to send a letter to the Education Department saying that we support the land sale to developers for “affordable housing” and open space. I spoke against this for a number of reasons.
A report for potential uses of the site has only superficially touched on open space and has very little to do with genuine affordable housing. On closer reading you see that it is simply supporting a sell off to developers. As far as I am aware there has been no specific consultation over the development of this site but the community have been continually asking for it.
When community members became aware of the possible sale, SUNRAA wrote on their behalf to both the Minister and Brimbank Council CEO Nick Foa to outline what they thought the site should be used for. When Council conducted the ‘Creating Better Parks’ community consultations the participants were unequivocal about the need for more open space and community meeting facilities.
This site is already owned by our community, as a public asset that has served a school community. The State Government, however, have this perverse process which requires Councils to buy this land, already publicly owned, at market value.
At the moment our community groups cannot get regular Council meeting spaces in Sunshine because it either costs too much or it is at unsuitable times, or both. The wellbeing and civic life of our community cannot be supported if voluntarily formed groups with no money cannot get together and organise activities. Use of the existing school rooms for instance is an immediate resource, available without having to go to the extra expense of building new structures.
The detail of Council’s formal letter indicates its support for a private housing development with increased residential density in line with Melbourne @ 5 Million - probably 16.9 houses per hectare and a sop of .8 of a hectare (about 10 house blocks) left for a neighbourhood park.
But it is folly to think that any housing they build at the Sunvale PS site will be “affordable”. Those on very low incomes are struggling to afford houses in Sunshine as it is. The only genuinely affordable housing is public housing. And if it is going to be public housing, it would need to be high quality, attractive, environmentally sustainable houses. There would need to be a mix of people and a mix of housing. But without proper consultation we are left to live with what a developer’s cost-efficient imagination allows.
I proposed an alternative resolution on the night which failed.
“That Council authorises the CEO to write to the State Government stating that:
1. The site stays 100% in public hands; and
2. That Council will conduct an immediate consultation with the Sunshine community"
22.4.09
Container Deposit Meeting
We had a successful local meeting in Sunshine attended by members of local sports clubs, girl guides groups and interested community members. 10cent deposit on all drink bottles, cans & cartons would save councils $15.2 million, by shifting the cost away from councils towards those who create the litter.
A remarkable 94% of Victorians are in favour of container deposit legislation. The scheme proposed by Greens upper house MP Colleen Hartland would be self funding with potential for tremendous economic benefit to taxpayers and local community groups, as well as the obvious environmental benefit.
Brimbank Council would reap countless benefits
• We will end up saving on tip fees because of a lower volume
• We get a guaranteed 10c for every can, bottle or container
• We will got more for our paper that is collected through kerbside because it will not be contaminated by broken glass
• Less litter in our parks and waterways
• There will be an increased value of the recyclate
• Community groups will make money on bottles, cans and cartons and keep our streets clean
• We wont have to pay for expensive public place recycling
• There will be water and greenhouse gas emissions savings
• And we could even make money out of operating Reverse Vending Machines, hubs and depots
Ms Hartland released her report "Turning Rubbish into Community Money: The benefits of a 10c deposit on drink containers in Victoria" on 31 March 2009.
We had a successful local meeting in Sunshine attended by members of local sports clubs, girl guides groups and interested community members. 10cent deposit on all drink bottles, cans & cartons would save councils $15.2 million, by shifting the cost away from councils towards those who create the litter.
A remarkable 94% of Victorians are in favour of container deposit legislation. The scheme proposed by Greens upper house MP Colleen Hartland would be self funding with potential for tremendous economic benefit to taxpayers and local community groups, as well as the obvious environmental benefit.
Brimbank Council would reap countless benefits
• We will end up saving on tip fees because of a lower volume
• We get a guaranteed 10c for every can, bottle or container
• We will got more for our paper that is collected through kerbside because it will not be contaminated by broken glass
• Less litter in our parks and waterways
• There will be an increased value of the recyclate
• Community groups will make money on bottles, cans and cartons and keep our streets clean
• We wont have to pay for expensive public place recycling
• There will be water and greenhouse gas emissions savings
• And we could even make money out of operating Reverse Vending Machines, hubs and depots
Ms Hartland released her report "Turning Rubbish into Community Money: The benefits of a 10c deposit on drink containers in Victoria" on 31 March 2009.
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