The Waste Management and Resource Recovery Association of Australia has welcomed the new Labor government and is excited by the prospect of working with incoming ministers to transition Australia to a circular economy.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced his ministerial line-up for the new federal government, including Tanya Plibersek as Minister for Environment and Water; Chris Bowen, Minister for Climate Change and Minister for Energy; and Ed Husic Minister for Industry and Science.
In his victory speech, the Prime Minister committed to ending “the climate wars” and becoming a “renewable energy superpower”, which WMRR hails a significant step towards a shared net zero vision.
Ahead of the federal election in May, WMRR developed a comprehensive five (5)-point federal election plan which was sent to, and discussed with, various ministers in the Labor party.
Gayle Sloan, WMRR Chief Executive Officer said it was pleasing to see that the new federal government shares the same desire to “shift the dial on resource management, mitigate carbon emissions, and transition to a resource efficient economy”, as evidenced in the Prime Minister’s commitments to-date and the Labor party’s waste and recycling plan.
“The WARR sector supports the government’s intention to create sustainable jobs, underwrite innovative manufacturing, and use its purchasing power to drive an increase in demand for recycled materials,” Sloan said “We are hopeful that there will be substantive changes to federal procurement policies in the near future, alongside strong and enforceable numerical targets being reinstated in the National Waste Plan.
“While these commitments will no doubt help Australia close the loop on material use, there is still much more to be done to transition towards a circular economy, which first and foremost designs out waste and pollution. It may not be an easy transition but it is clear that this government has a strong understanding as well as an appetite to progress this ambition, and we look forward to engaging with our new ministers to ensure that Australia meets this objective and all stakeholders in the supply chain, all levels of government, and the community, can and will come to the table and work together to shift the paradigm on the way we produce, consume, and manage our valuable natural resources.
“In doing so, we will start to reap the benefits of carbon emissions mitigation and the safeguarding of our environment, increased local jobs, and a stronger economy,” Ms Sloan said.
For more information, visit: www.wmrr.asn.au
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