News //
NSW budget: $2.5M for CDS; $67M for waste
AMONG this year’s NSW budget
highlights are $175 million allocated to
the EPA and $2.5 million to implement
a state-wide container deposit scheme.
All up, environment and heritage has
received $1.7 billion.
Releasing the budget in June, NSW
Treasurer Gladys Berejiklian announced
a surplus of $3.4 billion in 2015-16,
rising to $3.7 billion in 2016-17,
alongside surpluses averaging $2 billion
projected over the next four years.
Turning to the environment, $175
million has been announced for the
operation of a “modern and independent
Environment Protection Authority” the EPA had a budget of $160 million
in 2015-16 - while $100 million has
been provided to the Environmental
Trust to “increase opportunities for
the community, industry, and agencies
to protect environments through
restoration, research, education and
support programs.”
Qld CDS: the wheels are turning
A Queensland container deposit scheme
(CDS) now has the support of both the
government and the Opposition and an
advisory group has been set up.
In early June, Opposition leader
Tim Nicholls announced that the
LNP would support a CDS, which the
Labor government had committed to
investigating at the last election.
Environment Minister Steven Miles
welcomed the announcement, adding
that there was funding in the state
budget to develop a scheme (more on
page 10).
He said he had also written to the new
shadow Minister for the Environment
Christian Rowan to congratulate him
on his appointment and offered to brief
him on the progress of the CDS.
An advisory group has also been
established in Queensland to assist in
getting a better understanding of the
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A further $10 million has been
allocated to the EPA to address
contaminated sites and $2.5 million
to implement a CDS as part of the
government 2015 election commitment.
The EPA’s funding also includes
$67 million that will go towards
“transforming waste management in
NSW and increased education around
better waste management practices.”
Local government has also received
a s