Mr MORRIS (Mornington) (11:35:08): My question is for the Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change.
Last sitting week the minister confirmed that a $10 million loan had been made to the SKM receivers. Last week scores of trucks were taking recyclables from SKM to the Ravenhall landfill.
Minister, how much of this $10 million is being spent dumping recyclables into landfill?
Ms D’AMBROSIO (Mill Park—Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change, Minister for Solar Homes) (11:35:43): I thank the member for Mornington for his question.
What I can tell the member is that this $10 million loan is going towards the receivers’ efforts to clean up the receival sites for kerbside collection so it can actually get recycling back happening across 33 municipalities. How the receivers choose to utilise or put to use the materials that they find is a matter for them.
Members interjecting.
The SPEAKER: Order! Order!
Ms D’AMBROSIO: Well, if the inspectors on the other side here have actually got any insight into the quality of the materials that are in those contaminated stockpiles on these sites, the problem that we have got now is because—
Members interjecting.
The SPEAKER: Order! The Leader of the Opposition!
Ms D’AMBROSIO: Again the Leader of the Opposition is spouting untruths when it comes to who this money has actually gone to and actually does not understand the fact that receivers have now taken over the management of these sites and are in charge of the clean-up. Our money goes to the receivers.
Members interjecting.
The SPEAKER: Order! I ask the minister to resume her seat. I need to be able to hear the minister answer her question, and the noise coming from my left makes it very difficult to do that. I have already warned the house that members will be removed from the chamber if they keep shouting across the chamber. The minister, to continue her answer.
Ms D’AMBROSIO: The reality is this: we have got a mess when it comes to these sites. The materials that are stockpiled are contaminated. Receivers are now, thanks to the support that our government is giving them, cleaning up these sites so they can then commence receiving kerbside collection and get recycling happening again across the 30-plus municipalities that have found themselves in this very difficult situation.
Mr MORRIS (Mornington) (11:37:53): The current amount payable for each tonne of waste deposited in a landfill in terms of the levy is $65.90.
How much of the $10 million loan will be returned to government coffers via the landfill levy on these dumped recyclables?
Ms D’AMBROSIO (Mill Park—Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change, Minister for Solar Homes) (11:38:22): I thank the member for Mornington for the supplementary question.
The answer will be in terms of what the receiver decides to do with that material. Whatever material can be recycled, I am sure the receiver will recycle it. So whatever tonnage may or may not end up going into landfill is a separate matter.
The fact is our priority has been to get recycling happening again across more than 30 municipalities, and that is exactly what our financial assistance will achieve.