National Container Deposit Scheme

Statement from the Greens on Ian Kiernan

Peter Whish-Wilson 17 Oct 2018

The Greens Senator for Healthy Oceans, Senator Peter Whish-Wilson, provides the following comments on the passing of Ian Kiernan.

Senator Whish-Wilson said, “Ian Kiernan was a giant of the environment movement. He used the profile he had gained from his yachting success as a platform to fight for the environment. We all found his love of the ocean an inspiration.

“As founder of Clean Up Australia he rallied the Australian community and then went on to rally the world against plastic pollution.

Stephen King movie promotion a horror story for Australian wildlife

Peter Whish-Wilson 5 Sep 2017

Healthy Oceans

Waste and Recycling

Greens spokesperson for Healthy Oceans, Senator Whish-Wilson, has called on Village Roadshow to stop tying red helium balloons to stormwater drains to promote the Stephen King movie IT because the balloons will undoubtedly enter the ocean and cause the deaths of our marine life.

Senator Whish-Wilson said, “When I saw photos of the red helium balloons tied to stormwater drains in Sydney I was furious. When balloons end up in the ocean they float and get swallowed by sea-birds, dolphins, whales and turtles.

Four Corners exposes crisis in nation’s recycling industry while government sits silent

Peter Whish-Wilson 8 Aug 2017

Healthy Oceans

Waste and Recycling

Greens spokesperson on Waste & Recycling, Senator Peter Whish-Wilson, responded to Monday’s 4 Corners program that exposed the crisis in Australia’s recycling industry.

“This problem has been a long time coming. The fall in commodity prices has demolished the previously successful business model based around co-mingled kerbside recycling.

“The response of government to this slow building crisis has been woeful. Millions of Australians have been diligently sorting their rubbish all for nothing. This is an outrage.

Container Deposit Scheme is an inevitability for Tasmania

Peter Whish-Wilson 9 May 2016

Healthy Oceans

Senator Whish-Wilson said that the decision by the NSW Government to adopt a container deposit scheme was a big win for community campaigners around the country, and makes it inevitable that Tasmania will eventually adopt a similar popular scheme.

Senator Whish-Wilson said, “With NSW, the state with the largest population, joining in with South Australia and the Northern Territory in adopting a cash-for-containers scheme other states will fall into line like dominos.

Greens welcome NSW Container Deposit Scheme decision and call on other states to follow

Peter Whish-Wilson 8 May 2016

Healthy Oceans

Environment & Water

Greens spokesperson for Consumer Affairs, Senator Peter Whish-Wilson welcomes the news that NSW has followed in the footsteps of the South Australia and the Northern Territory by announcing plans for a beverage container recycling refund scheme, and is calling on other states to quickly follow suit. [NB: Tasmanian specific comment at end of release]

Tasmanian Liberals backflip puts national Cash-for-Container scheme at risk

Peter Whish-Wilson 3 Mar 2014

Small Business

Science, Research and Innovation

Greens Senator for Tasmania, Senator Whish-Wilson responds to Tasmanian Liberal Party comments that they will oppose any Cash-for-Container schemes.

Senator Whish-Wilson said, “The Tasmanian Liberals unthinking opposition to a Cash-for-Containers scheme puts at risk years of effort by state and federal governments to finally solve a piece of Australia's litter and waste puzzle."

Yesterday, Deputy Leader of Tasmanian Liberal Party, Jeremy Rockliff, used Clean Up Australia Day as a platform to say that the Liberals would oppose any scheme.