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AMCS welcomes Queensland Plastic Bag Ban and Container Refund Scheme

THE Australian Marine Conservation Society (AMCS) welcomes the Plastic Bag Ban and Container Refund Scheme Law which passed through Queensland’s Parliament last night.

The Waste Reduction and Recycling Amendment Bill, which introduced these measures, was passed with bipartisan support.

James Cordwell, AMCS Marine Campaigner said:

“This new law sets the gold standard for waste reduction in Australia. With the tide of ocean plastic pollution on the rise, Queensland is showing leadership in tackling this problem.”

“Queensland is the most polluted state in Australia, according to the Keep Australia Beautiful Litter Index, with the incidence of litter 41% higher than the national average.”

“Our coastlines are being littered with millions of plastic pieces. Eleven items of plastic, on average, are found along every metre of beach from the Sunshine Coast to the Gold Coast.”

“Plastic pollution is choking and entangling our turtles, marine mammals and birdlife. It fills up their stomachs, reducing the space for food, which often results in starvation.”

“This new law has the potential to reduce Queensland's plastic litter by half - drastically cutting the plastic that ends up in our oceans, entangling or choking marine wildlife. To realise this potential the Queensland  Government must implement world’s best practice regulations and community education in coming years.”

“Education is vital. You can have a fantastic system, but if the community isn’t adequately informed on how it works and how they can participate, you’re heading for failure.”

“This is a win-win initiative for Queenslanders, capable of saving marine wildlife and cleaning up our coasts. We look forward to working with the Queensland Government to ensure the new laws are implemented successfully,” said Mr Cordwell.

www.amcs.org.au

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Red meat industry to discuss growing exports into the UK today

HOW will Brexit impact on imports of Australian beef, lamb and goat into the United Kingdom? At a hearing in Canberra today, representatives of the Australian red meat industry will have their say on growing premium meat exports into the UK market.

The Trade Sub-Committee of the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade will hear how to increase red meat exports into the UK, overcoming current European Union barriers to this trade, for its inquiry into Australia’s trade and investment relationship with the UK.

A broad cross-section of the agricultural sector will share their experience on marketing and exporting meat to the UK and European markets.

In 2016, 7,699 tonnes of mostly high quality Australian beef was exported to the UK out of Australia’s total exports of 20,841 tonnes into the EU. For Australian sheep meat 12,378 tonnes of mostly lamb was exported to the UK out of Australia’s total exports of 16,471 tonnes into the EU in 2016.

Chair of the Sub-Committee, Senator Bridget McKenzie, said: “The Committee wants to hear from producers and exporters about their role in any future negotiations for a proposed Australia-UK Free Trade Agreement and how that agreement may assist exporters with growing demand for premium cuts of Australian red meat”.

 

Public hearing details: 10:05 am - 11:15 am, Wednesday 6 September, Committee Room 2S1, Parliament House, Canberra

Representatives of the Australian red meat industry

  • EU and UK Red Meat Industry Taskforce
  • Red Meat Advisory Council
  • Australian Meat Industry Council
  • Sheepmeat Council of Australia
  • Australian Lot Feeders’ Association
  • Goat Industry Council of Australia
  • Cattle Council of Australia

The hearing will be broadcast live at aph.gov.au/live

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Turnbull Government ban on excessive card surcharging extended to all businesses

EXCESSIVE card surcharging will be banned for all businesses from today, 1 September, continuing the Turnbull Government’s ‘taking action now’ approach to delivering fairer financial services for Australians.

Federal Treasurer Scott Morrison said, "This action will ensure Australians are not ripped off when they make purchases with their cards. This will give consumers the confidence that any surcharge on card purchases will now have to reflect the true cost of the transaction, not an artificially inflated sum designed to profit gouge.

"The extension of the ban to all businesses from today follows the regime applying to large businesses from 1 September last year.

"This is practical action from the Turnbull Government and delivers immediate results for Australian households.

"For example, major airlines have abandoned their unpopular flat fee surcharges and replaced them with charges that comply with the new restrictions.

"Smaller businesses were granted extra time in which to prepare for the ban, but from today all those businesses will need to cease any excessive surcharging. If they continue to impose a charge for card payments, they must restrict it to their reasonable cost of acceptance of the payment.

"Businesses have been on notice for more than a year to review their surcharging practices and make sure they understand and comply with their obligations.

"Consumer watchdog the ACCC will act as a strong cop on the beat to police these rules. If people find that they are being hit with an excessive surcharge when they go to the shops, buy tickets online or book a holiday, they should not hesitate to contact them on 1300 302 502.

"Many businesses choose not to impose surcharges. Where they choose to impose a charge for card payment, this should be made clear to the consumer.

"As a guide, where a charge is imposed, consumers should expect to pay around 0.5 to 1 per cent for payment by debit card, 1 to 1.5 per cent by MasterCard and Visa credit cards and 2 to 3 per cent for American Express. If charges exceed these ranges, the matter can be raised with the ACCC for investigation.

"A surcharge includes any charge based on type of payment method used. This would include for example, charges imposed for ‘low value’ transactions. Merchants that face some fixed costs for accepting low value transactions should ensure that any charges they apply do not exceed their cost of acceptance.

"Banks have been required to provide statements with average costs of accepting each payment method to inform business decisions on surcharging.

"The Turnbull Government is getting on with the job of acting now to deliver a fairer playing field for Australian families and businesses when it comes to financial services. Our sole focus is on delivering real outcomes, not years of talk." Mr Morrison said.

Further guidance for businesses and consumers is available on the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission website.

 

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Scientific cooperation through treaties and supporting the IMF

AT A PUBLIC hearing today the Joint Committee on Treaties will examine three agreements aimed at encouraging scientific cooperation and collaboration. It will also look at changes to the International Monetary Fund’s arrangements to borrow from Australia.

Agreements with the USA, New Zealand and Israel will promote closer relationships between the scientific community and businesses within Australia and these countries.

Committee Chair, Stuart Robert MP, said that providing a formal legal framework to streamline cooperative ventures will ensure that Australia is an attractive partner to those leading the important scientific projects driving innovation and technological breakthroughs.   

“These treaty actions are expected to boost Australia’s innovation system, attract investors and promote commercialisation in the global market,” the Chair said.

Australia is a strong supporter of the IMF, and the new arrangements for borrowing will renew an agreement that has been in place since 1997.  

Mr Robert said, “The IMF provides a safety net for countries in economic difficulty and its continued stability is important to world security. This agreement continues Australia’s commitment to its work.”

 

Public hearing details: 11:00 am to 12:30 pm, Monday, 4 September, Committee Room 2R1, Parliament House, Canberra

11:00am-11:45am: Treasury (IMF New Arrangements to Borrow–amendment)
11:45am-12:30pm: Department of Industry, Innovation and Science (Science agreements with USA, NZ and Israel)
12:30pm: Close

The hearing will be broadcast live at aph.gov.au/live.

Interested members of the public may wish to track the committee via the website. 

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Transitioning to sustainable cities

AUSTRALIA'S cities and regional centres are under increasing pressure to adapt to population growth, a changing climate and technological disruption.

The CSIRO is leading scientific research to inform government policies addressing these issues. The agency will outline its progress when it appears before the Committee on Infrastructure, Transport and Cities tomorrow as part of the Committee’s inquiry into the Australian Government’s role in the development of cities.

Committee Chair, John Alexander OAM MP, said it’s very important that there is a strong evidence base informing government policies to increase the resilience and adaptability of Australian cities and regional centres.

“Our inquiry is examining the Commonwealth Government’s role in ensuring that the nation’s cities and regional areas are ready to sustainably accommodate much larger populations. It is critical that any recommendations we make are well grounded in science,” said Mr Alexander.

“CSIRO has done extensive research in this space, particularly in examining cities from a systems perspective. We’re looking forward to discussing the different components which make up cities and considering how they interact to influence the liveability and environmental sustainability of cities.

“We’d also like to hear CSIRO’s perspective on the potential for developing brand new state-of-the-art environmental cities.”

CSIRO said, “Australia is already highly urbanised with 89 per cent of our citizens living in cities or towns of more than 1 000 people”.

“This represents a significant opportunity for our nation to lead the world through showcases of international leading practice in urban development and creating commercial outcomes through the global export of sustainability knowledge and innovations.”

 

Public hearing details: 5.00 pm – 6.30 pm, Tuesday 5 September 2017, Committee Room 1R3, Parliament House, Canberra

5.00 pm: Commonwealth Scientific & Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO)

6.30 pm: Close

The hearing will be broadcast live at aph.gov.au/live

Further information on the inquiry, including the full terms of reference, is available on the Committee website.

Interested members of the public may wish to track the inquiry via the Committee’s website.

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