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‘Yes We Can’ Should Be Ministers Response To Removing Cans From Our Streets

Press Releases May 21 2009

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Tomorrow’s Environment Protection and Heritage Council (EPHC) Ministers meeting in Hobart should give a resounding ‘yes we can’ to Family First’s national drink container recycling scheme that has been in Federal parliament for over 12 months, Family First Leader, Senator Steve Fielding said today.

“Family First has had its Drink Container Recycling Bill in the Federal Parliament for the last year. If the Environment Ministers accept recommendations from a secret report they have had commissioned on the merits of drink container recycling then their only option will be to support a scheme that has worked in South Australia for 30 years and reduces greenhouse gases by 1.8 million tonnes per year.

“Finally the Rudd government can show leadership and say ‘yes we can’ to drink container recycling and immediately move to adopt Family First’s legislation. We welcome this report which confirms the thumbs up that Family First’s Drink Container Recycling Scheme received from a Senate inquiry last year.

“Family First’s plan saves eight gigalitres of water a year which would supply more than 24,000 homes with water. As Victoria’s dams dwindle to 29% capacity and a lack of water causes farmers to leave their lands, surely a scheme that delivers water savings is worth adopting.

“Australians are having it rammed home that greenhouse gases are bad and must be cut and yet the Rudd government refuses to introduce nationally Family First’s simple scheme that reduces 1.8 million tonnes of carbon dioxide every year.

“Australians want to contribute to helping the environment. This scheme works by encouraging people to earn extra cash by picking up and returning empty cans and bottles.

“More than 80% of Australians support a container deposit scheme and the Rudd government should be listening to them and to their own Environment Ministers and saying ‘yes we can’ to Family First’s scheme.”