INVESTING IN TASMANIA’S ENVIRONMENT

ROGER JAENSCH MP, Minister for Environment and Climate Change

The Rockliff Liberal Government is committed to reducing the volume of waste that ends up in landfill and growing Tasmania’s circular economy.

Minister for Environment and Climate Change, Roger Jaensch, said the Government’s sensible and responsible economic management was supporting targeted investment to continue building a strong economy.

“Funds generated from the statewide landfill levy will support a suite of measures to grow the resource recovery sector and invest in waste and resource recovery initiatives,” Minister Jaensch said.

“Our Government has committed further funding to the Circular Economy initiative, which has leveraged significant industry and Australian Government investment in the state, and the delivery of Organics Waste Processing, Levy Readiness and Regional and Remote Grants.

“These initiatives are supporting our goal to reduce the volume of organic waste sent to landfill by 25 per cent by 2025 and 50 per cent by 2030, supporting the expansion of household FOGO services, producing valuable compost products and reducing greenhouse emissions at both ends of the State.”

The Rockliff Liberal Government is building Tasmania’s future, including through a $3 million investment over two years to support an industry partner to provide a sustainable solution for recovery and use of end of life waste tyres in Tasmania.

Minister Jaensch said this targeted and considered investment will have significant benefits for Tasmania’s environment as well as continuing to strengthen its economy.

“This is a carefully considered budget that prepares Tasmania for the future,” Minister Jaensch said.

The 2023-24 Tasmanian Budget is also investing in the protection of our threatened species, with $1.3 million over the next two years for Orange-bellied Parrot Migration Tracking.

“This initiative will build on existing proof of concept trials to develop a tracking program that increases our knowledge of the species’ migratory pathways thereby supporting appropriate risk mitigation measures,” Minister Jaensch said.

“Every dollar of this Budget is targeted to getting things done and building a safe, caring community, including through investments that will improve the environment for Tasmanians and our important threatened species.”

The Government continues to progress a number of initiatives to protect our environment and support our transition to renewable energy, including:

• $10 million to progress actions under our Climate Change Action Plan;
• Provision of additional funding of $2 million per year to the independent Environmental Protection Authority for additional resources to increase the rigour and integrity of environmental assessments;
• Continue our $2.25 million plan to transition the Government fleet to electric vehicles by 2030 and reduce our dependence on imported fuels; and

$9 million to replace our ageing fleet of fossil fuel boilers in schools, hospitals and correctional facilities.