Dean Jacqui: Waste Minimisation Bill — In Committee 
Dean Jacqui: Waste Minimisation Bill — In Committee 
[Volume:648;Page:17577] 
JACQUI DEAN (National—Otago) 
: 
 This is an interesting part as it relates to the waste disposal levy. I think this is probably the most interesting part of the bill because the waste disposal levy will have advantages but I believe that there also are some perils inherent in it. I do have some misgivings about this levy notwithstanding National’s support of this much-changed bill from the original bill as introduced by the former Green member of Parliament who did not recycle his watch. That is shame. It is not what I would have done. There are plenty of people who would like a second-hand watch. 
This waste disposal levy as introduced was to be set at $25 per tonne. A tonne of concrete would be clean fill I suppose so would it come under this waste disposal levy? [ 
Interruption 
] OK so concrete and I presume wood products would be regarded as clean fill and therefore not part of this waste disposal levy regime. I want to thank my colleague Nicky Wagner for the depth of her knowledge on this bill. Nicky has done a great job in helping to shape this bill which as introduced was a far different piece of legislation from the one we have now. 
So it was the Local Government and Environment Committee’s recommendation that the sum of this waste disposal levy be reduced to $10 per tonne. This figure will be used as an initial figure and I think it is in recognition of the fact that it will take time before worthwhile schemes in waste reduction attract funding through the levy fund. If I understand the bill that levy fund will be administered by the Waste Advisory Board which will advise the Minister and will then award grants on behalf of the waste disposal levy. 
It sounds great; it does sound good. But I have misgivings on two points. To make my first point I refer members for a moment to an area up in the Waitaki Valley towards Kurow where there is a spot along the Waitaki River that is used for “fly dumping” as we call it in the South Island. I do not what know what it is called up here in the north but we call it fly dumping and it is disgusting. People dispose of mainly household rubbish over a bank near a river—thanks very much for that folks; thanks for all that stuff going into our water! Introducing a waste levy of $10 a tonne does not sound like much but the question I have is whether it will encourage a greater level of fly dumping. 
Let us face it—those people are prepared to dump waste over the river banks thinking “out of sight out of mind”. We grew out of that thinking 50 years ago did we not? But there are still some people who think like that. My misgiving on that point is that it would encourage fly dumping. I would like some assurance from the member in the chair Russel Norman that he will address this item specifically. If the member was listening I am sure he will take it on board. Maybe I will repeat it because I would like some assurance from the member that enough thinking has gone into the development of this waste disposal levy so that fly dumping is not encouraged. I would like an answer specifically to that question from the member in the chair. 
My second misgiving about this waste disposal levy although I am in general support of it is that maybe it will encourage anti-competitive behaviour particularly within small local authorities although I would not discount it happening in some larger local authorities. The revenue of course from this waste disposal levy is split fifty-fifty with 50 percent allocated to territorial authorities on a per capita basis to be spent on waste minimisation as identified in their waste management and waste minimisation plans—and there is another wee plan for local government.