Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced yesterday that NSW retailers will not be subjected to the same plastic bag ban that is sweeping across the nation.
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Berejiklian says that NSW does not need to follow suit with the single-use, light-weight plastic bag ban because 80 per cent of plastic bags are supplied by leading supermarkets Coles and Woolworths, who recently decided to scrap all plastic bag use.
Coles and Woolworths hand out over 5 billion plastic bags a year combined and therefore play a significant role in reducing plastic bag use across the nation, thus their voluntary decision to ban the bag, Premier Berejiklian argues, debunks the need for her government to legislate the ban.
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However, National Retail Association CEO Dominique Lamb is calling on the NSW state government to rethink their decision and back the ban.
“This initiative has been backed nationwide. It has the support of retailers, it has the support of state governments, and it has the support of consumers across the country,” Ms Lamb said.
“We urge the NSW government to recognise the strain that plastic bags have on the environment and follow suit.”
Queensland is ahead of the curve on this one leaving NSW for dead.
The NRA has partnered with the Palaszczuk Government in an initiative to guide Queensland retailers through the State’s impending ban with the launch of an awareness campaign to inform the sector of the impending changes.
The campaign will include state-wide education workshops, as well as the launch of a website providing valuable information to ensure the retail industry is prepared for the transition.