Queensland Container Refund Scheme – Government Response and Next Steps

The Queensland Government has now released its formal response to the Health, Environment and Innovation Committee’s review of the scheme, in the form of a Bill to amend the Waste Reduction and Recycling Act 2011. The Bill is currently open for consultation, and Australian Grape & Wine (AGW) will be making a submission on behalf of members.

There are a number of important elements emerging from the Government’s response:

• No increase to the refund amount – the Minister has ruled out any increase to the current refund value at this time. 
• Proposed exemption for small producers – the Government has indicated an intention to introduce an exemption from scheme contributions for micro and small beverage manufacturers on their first 20,000 containers. Further detail on how this will operate is still being developed. 

AGW is seeking additional clarity on the design and implementation of these measures, including eligibility criteria, administrative arrangements, and how the exemption will interact with existing reporting and payment obligations.

While there is still more work to do, these developments reflect a growing recognition by Government of the disproportionate impact the scheme can have on smaller wine businesses and the need for a more balanced approach. We have consistently raised these issues through our advocacy, including in our engagement with the Queensland Parliamentary Inquiry, and it is encouraging to see them being acknowledged in the Government’s response.

Our forthcoming submission will continue to focus on:

• Minimising administrative and cost burdens on wine producers 
• Ensuring fair and practical implementation of any exemption arrangements 
• Improving transparency, governance and accountability within the scheme 
• Advocating for nationally consistent and harmonised approaches across jurisdictions 

We encourage members to share any feedback or experiences with the Queensland scheme to help inform our submission.  As always, we will keep you updated as the consultation progressess.