A GREENS plan to introduce a 10-cent deposit on bottles and cans in Victoria has been labelled a "cash grab" which will not assist recycling.
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Upper House MP Tim Quilty made the claims yesterday in reply to state Greens leader Samantha Ratnam revealing her Environment Protection Amendment (Refund on Bottles and Cans) Bill 2019 which she will put to Parliament next week.
The Wodonga-based Liberal Democrat said he saw no benefits in Victoria following NSW and having a container deposit scheme.
"There is no point to it, they've got a solution looking for a problem," Mr Quilty said.
"All the containers are going through recycling now, you don't see large amounts of bottles or cans abandoned.
"They're going to subvert bottles and cans from an efficient system to an inefficient system.
"If you look at the experience in NSW they've introduced a cost on every bottle and can but still a lot of is not going through the system, the government gets to keep more than half.
"It's not about recycling at all, it's about a cash grab and the Greens will come up with something to spend it on."
Mr Quilty rejected the suggestion that there would be benefits in Victoria and NSW having a uniform system.
"It's a good thing Victorians are going across the border, they're getting money back from the government," he said.
"I can't see any upside to it, it's a cost to consumers."
It will be the second time in just over a year that a Greens bill for a container deposit scheme will have been put to the Victorian Parliament.
Since then, last November's election has reshaped the Legislative Council and Tasmania has enacted a scheme, leaving Victoria as the only state without deposits on containers.
Ms Ratnam believes those factors and a waste crisis, with recyclables going to tips, bolster her bill's prospects.
"We're hopeful that it will get the support it needs, given the recycling crisis and how bad it is in Victoria," Ms Ratnam said.
"The community is demanding action now and the government is sitting on its hands."
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A Victorian Parliamentary Budget Office costing sought by the Greens found, over a three-year period, starting a container scheme would cost $9 million and raise $244.5 million due to unclaimed refunds going to the government.
Ms Ratnam said her bill did not flag a model for can and bottle refunds in Victoria and whether reverse vending machines would be utilised.
"We would be open to whichever one works best for Victoria," she said.
