Green jobs could fuel Tasmania’s coronavirus recovery

A ‘fast-tracked’ container refund scheme that would create 300 jobs is one of the ‘green recovery’ measures Tasmania could use to rebuild from the coronavirus crisis.

TASMANIA’S container deposit scheme could create up to 300 jobs as part of a wider ‘green recovery’ from coronavirus.

Greens senator Peter Whish-Wilson is calling for the scheme, which would allow cans, bottles and cartons to be turned in for a profit, to be “fast-tracked and implemented immediately”. 

Tasmanian Greens Senator Peter Whish-Wilson. Picture: AAP Image/Rob Blakers

It comes as global greenhouse gas emissions are tipped to fall by 8 per cent this year due to coronavirus shutdowns, sparking calls for governments to seize the opportunity to fund recovery and job initiatives that would also tackle climate change.

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The container deposit scheme is just one of the measures that could help fuel Tasmania’s rebuild, federal MPs say. 

“We know the [container deposit] scheme will create around 300 jobs and that its architecture and infrastructure can then be extended to include other forms of waste such as e-waste, batteries, tyres and mattresses,” Senator Whish-Wilson said.

“There’s a big social dividend as well as an environmental dividend to be had from this scheme.”

Sports clubs, youth centres, scouts and the not-for-profit sector could use it to raise money, he added. 

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A new research centre looking into replacing plastics and fostering the commercial production of kelp forests were other job-creating green initiatives, Senator Whish-Wilson said. 

Regional jobs could be boosted with conservation programs to target weed and pest control, river revitalisation, emissions reduction and bushfire restoration, federal Labor leader Anthony Albanese said in a major speech on economic recovery this week. 

New renewable energy projects would “create tens of thousands of new jobs, stimulate regional economies, reduce emissions and deliver cheaper power prices,” Labor’s climate and energy spokesman Mark Butler said.

The community could help though some of the things they were doing during the coronavirus such as commuting less, working from home more and becoming more self-sustainable around the home, independent MP Andrew Wilkie said.

Independent member for Clark Andrew Wilkie. Picture: LUKE BOWDEN

He also backed Tasmania establishing a green hydrogen industry.

State Environment Minister Roger Jaensch said Tasmania’s container refund scheme was being designed but would not be fast-tracked. 

“Advice from other states is that it takes 12 to 18 months to introduce a scheme and that any ‘fast tracking or smaller timeframe’ represents a significant risk to identifying the best design for Tasmania and responsible implementation of the scheme,” he said. 

Premier Peter Gutwein said the state was on track to be renewable energy self-sufficient by the end of 2022.

“Our nationally significant Marinus Link, Battery of the Nation projects and renewable hydrogen potential is set to double our already significant renewable energy production, injecting billions into our economy and creating thousands of local jobs, many in regional areas,” he said.       

The International Energy Agency has predicted global emissions will drop up to 8 per cent this year back to 2010 levels – the biggest drop in history and six times the impact of the 2008 Global Financial Crisis.

IEA Executive Director Dr Fatih Birol said it was “absolutely nothing to cheer” given the drop came from premature deaths and economic trauma.

He warned there could be a “sharp rebound” in emissions as there was after the GFC.

“Governments can learn from that experience by putting clean energy technologies, renewables, efficiency, batteries, hydrogen and carbon capture, at the heart of their plans for economic recovery,” he said.