Tassie’s container deposit scheme most costly in the country, Labor says

Tasmanians can’t afford another beer price rise, Labor says, who says the new container deposit scheme will pass costs on to consumers. Find out how much a carton could go up.

Labor leader Dean Winter and Labor member for Pembroke Luke Edmunds at Howrah Bottle Shop after complaints from industry over the Rockliff government's proposed container deposit scheme which is the most expensive in the country and will add a $6.50 cost to a 30 pack of beer. Picture: Elise Kaine

Labor is urging people to go out and grab a carton of beer before the start of May and what they are calling “Rocky’s beer tax”.

Labor leader Dean Winter said Tasmania’s container deposit scheme is set to be the most costly in the country, and would result in a $6.50 increase in the cost of a 30 pack of beer.

The cost of the scheme has been released to suppliers and the figures show it will cost 19.48 cents to recycle each aluminium can, 20.17 cents for a glass bottle and 19.78 cents for a PET bottle.

Mr Winter says these costs will be passed to consumers.

“They’ve totally stuffed this up,” Mr Winter said of the scheme which is set to go live on May 1.

Sharing figures from industry insiders at Howrah bottleshop on Sunday Mr Winter and Labor member for Pembroke Luke Edmunds said the price of a 30-block of Cascade Draught could jump from $73 to nearly $80 after the scheme is introduced.

Mr Winter said a recycling scheme was needed, as his party supported the introduction of the legislation, but this scheme which was “three years delayed” and “more expensive than anyone could have imagined” was “madness”.

Tasmania’s CDS depot. Picture: Alastair Bett

Mr Winter said industry and consumers had both been reeling about the pending extra cost, which is more than double the amount that would be refunded if 30 cans were recycled.

“This is a different model to any other state or territory.

“What we’ve ended up with is the most expensive scheme in Australia, and not by a little bit.

“The costs are going to be felt by every Tasmanian.”

Premier Rockliff said the CDS was “not about cost” but rather the environment.

Labor member for Pembroke Luke Edmunds said cost-of-living was at the forefront of his community’s mind.

“I don’t know how many more costly kicks in the guts my community can take.”