2018-06-27 SM - Attachment 1 to Item 2 - Directions Paper Transforming Queensland's Recycling & Waste Industry

                                                      NOT GOVERNMENT POLICY




       5 Recommendations
       In light of the key findings, the department recommends that the Strategy be replaced with a new long-term
       strategy developed in consultation with stakeholders. The replacement strategy should articulate concrete actions,
       roles, and responsibilities for relevant stakeholders to improve waste and resource recovery performance in
       Queensland. Furthermore, the following specific recommendations, at times informed by the approach used in
       other jurisdictions (Appendix 3), should be considered and explored in greater depth during the process to develop
       the strategy.

       1. The Queensland Government should take the lead in developing the new waste strategy with advisory and
          technical support from diverse stakeholder groups as necessary.

       2. Evaluate the full range of policy tools available to divert waste from landfill into higher order resource recovery,
          drawing where appropriate on successful instruments used in other Australian and international jurisdictions,
          such as market-based, regulatory, fiscal, social and other instruments that provide the desired incentives.

       3. Establish a contemporary strategic framework to ensure alignment and links between the individual elements.
          Ensure that terms and concepts used in the strategy are defined in plain English.

       4. Ensure greater integration and linkages between the next waste strategy and other whole-of-government policy
          settings and priorities including, for example, the Reef 2050 Long-term Sustainability Plan, the Queensland
          Climate Adaptation Strategy, the Queensland Climate Transition Strategy, and the Advance Queensland
          Biofutures 10-year Roadmap and Action Plan.

       5. Include time-bound, high-level strategic actions in the strategy that commit stakeholders to act and that provide
          a mandate for the development of action (implementation) plans. In addition to the plans already commenced
          (infrastructure plan, plastic pollution reduction plan), the following priority implementation plans should be
          considered:

              Waste and resource recovery data framework: this should seek to ensure the collection and availability of
               standardised, accurate, and relevant data in the immediate and longer-term, to support ongoing
               monitoring of the state's waste strategy. This could include, for example, measures to improve the rigour
               around data collection.
              Waste education plan: which would contribute to a state-wide coordinated approach to waste and
               resource recovery education programs including littering and illegal dumping. In this regard, Victoria's
               approach to developing a Waste Education Strategy could prove insightful.
       6. Develop a whole-of-government action plan that demonstrates ‘leadership-by-example’ in resource efficiency.
          This could also serve as a template for other sectors/organisations.

       7. Establish a high-level advisory group to advise on the implementation of the strategy. The advisory group
          should ideally comprise of representatives from state and local governments and the waste and resource
          recovery industry.

       8. Develop a monitoring, evaluation and reporting framework for the strategy to ensure that the progress towards
          achieving the goals, objectives and activities of strategy can be reliably and consistently tracked and reported.
          As part of this framework:

              Select performance indicators that better reflect the intent and scope of the indicator (e.g. ‘waste reported’
               rather than ‘waste generated', and ‘recovery rate’ rather than ‘recycling rate’). Define indicators in plain
               English and provide guidance on their measurement.
              Establish and calculate a robust baseline for the strategy in a way that isolates the effects of disaster
               waste, interstate waste, and seasonal variations such as fluctuations in green waste.
              Develop performance indicators and targets subject to data availability, including for domestic kerbside
               waste (e.g. kerbside disposal amount), and for specific waste streams (e.g. green waste recovery rate,
               and concrete recovery rate).
       9. Evaluate benefits from aligning the strategy development and review cycle.

       10. Develop a communication and engagement framework to underpin the strategy and improve messaging and
           communication with various stakeholders on the development, release and implementation of the strategy. This
           should include exploring strategic approaches to improve and maintain good relations between the department,

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