Wednesday 2 August 2017

Calls for the Government to ban plastic bags

BY LAURISE DICKSON

Member for Charlestown, Jodie Harrison is calling for the NSW Government to support Labor's commitment to ban single-use plastic bags.

In giving her Notice of Motion, Ms Harrison commended supermarket giants Coles and Woolworths who recently announced their plans to phase out single-use plastic bags over the next 12 months.

The Labor Government are urging the NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian to follow in the footsteps of the ACT, South Australia, Tasmania and the Northern Territory, who have all banned single-use plastic bags, with Queensland committing to do so next year.

"I call on the Premier to show some leadership and support NSW Labor in bringing an end to the use of these plastic bags," said Ms Harrison.

Ms Harrison believes the environment will continue to suffer if something isn't done to combat this issue.

"Plastic bags that are provided by retailers end up in our waterways and natural areas, and that damages our environment and our animals," said Ms Harrison.

"We've seen terrible photographs of turtles being caught in plastic bags and we know that fish end up with pieces of plastic inside them."

Ms Harrison says local residents can make a difference by choosing reusable bags over plastic bags when they shop.

"Whether they be cloth or silk, there are a lot of different bags that people can use."