Mr. Leslie Carberry:

I thank Senator O'Reilly for her questions. Specifically on the repair issue, the Bill will ensure that when the national waste action plan is being prepared, it will include specific targets for reuse and repair. Furthermore, it gives the Minister the power to effectively set regulations regarding those targets. We do not expect that ever to be needed but if it was the case that, for example, the national waste management plan was not ambitious enough, the Minister could make regulations in that regard. More broadly on the issue of repair, the repair sector is one we want to look at in terms of a sectoral roadmap under the strategy. The Senator mentioned issues with insurance and that is something we have heard repeatedly from people in the reuse and repair sector. There is also the question of skills, which probably needs to be looked at. Design and the right to repair are also issues but actions in that regard would be most effective if taken on a Single Market-wide basis. That is certainly an issue we will be considering.

In terms of the list of products that are mentioned, the heads may seem quite compact but what will happen is that the regulations will specify, within that category of products, potentially quite a long list. For example, the head provides for levies on single-use disposable food packaging which can cover a significant range of products. It can include everything from plastic clamshell containers to packaging for reheatable food. The regulations can specify quite a long list, given the powers of the Minister. The legislation just sets out the broad categories, principles and policies.

In terms of the heads dealing with what the Minister "shall" or "may" take account of, we are looking at the drafting at the moment in consultation with the drafters and the Attorney General and we can certainly try to make sure the language is as strong as possible.