Once again the Government has missed the opportunity to lead Australia into a new era of energy efficient commercial buildings preferring instead a headline, the Australian Greens said today.

Exploiting the huge potential to improve energy efficiency, not just commercial buildings, but in the residential and industrial sectors as well, require market based policies that create significant, predictable, long-term incentives for investment, Christine Milne, Australian Greens Senator and Spokesperson for Climate Change and Energy said today in response to Minister Wong's announcement on energy efficiency. 

State-owned housing should be the first priority for Government energy efficiency measures such as insulation, the Greens say.

“We must immediately retro-fit all of the State housing stock with energy efficiency measures, including basic steps such as ceiling insulation,” said Greens MLC Lynn MacLaren, the party’s spokesperson on housing.

The Australian Greens are calling on the federal government to stop wasting time and use its power to immediately adopt a national approach to recycling.

The Greens today released a policy paper which outlines a National Recycling Scheme to provide co-ordination, support and incentives to grow the $12 billion recycling industry. The paper highlights the great business and job creation opportunities in recycling as well as the significant contribution it makes to greenhouse gas abatement.

"This scheme is another environmental winner and a tremendous job creator from the Greens. A national container deposit scheme has the potential to create over 2,600 new jobs. Including other household and office items and e-waste could add a further 4,000 jobs," Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown said.

"Polls show that recycling has huge public support. The Greens scheme will keep millions of tonnes of waste out of rubbish tips, and save millions of tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions."

"Industry estimates there is $377 million worth of recycling infrastructure investment projects ready to be implemented across Australia."

"The government has missed big opportunities by allowing this important issue to be held up at the whim and self- interest of the state premiers. Australia can not afford to wait any longer," Senator Brown said

The Greens' National Recycling Scheme includes:

• a national infrastructure network for collection; a Recovery and Recycling Fund; a Producer Responsibility Organisation (PRO) as part of the governance model for the national recycling network;
• national container deposit and recovery legislation - Environmental Protection (Beverage Container Deposit and Recovery Scheme) Bill - introduced by Greens Senator Scott Ludlam in May 2009;
• national mobile phone and tyre recycling programs with mandatory targets with more products to follow over time;
• and rewards for recyclers for greenhouse gas abatement.

Media contact: Peter Stahel 0433 005 727