Illawarra would welcome plastic bag ban, says Ryan Park

Queensland will ban lightweight plastic carry bags at stores from July 1, and with the next election in NSW a week less than a year away, Labor has reiterated its commitment to a ban.

Mr Park said some northern suburbs residents had pushed for a ban, with the region “generally supportive”.

“We are a coastal community – we know first hand the damage bags can do to the marine life,” Mr Parl said.

Read more: Supermarkets’ plastic bag ban explained

“I have met with people, particularly in the northern suburbs, who have taken a proactive approach to this, which is about trying to make sure our waterways have a reduction in littler, but also [that bags] don’t do the damage to the marine life which we’ve seen is a result.”

Every state and territory in Australia has moved to ban bags – except NSW, where the Berejiklian Government is resisting calls to act.

Mr Park agreed it was unusual for Queensland to lead NSW on environment policy.

“It is a strange day,” Mr Park said. “This is not revolutionary policy. This has been done in many, many jurisdictions and what we’re saying is it’s time to move.

“There are large scale retailers and corporations who are going down this path anyway, certainly making it more difficult for people to use disposable plastic bags.

“There are people who are going to be unhappy about it. There’ll be people who still keep plastic bags of some form around the house, and we’re certainly not be going to go inspecting people’s property.

“But what we’re trying to do is change behaviour, and that happens sometimes with education and sometimes it needs to have a legislative push.”