Queensland Industry Updates for 7 June

Here are the updates for Queensland's waste management and resource recovery industry for 7 June 2022.

Levy Discounts: A reminder to companies currently operating under a levy discount.?You will need to reapply for the Schedule 3 Waste Levy Residue Discount before 30 June.?Further information is available on the Department website at?Applications and forms | Environment, land and water | Queensland Government (www.qld.gov.au).

Transport Amendment Bill: Have your say on the inquiry into the Transport Legislation (Road Safety and Other Matters) Amendment Bill 2022.?The Bill covers a range of policy objectives including: using financial penalties for road safety initiatives; registration and CTP arrangements for?motorised mobility devices;?driver licences;?gross vehicle mass definitions; and other minor amendments.?Submissions close 4pm on Monday 27 June 2022.

Electricity Prices for Regional Queensland: Last week, the Queensland Competition Authority (QCA) released the final determination on the Regulated Retail Electricity Prices for Regional Queensland for 2022-2023.??This determination impacts all electricity users in regional Queensland (those on the Ergon network), most of whom will be with retailer, Ergon Energy.?Bills for large and small business users will increase from 1 July by between 10-20 percent.?WRIQ is urging its members to ensure that your business is on an appropriate tariff and consider alternative opportunities such as load control tariffs (if operationally feasible), behind the grid solutions and secondary retailers (noting that large customers are still subject to the non-reversion policy). ?

Business Growth Fund: Guidelines for the fourth round of the Business Growth Fund are now available. The Business Growth Fund offers funding up to $50,000 to help established businesses purchase specialised equipment to support business growth. Successful applicants must co-contribute at least 25 per cent of project costs.?Potential applicants should be aware that stringent eligibility criteria apply to applicants and projects across the three stages of the application process, culminating in a verbal pitch session to a panel. Only a select number of EOI applications (stage 1) will be invited to complete a full application (stage 2).

To be eligible for this grant, businesses need to have a minimum annual turnover of $500,000 and have the potential for high-growth within the next two years, which could include a 20 percent increase in productivity, turnover, profit and/or employment. Examples of eligible highly specialised equipment include advanced manufacturing equipment to meet otherwise unachievable growth demand. EOI applications are scheduled to close when we receive sufficient applications for a competitive assessment or at 5pm, 30 June 2022, whichever comes first.?Access the guidelines on the Business Queensland website.

Queensland Women’s Strategy released: The Queensland Women’s Strategy 2022-27 has been released and sets out five impact areas the Queensland Government will focus on, with women’s economic security as the first and overarching area. The strategy sets out a range of commitments for the coming five years to improve outcomes in one or more of the impact areas. One of these commitments is to collaborate with stakeholders to address structural barriers that impede female entrepreneurs and small business owners, with a particular focus on women in remote, rural and regional areas. Other commitments will encourage more girls to study and work in STEM fields and support pipelines for women to work in male-dominated industries, including trade and technical jobs.

Safe Work and Return to Work Awards 2022: A reminder to submit a nomination before Friday 17 June to recognise and celebrate the important contributions being made to keep people safe at work and to support people to get back to work. Winners can receive up to $2000 and have a short film made to showcase their success and share their stories with others. Visit Safe Work and Return to Work Awards 2022 for more information.

2022 Buy Queensland Supplier Awards: Nominations are open for businesses of all sizes supplying to the Queensland Government for the 2022 Buy Queensland Supplier Awards. Award categories cover ‘Putting Queenslanders first’, ‘Diversity through supply chains’ and ‘Delivering for Queensland’ with an additional Minister’s Buy Queensland Award to recognise an outstanding nominee.?Nominations close on 20 July.

New Plastics Report Paints a Bleak Picture: A new report by the OECD notes that the amount of plastic waste produced globally is on track to almost triple by 2060, with around half ending up in landfill and less than a fifth recycled.?The Global Plastics Outlook: Policy Scenarios to 2060?says that without radical action to curb demand, increase product lifespans and improve waste management and recyclability, plastic pollution will rise in tandem with an almost threefold increase in plastics use driven by rising populations and incomes. The report estimates that almost two-thirds of plastic waste in 2060 will be from short-lived items such as packaging, low-cost products and textiles.?The full report will be launched on OECD’s Green Talks on 21 June. Register here to attend the webinar.

Soil CRC Projects: The Soil CRC has announced funding for six new research projects with a cash investment of $3.2 million and a further $6.7 million of in-kind contributions from participants.?Projects include assessing the cost effectiveness of using waste products such as manure, dairy farm waste, compost and biochar as an organic fertiliser.