The Boomerang Alliance is making a strong push for packaging waste reforms ahead of the 2025 federal election, releasing a policy scorecard comparing party responses to three proposed reforms.
The scorecard assesses party positions on introducing extended producer responsibility (EPR) for packaging waste, reinstating soft plastics recycling, and banning problematic plastics, while supporting reusable packaging systems.
According to the Alliance, the Greens have committed to all three policy areas. Labor expressed general support but made no firm commitments, while the Liberals responded without committing to any proposals.
The organisation said the policies are “essential, achievable, and strongly supported by the community”, and urged the next government to prioritise packaging reforms that shift responsibility to industry.
Its first proposal is the implementation of a mandatory EPR scheme by 2026. This would place the cost of packaging waste management on producers rather than taxpayers, and include targets for reduction, reuse, and recycling. The Alliance said, “25 years of voluntary industry action has failed, plastic recovery rates today are lower than in 1999".
The second policy aims to establish a national soft plastic recycling program, also funded by producers. The Boomerang Alliance is calling for accessible collection points, whether kerbside, in-store, or via drop-off, to stop 150,000 tonnes of soft plastic from going to waste.
“Since REDcycle collapsed, soft plastics are now 34 per cent of all litter in Australia. We need a real solution now,” the Alliance said.
The third measure supports expanding existing state and territory bans on single-use and unnecessary plastics to include reuse targets and mandates for reusable packaging systems. The Alliance is also advocating for improvements to container refund schemes.
According to the Alliance, implementing these policies would hold producers accountable, reduce waste and litter, and ease cost of living pressures.
