State of confusion on both sides
CONFUSION over the introduction of the NSW container deposit scheme isn’t confined to the border, with Gold Coast brewers also looking for clarity on what exactly is involved.
Burleigh Brewing CEO Peta Fielding said it was hard to get definitive information on how the scheme will operate, especially when it comes to selling her product in NSW.
“We have had to register our container sizes and are facing an impost of around $3.50 per carton that goes across the border,” Ms Fielding said.
“It means we have had to come up with two price lists at the moment and we will have to look at different labelling eventually.
“I know that the Queensland Government has been looking at bringing in something similar next year around July but I think they may just hold off and see how effective it is in NSW.
“I am all for any measures to help to clean up the environment but I don’t think there has been enough education for the public and producers as to what will go on.
“We have had to pay fees upfront which we had been told will cover administration costs of getting the scheme up in NSW and if a refund program is introduced in Queensland, that would be more fees to be paid.”
Queenslanders who think they can cash in on the NSW scheme by taking their empties across the border can think again.
A spokesman for NSW Environment Minister Gabrielle Upton said “only containers purchased in NSW are eligible for redemption in NSW”.