UPDATE 2007

[1]: Review of Victorian Litter strategy.

Sustainability Victoria is soon to report on its review of the Victorian Litter Strategy. AFROCAB made a detailed submission to the review. We hope that the new litter strategy recognizes the need for a significant change in our approaches to achieving litter reduction.

[2]: A deposit system for Western Australia?

In January 2007 the Stakeholders Advisory Group made its final report to the State government on a container deposit system. It said a deposit system would reduce water use and cut greenhouse gas emissions. It also said it would benefit local government and their kerbside recycling systems.

The latter is most important because in effect it further discredited the argument used by the beverage and packaging industry that deposit systems undermine kerbside systems. This report is at www.zerowastewa.com.au/ourwork/specificprograms.

The WA government is yet to decide whether it will proceed with introducing a Container Deposit system.

[3]: Sponsorships

In our last update we noted Coke had generously sponsored the Victorian Scout Jamboree near Bendigo. Since then we have become aware of other prominent community organisations that have sponsorships from the beverage industry. These organisations also seem reluctant to support a deposit system, even though ultimately, they would benefit from it.

[4]: Political donations.

Last year the Australian Electoral Commission released its report on donations to political parties in 2005-2006. In that financial year Coca-Cola Amatil donated nearly $83,000 to the major parties.

This was less than their donations for 2004-2005 which were
" $60,000 to the National branch of the Labor Party.
" $30,000 to the Western Australia branch of the Labor Party.
" $100,000 to the National branch of the Liberal Party.
" $15,000 to the WA branch of the Liberal Party.
" $15,000 to the National Party of Australia-National.

Unfortunately political donations like this will be much harder to detect in the future because of changes to the electoral law by the Howard Government late in 2006. This enables donations of less than $10,000 to be made anonymously. By donating $10,000 to the State or Territory branch of a major party in each state and territory someone can now donate up to $80,000 without it appearing on the public record.

The Rudd Government has said it will reform the laws relating to political donations in 2008.

[5]: Pratt also very generous.

Richard Pratt of Visy fame, the company which makes 2.2 billion PET bottles in Australia every year and half of our 3 billion aluminium cans has also been very generous. In the 2005-2006 period Pratt holdings donated;

" $200,000 National branch of the Liberal Party.
" $100,000 National branch of the Labor Party.

[6] Coke into water and beer.

In the last few years Coke has been diversifying in Australia to increase its market share of the beverage industry. For example it bought SPC and now produces fruit juices.
Another example is mineral water. Coke has sought licences to extract water from aquifers in several locations around the country.
This has been quite unpopular with locals because the company has paid much less per megalitre than the locals and has then, once bottled, sold the water at a significant profit.
In another example of this diversification Coke, has just announced a move into beer. Chief Executive Officer Terry Davis summed up this move this move when he said, "We are aiming to become the clear No 3 player in the Australian beer market by the end of 2012".

[7] Unsustainable

Coke and Visy are major sources of drink container litter. They also play a prominent role in the opposition to the introduction of a container deposit system.

This opposition is not sustainable or justifiable given the energy, water and other savings that would be made under a deposit system.