With reference to the recent recognition of ecoBiz partners in Queensland - Will the Minister outline how the ecoBiz program benefits Queensland businesses?

ANSWER

The State Government's ecoBiz program helps businesses make better use of water, energy and materials and reduce greenhouse emissions, and provides businesses with tools to improve their eco-efficiency, and operate in a more sustainable way.

Queensland businesses are embracing eco-efficiency and realising that improved environmental performance equates to financial savings and an investment in their long-term viability as limited resources become more costly.

More than 330 Queensland companies are actively participating in the ecoBiz program.

To date, the Queensland Government has awarded more than $2.3 million in ecoBiz rebates to assist 29 of these businesses adopt innovative eco-efficient practices and make substantial environmental savings in water, energy and waste.

Over $14.2 million has been contributed by industry to improve eco-efficiency through the program.

This is a six to one private to public investment ratio.

The annual environmental savings from these rebate projects alone, includes 634 Millilitres of water, 96 Terra-joules of energy, 26,000 tonnes of waste and over 24,000 tonnes of Greenhouse gas. Funding assists businesses undertake initiatives that address major carbon, energy, waste and water resource challenges for Queensland, helping ensure a future that is economically, socially and environmentally sustainable.

Projects supported by the program demonstrate their ability to reduce their water and energy consumption, and carbon and waste output.

The EPA's ecoBiz team have recently developed two new options to assist businesses to get involved with the ecoBiz program.

1. the EPA is providing free ecoBiz training to any business in Queensland; and
2. the EPA is working closely with Queensland's environmental consultancies to endorse ecoBiz Facilitators, who are able to assist companies in progressing through ecoBiz on a fee-for-service basis.

EcoBiz helps businesses decrease their operating costs, gain a competitive advantage, and helps place Queensland businesses at the forefront of ecoefficient practices.

The program provides businesses with the tools to make these improvements within their business.