from Gayle Sloan, CEO
2026 feels busier than ever for WARR, maybe it’s because there is so much to do and as an industry, we know what needs to be done, however we are finding it challenging to get the traction we both need and deserve!
Whilst I admit to having a lovely holiday in Bali in January 2026, the Productivity Commission released Australia’s Circular Economy: Unlocking the Opportunities — an inquiry tasked with identifying ways to improve Australia’s materials productivity and support the transition to a circular economy.
While the report does contain practical observations about barriers and opportunities, in my view it falls very short of identifying what is required to shift Australia from a linear, to a circular economic model. By failing to adopt a true systems perspective and overlooking the need for national legislative reform, the report risks becoming at best a roadmap for incremental adjustment rather than structural transformation — which, in 2026, is simply not good enough.
The Circularity Gap Report estimates that around 70% of global greenhouse gas emissions are linked to material handling and use. Yet in Australia’s drive to decarbonise the electricity grid, this component of the net zero challenge has received comparatively little regulatory attention. Electrification alone cannot and will not deliver net zero if material throughput continues to grow unchecked.
The Commission does identify genuine barriers to circularity, including regulatory inconsistency across jurisdictions, weak market signals for recycled materials, investment uncertainty for circular business models, and underdeveloped product stewardship arrangements. These are all constructive observations which WMRR supports.
However, recognising barriers is not the same as recommending systemic reform. A genuine circular transition requires enforceable national targets embedded in legislation, mandatory eco-design and durability standards, recycled content requirements, integration of circular principles into climate and industrial policy, and a coherent federal framework aligning state and territory regulation.
Regrettably, the Commission did not recommend the establishment of a dedicated national Circular Economy Act or other binding legislative mechanism. In a federated system where environmental regulation is fragmented, harmonisation without legislative mandate has historically led to uneven implementation and slow reform.
Circular economy reform is directly linked to climate performance. Extracting and processing raw materials account for a substantial share of global emissions. Retaining materials in use reduces demand for virgin extraction and lowers embodied carbon across supply chains.
Let’s hope the Environment Minister’s Meeting goes a lot further than talk. I look forward to seeing you at WMRR’s 2026 ENVIRO Circular Economy Conference in Adelaide in June where we will push for action, not just words!