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CEMAG releases Final Report

4 February 2025

The Circular Economy Ministerial Advisory Group (CEMAG) released their final report – The Circular Advantage.  

The report outlines recommendations the Australian Government must take to accelerate the circular economy transition. These are summarised in the table below.  

Recommendation  Detail 
Introducing a new National Circular Economy Policy Framework   Set ambitious and achievable targets and clearly defined priorities and highlights market opportunities. 
Mainstreaming circular economy principles and programs   Embed principles across government, particularly in net-zero and climate policies, government grants, procurement, and corporate planning. 
Recognising First Nations peoples and knowledge systems   Recognise the status of First Nations peoples, and their inherent rights as custodians of land, waters and Knowledge systems by adopting the principles of Indigenous self-determination and free prior and informed consent.  
Legislating for a circular economy future  Introduce a Circular Economy Act that aligns with priorities. These priorities include:  
– Clear objectives and principles  
– Clear framework and product design and labelling rules  
– Regulatory framework for product stewardship  
– Mandatory disclosure 
– Mandatory product stewardship/EPR 
– Forward work plans 
– Consumer information on environmental performance of products  
Harmonizing circular economy rules to boost productivity   Create a new governance model to modernise and harmonise regulations, standards and specifications related to a circular economy. The model should:  
– Clear mandate and authority to coordinate and align jurisdictions  
– Time-bound delivery of results  
– Inclusive representation  
– Independent chair  
– Industry engagement and input  
Using public procurement to grow and diversify markets   Include circularity requirements in Commonwealth procurement processes and major agreement requirements.  
Partnering internationally  Develop circular supply chain partnerships with international strategic partners.  
Unlocking Australia’s competitive innovation edge through the circular economy   Use a strategic approach to innovation funding to drive a higher proportion of market-disruption innovations.   
Embedding circularity in sustainable finance and corporate strategies   Expand the scope of Australia’s sustainable finance taxonomy and Green Bond Framework to capture a range of circular economy practices and metrics.  

Support businesses to reflect emissions reductions linked to circular economy practices in CRFD reporting.  

Encourage broad, voluntary sustainability reporting aligned with IFRS S1.  
Giving industry a front door to circular economy expertise   Ensure industry front-door services in government have access to circular economy expertise and can support businesses to collaborate up and down supply chains.  
Defining and building skills in the existing and emerging workforce   Define and track circular economy jobs, skills and workforce needs as part of Jobs and Skills Australia’s regular reporting.  

Support the development of micro-credential that help professional build circular economy expertise.  

Support a challenge-based undergraduate competition to drive circular economy innovation  
Supporting place-based transformation   Regions: include circular economy as a priority in the Regional Development Australia charter.  

Remote Australia: provide grant funding to support waste collection, recycling, reprocessing and re-manufacturing.  

Precincts: ensure precincts encourage adoptions of circular economy principles  

Regeneration: across all the place-based interventions, the transition should include consideration of the need for restorative practices.  
Partnering with First Nations communities and businesses   Prioritise early and comprehensive engagement with First Nations people.  

Identify new opportunities for partnership where First Nation people’s knowledge systems and practices contribute to circular economy outcomes.  

Facilitate and support First Nation community and business opportunities to lead, engage, and partner in the circular economy,  
Empowering consumers and communities by building circular economy literacy   Ensure new programs and reforms support consumer and community participation in the circular economy, such as implementing packaging disclosure requirements for online retailers, properties durability information, and establishing repairability ratings.  

For more information, contact Acting Director of Sustainability, Sarah Collier (sarah.collier@afgc.org.au).