To grant or not to grant: do not waste the opportunity

Depending on who you talk to, government grants are often either lauded or disparaged.

With the Federal Government putting waste and recycling firmly on the national agenda, now is the time for industry bodies to become involved in the design, development and delivery of funding programs, to ensure that grants are implemented effectively.

But is grant funding appropriate against the background of waste reduction and recycling? And how can industry bodies work together to pitch constraints or flexibilities that should be interwoven into any requirements for grant applications? Consideration also has to be given as to whether industry bodies should lobby for incentive programs as opposed to grants, to ensure an even playing field for the operators.