Australia’s Queensland will oppose a plan to slug consumers who use plastic shopping bags so struggling families are not placed under more financial stress.

Queensland Premier Anna Bligh said the state would instead propose that a ban on plastic non-biodegradable bags be fast-tracked.

Australia’s environment ministers will decide Thursday at a meeting in Melbourne whether to introduce a levy on plastic bags.

But Ms Bligh said: ‘’We believe that working families are under enough financial stress and I certainly don’t want to be adding to the grocery bill.'’

Sustainability Minister Andre McNamara denied the state was selling out the environment. Australians use about 10 million plastic bags a day and throw away more than 7000 a minute.

An immediate ban on plastic bags is not possible because there are not enough biodegradable bags to meet demand, and questions remain over their quality.

Queensland is expected to be joined by another resource-rich state, Western Australia, in lobbying for biodegradable bags which are made from biofuel and over time break down in water.