greens to jump start the drive to electric cars

Greens candidate for Eastern Victoria Samantha Dunn today announced a new election policy on electric cars which will jump start the drive to electric vehicles, including $75 million in new funding.

The funding, which partially restores cuts made by the Federal Government to the Green Car Innovation fund, will be invested in electric vehicle development and trials, as well as recharging infrastructure.

Electric cars are a great way to secure a clean future for the Latrobe Valley. We see the rest of the world moving towards electric vehicles, but Australia is being left behind. If we want to transform to a clean energy economy, electric vehicle manufacturing provides workers and families in the Latrobe Valley with long term clean energy jobs.

Only last month the conservative government in Germany announced a plan to put a million electric vehicles on the road. Electric cars are central to moving to a clean energy economy.

We've seen little support for families in the Latrobe Valley in the existing fossil fuel industries, long term investment in the valley and into manufacturing will secure a bright future for communities and return apprenticeship training to the valley.

The Federal Labor government has cut $200 million from the green car fund and is focused on existing fossil fuel technology. The Greens want to change that.

14% of Australia's carbon pollution comes from transport and 70% of our liquid fuel is sourced overseas. Moving to electric vehicles, along with investments in public transport, will mean we can cut climate pollution, increase our energy security and keep a car industry in Australia.

A shift to electric cars powered with clean energy will also enable better management and storage of renewable energy using a smart grid.

We want a secure future for people in the Latrobe Valley, creating new manufacturing industries is a way of securing that future.

To move forward Australia needs a plan for the transition to electric cars. The Greens want to work with Federal, State and local governments to develop a comprehensive regulatory and industry policy for electric vehicles.

in the press - replace hazelwood

Hazelwood closure calls at Spring St
Latrobe Valley Express
By Ebonnie Lord
10 May 10

replace hazelwood with renewables

Last week I joined with Colleen Hartland – Greens MLC, Brian Walters – Greens Candidate for Melbourne and hundreds of other Victorians at a community event to show support to close down Hazelwood Power Station and replace it with renewable energy.

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Left to right: Samantha Dunn - Greens Lead candidate for Eastern Victoria, Colleen Hartland - Greens MLC for Western Metropolitan and Brian Walters - Greens Candidate for Melbourne.

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Hazelwood Power Station, originally commissioned in 1959, is the developed world's dirtiest power station, responsible for 15% of Victoria's total greenhouse gas emissions and 3% of Australia's emissions.

The people of Victoria have shown that they want to see a transition from coal fired power to renewable energy, hundreds of people came out to the Replace Hazelwood with Clean Energy by 2012 community action to show the government they want change.

The people of the Latrobe Valley deserve a secure future. That's a future based on renewable energy and a reinvigorated manufacturing industry. What we need is a transition plan out of old fossil fuel technologies to a bright new and secure future in the manufacturing and the renewable energy sector.

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Kevin Rudd has walked away from the climate change challenge, but John Brumby is the one in charge of most of our state's emissions. Brumby has not tackled the climate facts in last week's budget, except in the most tokenistic way.

Victoria is very well placed to develop a renewable energy sector, we already have a heavy industry manufacturing region in the Latrobe Valley with infrastructure already in place, it is time to revitalise this region of Victoria.

The Greens would implement a plan to close Hazelwood power station as soon as practical and we would make up the energy shortfall by reducing energy use and using renewable energy sources.

The privatisation of power industry has seen the gradual decline in employment in the valley, few apprenticeship opportunities for young people, no skilling up of our future generation and a region that is struggling to retain its viability and vibrancy as a community.

Without The Greens insisting on serious government intervention and changes to policy and regulation a sustainable Victoria won't happen. The Greens are committed to a renewable energy future and revitalising Victoria as a hub of renewable manufacturing.

The fundamental driver to all of this is a commitment to real targets to start to reverse our ever increasing greenhouse gas emissions. It is the Greens who are committed to targets that will drive changes across our economy and save the planet.

Transitioning to green jobs will see expansion in education and training, manufacturing, construction and public administration. That's a lot of employment opportunities across a range of sectors, that's a bright future for Victorians who want a job to secure their prospects and who want to actively participate in doing something to reverse global warming.

It is the Greens who have the political will to see it happen, securing a sustainable and just future for all Victorians.

coal conference closes door on community

Earlier this week the Australian Journal of Mining hosted the Victorian Coal and Energy Conference in Traralgon. At a price tag of around $3,000 per delegate it was clear that this conference wasn’t open to community members.

Local community members weren’t invited, the union wasn’t invited and local environment groups weren’t invited either. And even if they were invited at that sort of cost, who could afford it?

We know that brown coal contributes significantly to greenhouse gas emissions and is responsible for around half of Victoria’s total emissions. Was this conference about the expansion of brown coal exports? It doesn’t matter where brown coal is burnt for power generation, it pollutes the world’s atmosphere and is a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions no matter where it is.

Government should be focussing on a sustainable transformation of the energy sector and revitalizing the valley for a brighter more sustainable future.

It is a slap in the face to the local families and workers who have a right to participate in determining their future in the valley.

in the press - coal conference

Local worry ignored
Latrobe Valley Express
by Stephanie Charalambous
1 Apr 10

Secure Future for the Valley

Valley Workers Have a Right to a Sustainable Future

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"The people of the Latrobe Valley deserve a secure future. That's a future based on renewable energy and a reinvigorated manufacturing industry", said Samantha Dunn, Greens Upper House Candidate for Eastern Victoria at a community action outside Hazelwood Power Station today.

The people of Victoria have shown that they want to see a transition from coal fired power to renewable energy, hundreds of people came out to Hazelwood Power Station today to show the government they want change.

"What we need is a transition plan out of old fossil fuel technologies to a bright new and secure future manufacturing and the renewable energy sector", said Samantha.

Greens Senator Scott Ludlam, who addressed the rally said “hundreds of people have gathered here today because the old political parties have failed to act. This filthy dinosaur was meant to have been shut down in 2005.

Instead of the clean jobs transition so desperately needed in the Latrobe Valley it has been licensed to pollute till 2031."

Samantha said “Victoria is very well placed to develop a renewable energy sector, we already have a heavy industry manufacturing region in the Latrobe Valley with infrastructure already in place, it is time to revitalise this region of Victoria.

The privatisation of power industry has seen the gradual decline in employment in the valley, few apprenticeship opportunities for young people, no skilling up of our future generation and a region that is struggling to retain its viability and vibrancy as a community.

Without The Greens insisting on serious government intervention and changes to policy and regulation a sustainable Victoria won't happen. The Greens are committed to a renewable energy future and revitalising Victoria as a hub of renewable manufacturing.

The fundamental driver to all of this is a commitment to real targets to start to reverse our ever increasing greenhouse gas emissions. It is the Greens who are committed to targets that will drive changes across our economy and save the planet.

Transitioning to green jobs will see expansion in education and training, manufacturing, construction and public administration. That's a lot of employment opportunities across a range of sectors, that's a bright future for Victorians who want a job to secure their prospects and who want to actively participate in doing something to reverse global warming.

It is the Greens who have the political will to see it happen, securing a sustainable and just future for all Victorians."