Senator Christine Milne visited Ballarat and talked to local Greens candidates for Ballarat City Council, Belinda Coates and Jon Stanger, about local solutions to climate change. Senator Milne said “Climate change poses a huge challenge and a tremendous opportunity for rural and regional Australia . With more extreme weather and worse droughts, as well as peak oil, our current way of making a living will only get harder.
“But we can make choices now that will help to reduce our greenhouse emissions, reduce our costs and insulate us against the climate and peak oil changes coming down the line.
“One of the key steps Councils and community groups are taking around Australia is to bulk purchase solar hot water and insulation services for homes to reduce household bills and greenhouse gases at the same time.
“If governments move to pay fair rates for renewable energy generated – through feed-in laws such as the one I have before the Senate now – it makes it easier for people in regional Australia to diversify their income by adding zero emissions energy generation to their profit streams. That helps all of us now and into the future!”
Belinda Coates and Jon Stanger, both standing for Central Ward in Ballarat, have signed a 'Climate Pledge' which commits them, if elected, to:
- reduce council’s net carbon emissions to zero, and encourage residents and businesses to cut theirs by 40% by 2020 at the latest;
- work with neighbouring councils on joint projects to improve energy efficiency and cut carbon emissions;
- press the Victorian and Federal governments to reduce carbon emissions to a level which will preserve our natural heritage for our children and grandchildren.
“I want the council to govern for now and for the future and assist the community and local business to adjust,” said Ms Coates. “There are economic and social benefits to be had from acting early on climate change.”
For more information and comment, please contact: Belinda Coates on 0400 947 688
Jon Stanger on 0415 755 181
