Connolly’s Corner by Sarah Connolly
Connolly’s Corner – Climate Change
Thirteen years I spent working in the regulation of the energy sector – and though it might not make for exciting dinner conversation, it was an experience that gave me significant insight into the impact proactive government policy (or lack thereof) can have on both the environment and your power bill. A fact I’m pleased to say the Andrews government has long recognised. Taking a holistic approach to climate change just makes sense and we recognise this as not only an opportunity to do our fair share, but to create the good, solid, sustainable jobs of the future in renewable energy. And believe me – we’ve been investing a lot into the infrastructure needed to get this done, including solar farms and massive energy saving batteries, with their impact being felt right across the state. Recently, we released our updated Climate Change Strategy, outlining our plan to continue lowering emissions as the roll out of renewable energy across Victoria ramps up. We were the first government in Victoria to set a target of net zero emissions by 2050, and we successfully reached our 2020 targets of cutting 15-20% of our emissions from 2005. And we’ll continue to lead the way for the nation with strong investment and ambitious yet achievable targets of 28-33% reductions by 2025 and 45-50% by 2030. A goal comparable to California in the United States, and the European Union – both leaders in creating the jobs of the future while acting on Climate Change. Two of my favourite policy initiatives benefiting households directly are our Government’s Solar Homes Rebate and the $250 Power Saving Bonus. Both great incentives to deliver lower energy prices for households right across Victoria. It’s no secret that Solar Homes is incredibly popular in Tarneit, with postcode 3029 consistently having one of the highest uptakes of solar panels in Victoria. We also know that the last few months have made it difficult for some Victorians to stay on top of their bills, which is why the $250 Power Saving Bonus is there to help and ease the burden. The future must be sustainable, and it’s not just all about where we get our energy from. You might have heard me recently talk about the need for greater tree coverage in outer suburban areas like ours. We know that the urban heat island effect – a lot of housing but a lack of trees – means that areas like ours are approximately 2-3 degrees hotter than in leafier inner suburbs. This needs to change. That’s why I’m pleased to announce that in this year’s budget, we were able to secure $5 million in funding to plant 500,000 new trees across Melbourne’s western suburbs, with planting to begin in September. In addition, as the Chair of the Environment and Planning Committee, I’m looking forward to seeing what our Inquiry into Environmental Infrastructure in Growing Communities recommends to help deliver and improve the quality of green spaces in communities like ours. There’s a lot more to come in this space, so stay tuned, folks.
