Labor pitches on lower emissions, more solar

FEDERAL Labor has announced its climate change and environment policy ahead of next year’s election and the Member for Bendigo, Lisa Chesters, is getting behind the plan.

The policy pledges to reduce national greenhouse gas emissions by 43 per cent of 2005 levels by 2030 and aims create over 600,000 jobs – many in the regions – as well as unlocking $52 billion in private investment in the industry.

The end game for many average punters, Ms Chester said, is a reduction in household electricity bills of $275 by 2025.

“Our policy is about finding the right balance between bringing our states together where their targets are, bringing industry and business together and working out what type of leadership role the government can play,” Ms Chesters said.

The Bendigo MP said Labor’s $3 billion National Reconstruction Fund will involve industry working with government to produce green steel and aluminium and get cleaner energy into manufacturing.

Labor’s “Rewiring the nation” initiative involves a $20 billion investment into redesigning the “outdated” electricity grid to allow for a higher capacity of renewable energy, while also looking to build more community batteries.

“We have parts of our region, like Maldon, where they’ve already got 50 per cent of their homes with solar panels and Powercorp are saying ’no more, the grid can’t handle anymore solar’,” Ms Chesters said.

“It’s vital infrastructure that means we can get more solar panels in towns like Bendigo where you already might have capacity grid issues.”

Labor’s policy also involves discounting electric vehicle purchases.