Candidates quizzed on climate ambition

Corangamite candidates Meg Watkins, Stephanie Asher, Libby Coker and Alex Marshall gave their views on Australia's climate future at a forum last week. Photos: PETER MARSHALL

CANDIDATES for the federal swing seat of Corangamite have outlined their climate policies ahead of this year’s Federal Election.

Corangamite Climate Alliance, a coalition of local climate advocacy groups, invited the seat’s contenders to speak at their Corangamite Candidate Climate Forum at Deakin University’s Waurn Ponds campus.

Incumbent Labor MP Libby Coker, Liberal candidate Stephanie Asher and Greens candidate Alex Marshall were part of the discussion, while Animal Justice Party candidate Meg Watkins also spoke about her climate ambitions.

Candidates faced moderated questions on their individual and their parties’ climate goals in front of a live audience of about 150 people.

Key issues included carbon emissions targets and offset schemes, fossil fuel projects plans for an energy transition and local climate change impacts.

Audience members then had their chance to quiz their federal candidates, including about strategies for future climate change health impacts, Viva Energy’s proposed Floating Gas Terminal in Corio Bay, and political donations accepted from fossil fuel-associated donors.

Candidates fielded questions from audience members on key issues. Photo: PETER MARSHALL

The alliance’s convenor Laura Grufus introduced the forum and said it aimed to inform and inspire locals about the future of climate action with strong federal leadership.

“We’ve already seen some state and local governments, even businesses, ramping up their ambitions and courage to seize and commit to strong plans on climate action,” she said.

“But to achieve strong emission reduction targets and create the hundreds of thousands of new jobs in new industries, and new careers for our children, we need federal funding and policies to unlock these opportunities for all Australians.”

A full stream of the forum is on the Facebook pages of Corangamite Climate Alliance and the Centre for Climate Safety’s The Sustainable Hour.

The local climate lobbyists also published Ms Coker, Ms Asher and Ms Marshall’s responses to a pre-forum survey covering the discussion’s key talking points.