THE Geelong region would get up to $10 million towards supporting local renewables projects that reduce power bills under an election pledge made by Labor candidate for Corangamite Libby Coker earlier this week.<\/p>\n
Under the plan, part of Labor\u2019s $100 million Community Renewables Program, Ms Coker said the electorate of Corangamite would be the home of one of 10 Community Power Hubs, which will support the development, coordination and financing of local projects to increase the uptake of renewables, including through solar PV and batteries Supported projects would include solar gardens on rooftops, community wind farms, energy efficiency upgrades for social housing, and grants for community groups to pilot new projects.<\/p>\n
Ms Coker and Shadow Minister for Climate Change Mark Butler spoke about the Community Power Hub at a public meeting at Grant Pavilion in Torquay North on Monday attended by about 60 people.<\/p>\n
Ms Coker said the hub would work with the existing efforts of collectives such as the Barwon Region Alliance for Community Energy (BRACE) and its member groups such as 100% Clean Bellarine, Anglesea Community Energy,
\nBarwon Sustainable Energy Alliance, Colac Otway Sustainability Group, Geelong Sustainability Group, and Surf Coast Energy Group.<\/p>\n
Mr Butler said Australians were \u201cprobably better than any other country in individually switching to renewable energy\u201d and there were several statesupported renewables projects, including in Victoria, but \u201ca group that we\u2019ve identified as missing out on some of these revolutions is people who don\u2019t own their own roofs\u201d.<\/p>\n
The audience was not exclusively friendly, as the pair endured several pointed questions on issues including Labor\u2019s policy on renewables and targets for climate change \u2013 including separate questioners arguing the targets were too high and not high enough \u2013 baseload power, and Equinor\u2019s proposal to drill for oil in the Great Australian Bight.<\/p>\n
Perhaps the most direct question of all came from one of the five Surf Coast Secondary College students in the audience, who asked \u201cwhy do you think you should be part of the in Parliament and why do you think you\u2019re better than the Liberals?\u201d<\/p>\n
In response, Mr Butler said climate change was probably the policy with the biggest gap between Labor and the Liberals, \u201cand I think that makes a real difference\u201d.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
THE Geelong region would get up to $10 million towards supporting local renewables projects that reduce power bills under an election pledge made by Labor candidate for Corangamite Libby Coker earlier this week. Under the plan, part of Labor\u2019s $100 million Community Renewables Program, Ms Coker said the electorate of Corangamite would be the home […]<\/p>\n