“Climate change is creating a climate of opportunity. Victoria will not miss the opportunity to become a leader in the climate change economy. ” – John Brumby , Premier

The CSIRO forecasts Victoria’s average temperatures could increase by 0.9% by 2030, compared to average temperatures between 1961 and 1990, and between 1.5 degrees and 3 degrees Celsius by 2070  – depending on whether or not we cut global carbon emissions. To put that in perspective, a 3 degree rise would endanger 41 of Victoria’s native species – and have indiscriminate and unintended impacts on our economy and our community. To avoid a 2 degree rise in temperature the world needs to halve greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

That is why Victoria is determined to play a leading role in the local, national and global efforts to cut carbon emissions.

The Government is taking action to drought proof the State through record levels of investment, ensuring water supply for the next 50 years. Our $4.9 billion water plan will create new water through desalination and capture new water savings through irrigation upgrades for water users, farmers and our rivers.

This is on top of Australia’s largest water saving project, the Wimmera Mallee Pipeline, being fast-tracked and the recent opening of the Goldfields Superpipe – providing security of water supply to Ballarat and Bendigo.

Through practical action, hard work and leading the national policy debate, the Government has laid the ground work to ensure Victoria can seize on the climate of opportunities a new carbon economy can deliver.

Climate change is creating new technologies, creating new jobs, and creating a new climate change economy. And the pace of that economic change and investment is bound to accelerate over the next decade when a global carbon trading market comes online.

Our Government is determined to respond to the challenge of climate change – over the next decade and beyond – in a way that ensures our State not only remains one of the world’s most liveable places, – but is one of the world’s most productive and sustainable places.

“The Brumby Government understands that communities are under enormous pressure as a result of the devastating combined impacts of drought, climate change and failing, outdated irrigation systems. That is why we have put in place a plan for water security that will protect those communities and drought-proof the State.” – Tim Holding, Minister for
Water

16. Water

The Government is building a series of major projects to secure our water future and drought-proof the State by saving and creating new water to be shared across the State. Over the past 12 months, the Brumby Government has:

• Completed the Goldfields Superpipe. Water is now flowing down the 46 kilometre Bendigo leg and the 87 kilometre Ballarat leg of the Goldfields Superpipe, securing the water future of Victoria’s two largest inland cities.
• Commenced construction on the early works program for stage 1 of the $2 billion Food Bowl Modernisation Project to upgrade irrigation infrastructure in northern Victoria.
• Signed the Murray Darling Agreement – delivering new protections and improved water security for Victorian farmers and the environment, as well as $1 billion in Stage 2 funding from the Commonwealth for the Food Bowl Modernisation Project.
• Commenced construction on the key water treatment component of the Gippsland Water Factory.
• Committed $99 million to fast-track the completion of the Wimmera-Mallee Pipeline.
• Commenced drilling works for the development of a sea water sampling plant for the 150 billion litre desalination plant near Wonthaggi.
• Reached the target of recycling 20% of Melbourne’s wastewater two years ahead of schedule.
• Reduced water use in 2007 by 34% per person, compared to the 1990s.

 “Victoria is the best placed of all States to make a difference to our environment and create a climate of opportunities in a new climate change economy.” – Gavin Jennings, Minister for the Environment and Climate Change
 

17. Climate Change

Climate change is the most significant global challenge facing governments and communities worldwide. Victoria has driven the policy debate on climate change and is the best placed of all States to make the most of this climate of opportunities. Over the past 12 months, the Brumby Government has:

Climate change

• Hosted Australia’s first Climate Change Summit with 100 key stakeholders.
• Launched Australia’s first carbon dioxide storage demonstration project at Nirranda in Victoria’s south-west run by the Cooperative Research Centre for Greenhouse Gas Technologies (CO2CRC).
• Established a $72 million fund for large-scale renewable energy projects across the State, such as solar energy, wave power, geothermal and biomass conversion.
• Launched Australia’s largest State-based solar hot water rebate scheme – offering up to $2,500 to encourage households in regional and rural Victoria to switch to solar hot water.
• Committed to Australia’s most generous Feed-in Tariff scheme to reward homeowners for feeding renewable energy back into the power grid.
• Energy efficiency
•  Adopted Australia’s first energy efficiency scheme setting targets for reduced energy use – to commence on 1 January 2009.
• Developed Australia’s first TAFE training course for Insulation Installers, Home Sustainability Assessment and EcoSmart Electricians.
• Committed to audit and retrofit homes for 2,600 low-income families and 500 Office of Housing tenants which will cut greenhouse emissions and save households around $118-a-year.

Cleaner energy

• Approved initial plans for a 1,000 megawatt gas-fired power station at Mortlake to provide for Victoria’s future needs from low greenhouse emission natural gas.
• Announced the go-ahead of the southern hemisphere’s largest photovoltaic (PV) solar power station, to be built in northern Victoria, made possible with a $50 million State Government grant.
• Signed a key agreement with Queensland to guide the development of large-scale solar thermal power stations in both States.
• Approved plans by HRL for a new generation clean coal power station that will use technology developed in Victoria which will slash greenhouse gas emissions. Victoria is providing $50 million to the total $750 million cost in addition to a $110 million fund to accelerate Carbon Capture and Storage.
• Established Clean Coal Victoria in the Latrobe Valley, an organisation dedicated to maximising the value and minimising the emissions of Victoria’s brown-coal resources.
• Led the way by committing to power State Parliament with 100% Green Power – saving more than 2,500 tonnes of carbon emissions a year.

 “Victorians use almost 1 billion lightweight plastic bags a year, wasting valuable resources and creating unnecessary rubbish. We want to find an approach that delivers the best outcome for shoppers and the environment.” – Gavin Jennings, Minister for the Environment and Climate Change

18. Environment

Victoria cannot have a strong economy without a strong community. Likewise, our State cannot sustain its community or its economy without a sustainable environment. The Brumby Government understands the need to preserve Victoria’s environment for future generations. That’s why, over the past 12 months, our Government has:

• Granted more than 20,000 hectares of native forests in Gippsland’s Strzelecki Ranges permanent protection.
• Committed to legislate to protect almost 30,000 hectares of habitat and create the Cobboboonee National Park and Forest Park.
• Made more than 1,000 hectares of the Devilbend Reservoir on the Mornington Peninsula a conservation reserve.
• Closed the last logging operation in the Otways.
• Worked with the retail sector to trial options for a plastic bag levy to reduce waste.
• Saved the Murray hardyhead fish from extinction through the release of environmental water in the Woorinen North and Round lakes.
• Provided urgent respite for Victoria’s iconic and ancient Red Gums and the threatened species that depend on them in key areas in the north-central, Goulburn-Broken and Mallee catchments.