Victory for Greens in $19m carbon footprint information shop

Canberra Times
Wednesday 6/5/2009 Page: 21

The ACT Greens have posted their first budget win, with the announcement of a $19 million one-stop information shop to help residents reduce their carbon footprint. The program, which aims to reduce business and household waste, and cut energy and water use, gets a $4.6 million kick-start in the 2009-10 budget, with funding extended to 2013.

The public information service - called Switch Your Thinking - was a key item on a wish-list of reforms put forward by the Greens after winning the balance of power in the ACT Assembly last year. The list formed the basis of a power-sharing agreement negotiated between the Greens and Labor. Yesterday, the Greens said the budget reflected "a greener way of doing government, with a more practical focus on climate change".

This year's budget allocates $35 million in new funding for the environment. The big ticket items are $14 million over two years to create urban wetlands in Dickson and Lyneham, and $19 million over four years for the public information service. Both programs were Greens initiatives, detailed in the post election agreement negotiated with Labor.

Other budget allocations include $4.5 million this year to remove and replant street trees, $686,000 to increase uptake of greenpower electricity by 7%, $485,000 to improve waste recycling at the Mugga Lane tip, $350,000 to remove dead street trees and $200,000 for weed control of native grasslands. The Government will spend $85,000 on community consultation to reduce plastic bag use, and $483,000 over two years to consult local industry on ways to reduce electronic and organic waste.

Expenditure on parks and reserves has been cut by 10%, with no budget line allocations for control of weeds, feral pigs, deer, foxes or wild dogs in Namadgi National Park. The Government will spend $150,000 on rabbit control at Mt Majura and Mt Ainslie and $4.2 million on forest plantings, mulching and irrigation for the arboretum. Two environmental impact studies, totalling $600,000, will be conducted on the feasibility of high density housing at East Lake, neighbouring the Jerrabomberra wetlands.

ACT Environment Minister Simon Corbell said the budget reflected "a substantial and important investment" in new environmental programs. He said the $19 million one-stop shop would bring together information on the Government's rebates and energy efficiency programs. It would offer consumer advice on rebate applications, home energy audits, energy efficient appliances, water efficiency and updates on government services.

ACT Greens climate change spokesman Shane Rattenbury said it was critical this new information service "went a lot further than setting tip a website and giving out brochures and press releases". He said people were "bamboozled by all the efficiency rebates and programs on offer from the ACT and Federal governments" and needed practical advice to identity ways to snake their homes more energy and water efficient.

Mr Rattenbury criticised the Stanhope Government's continued funding for the arboretum, comparing the project to an episode of the ABC political satire, The Hollowmen in which the fictional Prime Minister "is desperate to create a public monument". He said the $4.2 million allocated for the arboretum would be better spent on helping the cash-strapped Australian National Botanic Gardens adjust to water restrictions and climate change.