Age
Wednesday 22/7/2009 Page: 7
WELFARE and environment groups are urging the State Government to improve water and energy efficiency in a million homes as part of its delayed commitment to create "green jobs". The Government missed its deadline to release a blueprint to create jobs to help fight the twin threats of climate change and the economic meltdown by the end of June.
A report to be released today calls on the Government to start "picking winners" - selecting clean industries and technologies it thinks could succeed and backing them. The groups behind the report, the Brotherhood of St Laurence and Environment Victoria, have estimated that improving efficiency in a million homes would cost $186 million a year.
They found it would create 690 jobs, reduce greenhouse gas emissions by three million tonnes, save 10% of Melbourne's annual water use and cut utility bills for those on low incomes.
Environment Victoria campaigns director Mark Wakeham said the state lacked the overarching policy framework needed to build political support for new industries. "You don't develop industries without at some point saying this is an industry we like and we're going to back it'," he said.
Compiled by consultants the Nous Group, the report Victoria: The Green Jobs State is the result of a green jobs forum held in April. Environment Minister Gavin Jennings said the green jobs plan was "going through a digestion process". His spokesman, Lyall Johnson, said the plan would be released "before the end of the year" and would look at opportunities in energy efficiency and construction.
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