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Latrobe City Council And Wellington Shire Council Announce AllianceLatrobe City Council and Wellington Shire Council have agreed to sign a groundbreaking Memorandum of Understanding officially forming the Coal Councils Australia Alliance. By Latrobe City Council - 21st October 2009 - Back to News It represents the first important step in securing a share of the Federal Government’s $200 million Structural Adjustment Scheme from the Climate Change Action Fund.
The pioneering agreement will strengthen ties between those municipalities likely to be impacted by the Federal government’s Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (CPRS).
Alliance members include Latrobe City Council, Wellington Shire Council, Newcastle City Council (NSW), Muswellbrook Shire Council (NSW), Central Highlands Regional Council (Qld), Isaac Regional Council (Qld) and Whitsunday Regional Council (Qld).
Latrobe City Council Mayor, Cr Lisa Price said that the Alliance was formed after a meeting between the Councils in Canberra in June of this year.
"At the meeting of Mayors, Councillors and Chief Executive Officers it was decided that a joint response to the potential impacts that the CPRS will have on our respective economies would put us in the best possible position to lobby the Federal Government for assistance.
"We share common similarities around a heavy reliance on coal for power generation and or export; these similarities will tie us together in order to ensure that we can lobby from a position of unified strength."
Wellington Shire Council Mayor, Cr Darren McCubbin, said that the Alliance will be seeking to quantify the potential social impact that the CPRS may have on the members’ communities.
"Social impact analysis will be the key to assisting regions to demonstrate the likely impacts of the CPRS.
"All three levels of government need to embrace a collaborative approach if we are to minimise the impacts on our communities.
"Broad statements and anecdotal evidence won’t be enough; we need to advocate for our community with hard facts founded in strong research."
Cr Price said that it was the responsibility of all local governments to provide leadership and lobby on significant issues.
"Members of the Coal Councils Australia Alliance are passionate about their communities; and we all agree that we have an important role to play in representing the best interests of our communities and securing for them a sustainable and prosperous future.
"The communities of Latrobe and Wellington can rest assured that we will be exhausting every possible avenue to make sure that their voice and concerns are heard."
Cr McCubbin said that the Coal Councils Australia Alliance would provide a greater focus for negotiations.
"There are a range of organisations and stakeholders lobbying the Federal Government on the issue of the CPRS, it is important that we build a united front to enable us to bring some weight to our negotiations."
Cr Price added that one of the Alliance’s first priorities would be seeking clarification on the Structural Adjustment Stream of the Climate Change Action Fund.
"There is a potential $200 million dollars available to adversely affected communities, and we want to make sure that we get our fair share.
"We are seeking details on its timing, administration and intent. By working together we hope to be able to approach the fund in a proactive manner that will enable funds to be allocated to minimise the impacts of the CPRS on communities before they occur."
Source: www.gippsland.com Published by: news@gippsland.com
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