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Mayor To Seek Meeting With Climate Change Minister, Penny WongLatrobe City mayor, Cr Bruce Lougheed, has requested an immediate meeting with Federal Climate Change Minister, Penny Wong. By Latrobe City - 10th October 2008 - Back to News "We need to urgently discuss the impact on the Latrobe City community of the soon to be announced Carbon Emissions Trading Scheme," Cr Lougheed said.
Cr Lougheed claimed that the final Garnaut report, issued last week, had dramatically changed the Australian Government’s position.
"The first two Garnaut reports were full of doom and gloom for the Latrobe Valley, identifying this region as the only one to suffer major disadvantage from the introduction of Emissions Trading. However, Garnaut held out the prospect of federal assistance to handle the considerable reduction in employment in the brown coal mining and power generation industry that was predicted to occur over the next ten years.
"The final Garnaut report now takes a major step back from offering any assistance, indicating that there is no immediate problem. What has changed?" Cr Lougheed questioned.
"The financial press has reported a number of meetings between the Australian Government and power generation companies. Minister Wong is now on record as guaranteeing compensation payments to these companies to handle the transition to the Emissions Trading Scheme," Cr Lougheed said.
"Having consulted the power industry, it is now appropriate that the minister consult our community. The key issue being compensation and assistance to enable the community to adjust to these predicted changes."
Latrobe City councillor, Cr Graeme Middlemiss, said the latest Garnaut report was sending confused messages. "On one hand Garnaut is saying that there is now no immediate problem for the Latrobe Valley, but then goes on to advocate the closure of Yallourn ‘W’ or Hazelwood. It is interesting to note that even the power companies are still predicting early plant closures, despite Garnaut’s assurances," Cr Middlemiss said.
"Latrobe City suffered badly during the power industry corporatisation and privatisation process of the 1990s," Cr Middlemiss explained.
"We need to avoid a repeat of that situation at all cost. The sooner the mayor and Minister Wong meet to resolve these issues, the better," he added.
Source: www.gippsland.com Published by: news@gippsland.com
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