It’s time to take this opportunity for clean energy, new jobs and innovation across the country by putting a price on pollution.
CAMPAIGN UPDATE: Environment Victoria has welcomed the Carbon Tax package as an important first step in Australia’s action on climate change…and guess what? They might even Replace Hazelwood – Australia’s dirtiest power station- as part of it! Get the details here
THE PROBLEM
Australia has a pollution dependent economy. We’re reliant on old, inefficient and out-dated power stations like Hazelwood – the dirtiest power station in Australia.
Yet the rest of the world is moving ahead rapidly with clean energy investment and new job creation. Unless we act now, Australia risks getting left behind.
With a changing climate threatening to alter the face of the world forever, Australians are taking action to help cut their pollution at home. But until now our governments have failed to take action to clean up our dirtiest polluters.
THE SOLUTION
It’s imperative that our government act now to cut pollution and create an incentive for clean energy by putting a price on pollution.
In July of this year, the Prime Minister announced the details of the Carbon Tax package which were developed through negotiations with The Greens and key Independent MPs.
Environment Victoria has welcomed the package as an important first step towards Australia taking serious action on climate change. Check out our media release here
The carbon price package will create an incentive for big polluters to clean up their act, will support households already struggling with energy bills, will invest in clean, renewable energy, and will help replace some our dirtiest power stations. The result will be a transformation of Australia’s energy supply from old, out-of-date and polluting technology, to clean, safe and reliable power for the future.
Read our analysis of the highs and lows of the price on pollution package here
Find out why we believe Australia needs a price on pollution
Following a hard fought campaign from Environment Victoria and our supporters, the government has included a plan to close 2000MW of our dirtiest coal-fired power stations. This is the chance to Replace Hazelwood and other dirty power stations around Australia that we’ve been waiting for, and now, we’ve got the opportunity to make it happen.
TAKE ACTION
There’s a heap of things you can do to Say YES right now. GET ACTIVE >
Adding your voice to this debate is the most important thing that you can do! Across the country, people from all walks of life are joining together to Say YES to climate action, YES to clean energy, YES to new jobs, YES to Replacing Hazelwood and YES to a strong price on pollution.
The details of the package are now on the table, and while there are parts that need to be improved, Environment Victoria is calling on all politicians regardless of their political stripes to pass this important package through Parliament.
As the climate deniers and big polluters run scare-campaigns in the media, it’s time for Australians who believe in a better, sustainable future for our children to make their voices heard. We need YOU to help our politicians get the message that the community supports a strong price on pollution.
Without your voice, we could end up with no action to cut pollution at all. Our kids and our climate deserve better.
more resources
We’ve tested the claims of the biggest polluters and compared rhetoric with the reality. Check out PolluterWatch
Key tests of a price on pollution
Check out the government’s website about the price on pollution, and find out details of the plan
There are a lot of myths out there at the moment about climate change and the impact of a price on pollution on the community. And we’ve busted ’em
Briefing paper: Treatment of electricity generators under a price on carbon. Check it out