Posts tagged ‘Daniel Andrews’
Premier refuses to answer question on Victorian coal phaseout plan
Ellen Sandell asking about coal phaseout plan
The Premier Daniel Andrews failed to answer a direct question on Wednesday, the last sitting day this year for state parliament, on a transition plan to close Victoria’s dirty coal plants and stop coal mining and burning in Victoria for good, asked on behalf of School strike for climate kids.
Greens MP Ellen Sandell (Melbourne) asked the Premier, on behalf of all the students striking for climate justice, when he would urgently release his coal transition plan. She also highlighted that the Andrews government has extended the licence for the dirtiest coal station in Australia, Yallourn.
Premier, while your government has done some really good things on renewables, you are suspiciously silent when it comes to coal. My question is: will you hear the call of these brave young people and urgently release a plan to close Victoria’s dirty coal plants and stop coal mining and burning in Victoria for good?
Instead of answering the question, the Premier diverted his answer into the Victorian Renewable Energy Target of 50 per cent renewables by 2030 (The kids are demanding 100 percent by 2030), the lack of Federal leadership and in particular raising the old history in another parliament of Greens senators opposition to the CPRS scheme.
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Victorian Coal royalties increase in State Budget
Loy Yang A and B power stations
The Andrews Government will increase coal royalties in the 2015/16 budget to approximately match the rate levied in New South Wales, Queensland and Western Australia. This should be welcomed.
The rate will increase three fold from January 1st 2017 and is estimated to raise $252 million over the forward estimates over the next 4 years.
This will prove useful for helping to fund the health support for the LaTrobe Valley, as well as health and education expenditure for the state. $51.2 million was promised in the state budget to implement the recommendations of the Mine Fire Inquiry and improving health outcomes for the Valley.
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