Greens launch plan to wean Victoria off gas
Today the Victorian Greens launched a policy to phase out gas in Victoria as part of a plan to power the state by 100 percent renewable energy by 2030.
Crucial to the plan is $1000 grants for homeowners and landlords to replace dirty polluting gas heaters with electric alternatives, capped at $22 million. This will ensure that when the transition to renewable energy happens, households will be ready.
Victoria must take action on climate change, and a phase out of all fossil fuels is the only way to do it effectively. Additionally, gas no longer makes economic sense. Household gas prices have risen by 180 percent and industrial prices by as much of 300 percent.
The Greens’ Beyond Gass plan will:
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Provide $1000 grants to households to support transition from gas to electric heating
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Mandate non-gas heating in building regulations for all new builds
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Revoke Labor’s decision to allow offshore gas exploration within Victoria's jurisdiction
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Legislate to permanently ban any new gas exploration or extraction, including fracking, on Victorian land or in Victorian waters
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Stop AGL's Westernport gas facility and pipeline
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Run an education campaign about benefits of switching from gas to electric heating
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Develop recommendations for planning reform to stop new gas pipelines to new towns/suburbs
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Identify options for industry transition beyond gas, including use of biogas.
Quotes attributable to Victorian Greens spokesperson for energy and climate change, Ellen Sandell
“There is no willingness from Labor or Liberal to tackle or even recognise the damage gas is causing. It is not a transition fuel between coal and renewable energy, it is a fossil fuel that needs to be phased out as quickly as possible.
“Gas does not make environmental sense, and it does not make economic sense. If all politicians had the political will to invest in renewable energy with the same dedication that Liberal and Labor have for fossil fuels, Victoria could source all its power from cheap, clean and infinitely renewable energy.
“A dedicated plan to get Victoria out of all fossil fuels is a one of the Greens’ key policy issues and will certainly feature in negotiations if we are in a balance of power position after the November election.”
See the full policy detail here: https://greens.org.au/vic/beyondgas