Ellen presents petition to Replace Hazelwood in Parliament
Today I rise to speak on behalf of more than 12,000 people calling for the Labor Government to replace the Hazelwood coal power station with clean energy.
Victorians believe in a brighter future, free of pollution, and powered by the sun and the wind.
But the government’s continued support of Hazelwood, Australia’s dirtiest power station, stands in the way of this clean, healthy future.
More than 12,000 people have signed a petition to Replace Hazelwood, which I printed out this morning and delivered to the energy minister.
These people want us to cast off the shackles of the old, polluting energy sector, and bring jobs in wind, solar, wave and geothermal energy to our state.
They know we can make sure that nobody is left behind as we undergo this transformation, with a proper transition plan for coal communities like the Latrobe Valley.
Victorians are ready to embrace new energy, but we need the government to show political courage and to stop backing the polluting industries of the past.
Tomorrow, tens of thousands of people will descend on central Melbourne to tell our Governments we want stronger action on climate change.
I’ll join them, along with many of the 12,000 people who have signed the petition I presented today.
Together, our message is clear:
Labor, don’t let Victoria lag behind. Help us become a clean energy powerhouse. Let’s replace Hazelwood with clean energy.