Australian Budget Tackles the Environment
Posted: Tuesday, 13th May 2008, 4:31 pm
The Australian Treasury Minister, Wayne Swan MP, delivers the new Labor government's first budget which includes AU$3 billion (£1.45 billion) funding for climate change related initiatives.
"The Rudd Labor Government recognises that climate change is one of the greatest environmental, social and economic challenges of our time.", Swan said. "For the first time in a decade the Australian Government is taking responsibility for climate change by: reducing Australia's greenhouse gas emissions; adapting to the impacts of climate change that we cannot avoid; and helping to shape a global solution."
The Treasury Minister reasserted the government's commitment to cooperation with other countries to tackle climate change, "The Government has established the Department of Climate Change within the Prime Minister's portfolio to lead the delivery of Australia's climate change strategy, with the necessary resources to manage the complex domestic policy development tasks ahead and to elevate Australia's international engagement to a new level."
Caring for our Country
At the heart of the new Department of Climate Change is a programme called "Caring for our Country" which is designed to "cut red tape and focus natural resource investment on national priorities." Minister for the Environment, Peter Garrett, said "We want communities to put their energy into practical on ground action, not filling in forms."
In addition to Caring for our Country, the Rudd Labor Government is funding a range of measures to help Australians take practical action at home, at school and in their communities.
"This includes low interest loans of up to AU$10,000 (£4,800) to assist families to take practical action at home by investing in water and energy savings as well as assistance for landlords to install insulation in rental homes," Mr Garrett said.
Other measures include establishing a One Stop Green Shop to link Australians with programmes and financial assistance made available by all levels of government, and the expansion of labelling and new standards for energy-efficient appliances.
Further funding will be provided to develop Green Precincts promoting water and energy saving initiatives, establishing new Solar Cities, and grants of up to AU$50,000 (£24,000) to make every Australian school a "solar school".
Low Interest Loans
The Australian government say that up to 200,000 working families will be eligible for Green Loans over five years to improve the energy and water efficiency of their homes.
"These loans will set Australian households on a long term path to sustainability, with minimal red tape," Mr Garrett said.
Each household will be required to pay back the loan at the maximum rate of two percent of their annual gross income, with a minimum of AU$300 (£145) to be repaid each year.
"Under this programme, households will be provided with a Green Renovation Pack and receive a household sustainability assessment report. The report will contain information on green home improvements, estimates of how much money could be saved by households implementing the ideas in the report and details of the benefits these changes will have for our environment," Minister Garrett said.
Better Rental Properties
The Australian Bureau of Statistics estimates around 40 percent of Australian dwellings were un-insulated in 2005. The budget announced a new programme that entitles landlords to a AU$500 (£240) rebate for installing insulation in their properties.
"The amount of insulation to be installed with this rebate is expected to cut a total of AU$90 million ($43.5 million) per year from Australian families' energy bills," Mr Garrett said.
One Stop Green Shop
"The One Stop Green Shop will provide the Australian community with a single window to all federal, state and local government environmental programmes for sustainability at home," Mr Garrett said.
"There are eight million households in Australia, and domestic greenhouse gas emissions currently account for around 20 percent of Australia's total emissions.
"While there's increasing information and programmes to help households reduce emissions, it's distributed and sometimes duplicated across different locations and levels of government.
"This new web portal will bring the information to schools, businesses and families in one easy location."
Mr Garrett said the website would see all levels of government working together to meet the challenges that communities, households and families are facing on the domestic front.
Solar Power
To ensure that people on modest salaries can afford to fit solar panels, the budget has limited the AU$8,000 (£3,800) rebates to households with an income less that AU$100,000 (£48,000).
Mr Garrett said:
"As well as the Solar Homes and Communities Plan the government is boosting the solar power industry by making every Australian school a solar school.
"The National Solar Schools Programme will provide up to AU$50,000 (£24,000) to more than 9,000 Australian schools to install solar power systems and other measures to improve energy and water efficiency."
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