Victorian Government offers cash incentive to help households get better energy deal

Every Victorian household will get a $50 bonus for visiting an energy comparison website, in an election-year giveaway to encourage people to find better power deals.

More than 700,000 people had used the website
in the past three years to cut their electricity bills.

But the State Opposition accused the Andrews Government of trying to bribe voters by investing $48 million for the power-saving bonus in next month's budget.

Households will be eligible for the payment if they use the Energy Compare website between July and December, which shows consumers the best tariff for them based on their electricity and gas use.

People are not obliged to take up an offer or switch plans to be eligible for the $50 bonus.

Premier Daniel Andrews said a typical household had saved $330 on their energy bills in the first year alone by using the website.

Read the story by Jean Edwards from ABC News - “Victorian Government offers cash incentive to help households get better energy deal.”

Airstrip used in firefighting threatened by proposed wind farm

A south-west Victorian airport instrumental in fighting the St Patrick's Day bushfires could be forced to close if a proposed wind farm is approved by the state planning minister.

The location of the proposed wind turbines drawn on the Cobden airport window.

The $100 million Naroghid Wind Farm project plans to build 12 wind turbines on the outskirts of Cobden, seven kilometres south-east of Camperdown.

According to those who run the airstrip, the location is a problem.

Part of the farm's proposed site borders the northern edge of the Cobden Airport, with four of the 180-metre-high towers to be built within kilometres of the start of the runway.

Read the ABC Rural News story - “Airstrip used in firefighting threatened by proposed wind farm.”

Forestry agreements extended in Victoria but big trees get protection

The Victorian government has made short-term extensions to three of its regional forest agreements (RFA) allowing logging of native forests, but also announced new limits on the trees that can be cut.

Native forestry is back in the spotlight with Regional
Forest Agreements coming up for renewal across the nation.

In a move likely to be watched closely by other states including NSW, the Andrews Labor government extended three agreements to bring them line with two others that expire in March 2020.

The state will also provide immediate protection to approximately 2,500 hectares of high environmental-value forest in and around East Gippsland's Kuark Forest, Lily D’Ambrosio, Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change, said in a statement.

Similarly, the government will also protect all large, old trees greater than two-and-a-half metres in diameter across Victoria, securing key habitat for wildlife.

Read Peter Hannam’s story from today’s Age - “Forestry agreements extended in Victoria but big trees get protection.”

Energy broker to bargain on behalf of state's poorest households

Thousands of vulnerable Victorian households struggling to keep up with rising energy bills will be given free access to a broker who will collectively bargain for a cheaper deal on their behalf.

The state government is creating a broker to
act on behalf of vulnerable households.

The broker would act in the interests of low-income earners who in many cases spend hundreds of dollars a year more on energy than they would if put on the best available offer.

Read Adam Carey’s story in today’s Melbourne Age - ”Energy broker to bargain on behalf of state's poorest households.”

An energy-filled discussion at Shepparton round-table

There was no shortage of energy in the room as a local round table offered a platform for discussion on emerging energy technologies and initiatives to drive down power prices floated.

Victoria’s energy minister, businesses championing new energy technologies, those curious about using them and local stakeholders keen to see the region realise its ‘‘solar city’’ potential assembled for one of a series of Victorian new energy technology round tables in Shepparton on Thursday.

Victorian Energy Minister Lily D’Ambrosio -
on the cusp of a major transformation.

About 250 attended the northern Victorian leg workshop, at Shepparton Showgrounds’ McIntosh Pavilion, co-hosted by Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning and City of Greater Shepparton.

Addressing reporters ahead of Thursday’s round table, Victorian Energy Minister Lily D’Ambrosio described the state and the region as being on the cusp of ‘‘major transformation in terms of how we make our energy’’.

She understood businesses were excited by the prospect of taking back control of their energy needs.

‘‘We’ve seen of course major transformation happening within our energy sector, seen significant increase in gas prices in the last 18 months.’’

‘‘We know there can be better arrangements put in place . . . to get the solutions that will fit individual businesses to lower their energy costs.’’

Ms D’Ambrosio highlighted northern Victoria as a potential ‘‘boom area’’ for solar and Greater Shepparton City councillor Seema Abdullah suggested the region would be ‘‘prime to get a fair chunk’’ of incentives from government initiatives.

She cited the region’s positioning, food production and said she wanted to see more investment and job creation in the region.

‘‘The more energy supply we create, the cheaper the energy will Victorian Energy Minister Lily D’Ambrosio be, and the quickest way to create supply is to promote renewable energy,’’ Ms D’Ambrosio said.

Shepparton's Cr Seema Abdullah at
the energy discussions on Thursday.

Following the round table, Goulburn Valley Community Energy’s Terry Court said there had been an enormous amount of energy in the room, embracing renewable energy.

Mr Court said electricity prices posed ‘‘a significant issue for community and industry’’ in his address at the session, with opportunities to reduce costs discussed.

Cr Seema Abdullah was delighted to see a healthy turnout of ‘‘renewable energy champions’’ and industry.

‘‘This is such a happening space, the possibilities, opportunities.’’

She was pleased to see groups and stakeholders had opportunities to transition and lower prices, amid a situation where there was ‘‘a demand for action’’.

Cr Abdullah described Greater Shepparton as one of those regions best placed in the conversation with a number of businesses already using or interested in new energy technologies.

Story by Thomas Moir in today’s Shepparton News - “An energy-filled discussion.”

Car is top choice in Shepparton

Less than one per cent of Shepparton takes public transport to work.

Shepparton is one of three Victorian electorates with the lowest proportion of people using public transport.

The region ranks in the higher end for proportion of car users.

According to Australian Bureau of Statistics census 2016 data, just 0.6 per cent of Shepparton take public transport to work, compared to almost 77 per cent driving.

Traffic congestion is less of an issue in Shepparton than in metro areas with smaller commute times, while the variety of public transport options on offer is also fewer, according to stakeholders.

Urban designer Bruce Echberg, who has completed key projects in Shepparton, said the figures come as no surprise.

He said such a high reliance on cars meant significant amounts of land was taken up by roads and parking.

The reliance serves to spread the city out and compromise environmental outcomes, he said.

The ‘‘acres of car parks’’ in Shepparton, described by Mr Echberg as wasted land, could instead be redeveloped into housing.

Instead of boosting local public transport, he renewed calls to improve cycling infrastructure.

‘‘You have to give up some of the road space for safe bike infrastructure and probably discourage parking more,’’ he said.

‘‘Getting people off roads and on bikes is the solution.’’

Committee for Greater Shepparton chief Sam Birrell said the close proximity from home and work meant using a car remained the easy option for Sheppartonians.

But he said the main game was not to boost local public transport, but to improve rail connectivity to the city.

‘‘What I hear from the community isn’t (demand for) better public transport around Shepparton.’’

‘‘It’s better public transport from Shepparton to Melbourne.’’

Mr Birrell said the easy work commute constituted a major benefit of regional life

‘‘There’s certainly a lot of people out there in Shepparton, driving to work, driving around the countryside, listening to reports of the gridlock in Melbourne, and would be grateful not to be caught up in that.’’

State Member for Shepparton Suzanna Sheed said the figures served to reinforce the region’s reliance on the motor vehicle and the need for well-maintained local roads.

Ms Sheed supports a review of local public transport boundaries in Shepparton to ensure provision of service to outer areas was up to date.

Almost 5 per cent of Sheppartonians worked from home last year, according to the statistics.

Mr Birrell said with a proportion of people across Shepparton now connected to the NBN, he would have thought opportunities to work from home would have opened up.

In localised analysis of the 2011 Census data for Greater Shepparton by .id economics, about 77 per cent of people were found to take a car to work, while less than 1 per cent took public transport.

This compared with 71.6 per cent and 2.1 per cent respectively in regional Victoria.

Story in today’s Shepparton News by Thomas Moir - “Car is top choice.”

(Those who understand, argue that a successful public transport system must pass "where you are" at least every seven minutes and as that is unlikely in Shepparton then the advice of Bruce Echberg must be taken and particular effort made to make the city proper and it surrounding urban areas cycling friendly, in every sense. 

Beyond that, a special effort must also be made to show people that cycling to work or social events in this flat, weather friendly part of Australia, is both cheap and quick, and beyond that, the use of a bicycle instead of a car, plays a major role in helping Australia meet its international commitments of carbon dioxide emissions - Robert McLean)

Doctors call on health super funds to pull $1.7 billion out of coal and oil companies

Hundreds of Victorian doctors and medical staff are pressuring their super funds to quit investing in coal and oil for the sake of health, as they did with tobacco five years ago.

Hundreds of medical staff in Victoria are pressuring
their super funds to divest from corporations that
are based on fossil fuels.

The group, which includes some of Australia's leading health experts, says there is overwhelming evidence that climate change is already making people sick and causing thousands of deaths.

They want the two largest health super funds, HESTA and First State, to divest from fossil fuel-based companies, arguing the nest eggs of the medical profession should not be built on industries that make people sick.

Combined, the two default health super funds have about $1.72 billion invested in these heavily fossil fuel-based companies, according to Market Forces, an environmental investment advisory group.

Read Adam Carey’s story in today’s Melbourne Age - “Doctors call on health super funds to pull $1.7 billion out of coal and oil companies.”

Victoria's plans for hydrogen exports to Japan are 'way of making brown coal look green'

Latrobe’s Hazelwood power station will close
 on 31 March and the Victorian government
 is looking to create new jobs there.

Victorian government plans to work with a Japanese company to produce hydrogen from brown coal in the Latrobe Valley are “a way of making brown coal look green”, according to one expert.

The proposed plant, which would be run by Kawasaki Heavy Industries as part of their Kawasaki Hydrogen Road project, would produce liquid hydrogen that would then be exported to Japan to be used in hydrogen-powered vehicles.

Maritime authorities from both Australia and Japan signed a world-first deal to ship liquid hydrogen in Canberra on Wednesday, but Victoria’s acting resources minister, Philip Dalidakis, said the project was still “in the very early stages”.

Read Calla Wahlquist’s story on The Guardian - “Victoria's plans for hydrogen exports to Japan are 'way of making brown coal look green'.”

John's not predicting a drought, but he knows something's afoot

W

hen and how do you declare the beginning of a drought?

Salisbury West farmer, John Vanston, is not predicting drought, but is wondering where the rain has gone.

The Victorian lamb producer and grain grower has likened what he is seeing now to what the conditions were like in the 1982 drought.

A story in today’s Melbourne Age - “Victorian farmer likens severe dry conditions to 1982 drought” – Darren Gray writes, “In recent months he (John Vanston) has only received passing showers, rather than decent rain, which have provided no benefit to the parched paddocks and empty dams.”

State money fails to slow, or stop, environmental deterioration.

Victoria’s environment continues to deteriorate.

And, that deterioration continues despite massive investment by the State Government.

An ABC Rural story headed: “Victorian Auditor General tells government to think long term to improve deteriorating environment” warns of the need for the government to set long-term goals.