Michelle Slater
Member for Gippsland Darren Chester is working with Latrobe City Council and state Members of Parliament to secure extra funding for the region as Australia heads to net zero emissions by 2050.
The federal Nationals MP had gone into bat in the party room to support a net zero target to take to the Glasgow climate talks underway this month.
The Latrobe Valley’s big three coal generators will have left the market by 2050, with Loy Yang A and B the last to stand with an official planned closure in 2048, if not before.
Mr Chester acknowledged there was a need for “reliable, affordable energy” while also a need to “do our part to protect the environment for future generations”.
“We don’t need empty words and promises, we will need well-funded plans to develop projects that secure long-term, sustainable jobs in Gippsland and the Latrobe Valley,” Mr Chester said.
“My focus is always on respecting local workers and families and ensuring there are proper plans in place to provide new job opportunities when some of our traditional roles are replaced with new industries.”
Mr Chester said he viewed climate change issue as a social, economic and environmental challenge, with opportunities for new jobs, pointing to the Coalition’s “technology-based approach”.
He this would require billions of dollars of investment, which was already being rolled out in Gippsland with large-scale renewables projects and the hydrogen from coal trial plant.
“This work needs to continue with a focus on regions that are most exposed to any economic shocks. Protecting as many jobs as possible in our traditional industries while we transition to new opportunities is the message I’m giving to the Prime Minister,” Mr Chester said.
Grattan Institute energy and climate change program director Tony Wood said it was imperative for the Latrobe Valley to start planning immediately to help the community transition towards net zero.
He said there needed to be some leadership alongside local stakeholders such as councils, the community, businesses and unions. It comes as Latrobe City established a transition taskforce to advocate for bi-partisan support to minimise the economic impacts of a decarbonised economy on the region.
“In the Latrobe Valley there needs to be some hard thinking to be done and people must get on board to be a part of the solution and to have some difficult conversations. Some hard work needs to be done or it will be too late after Yallourn and Loy Yang are closed,” he said.
