Victorians can hear from environmental experts and help shape the Brumby Labor Government’s policy on climate change through a series of online forums launched on the Premier’s website Member for Western Victoria, Gayle Tierney said today.
Ms Tierney said the six-week public consultation process would highlight key climate change themes with topics including Transformation in the Energy Sector, Adapting to the Impacts of Climate Change, Transforming our Cities and Towns and Transforming our Economy.
“The Brumby Labor Government is taking action to develop a strong and effective position on climate change and this new public consultation period will play a major role in forming our White Paper on Climate Change,” Ms Tierney said.
“We are positioning Victoria to take advantage of the expected economic and job gains to flow from the shift to a low carbon and greener economy.”
Ms Tierney said the website would feature a diverse group of professionals who would provide commentary, ideas and challenges and issues around climate change for the Victorian Government in developing the Climate Change White Paper.
The experts include:
• Prof Ross Garnaut – Professorial Fellow in the Faculty of Economics and Commerce and a Vice Chancellor’s Fellow at the University of Melbourne;
• Prof David Karoly – Professor of Earth Sciences at University of Melbourne and Chair of the Premier’s Reference Group on Climate Change;
• Bob Welsh – VicSuper CEO, Chair of the Investor Group on Climate Change;
• Dr Kate Auty – Commissioner for Environmental Sustainability;
• Marcus Spiller – Director SGS Economics & Planning;
• Tom Roper – President of the Australian Built Environment Council; and
• Prof Robin Batterham – Australian Academy of Technological Science and Engineering.
• Erwin Jackson – Director of Policy and Research at the Climate Change Institute
“We hope the videos from our Climate Change speakers will aid online discussion and debate and provide us with further considerations when formulating the White Paper,” Ms Tierney said.
“The first videos go online today and Victorians will be able to comment for three weeks on each theme. A new theme will be uploaded each week for the next three weeks.”
Ms Tierney said the online forums formed part of an extensive public consultation process that included town hall meetings across metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria, public submissions online and ministerial roundtables with key interest groups.
To join the discussion on Climate Change in Victoria visit
www.premier.vic.gov.au/pages/climate-change-green-paper