The Hon Josh Frydenberg MP Federal Member for Kooyong
Treasurer of Australia
Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party

Protecting our environment

As a parent and member of our local community, I take seriously the role we all have as custodians of our environment.   It is important we do all we can to secure a better future for our families and our nation. This includes action to address climate change and protect Australia’s wonderful natural assets.

Locally I have supported a number of  environmental initiatives including:

  • Delivering more than $900,000 in local environmental and landcare projects including Chandler Reserve, Willsmere Park, Yarra Flats, and other Parks along the Yarra River in Boroondara, Fairview Park in Hawthorn, the Koonung Creek Corridor, Winfield Park, Maranoa Gardens and Beckett Park in Balwyn and South Surrey Park in Surrey Hills
  • Helping local community organisations become energy sustainable with grants for solar panels.

Nationally, the Coalition Government has announced a new $3.5 billion Climate Solutions Package. It is a comprehensive suite of measures that will reduce emissions, lower energy prices and maintain the reliability of Australia’s energy system. As part of this package, the Coalition Government will:

  • Invest $2 billion in the Climate Solutions Fund which builds on the Emissions Reduction Fund, a successful program which to date has secured 193 million tonnes of emissions abatement at only $12 a tonne.
  • Commit up to $1.4 billion to Snowy 2.0, a pumped hydro storage project which will be the largest of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere and will support 5,000 jobs and generate 2,000 megawatts or enough to power 500,000 homes.
  • Deliver the ‘Battery of the Nation’ with new renewable projects in Tasmania and a second interconnector to the mainland, which will harness Tasmania’s natural advantages and provide more power for Victoria.
  • Develop a National Electric Vehicle Strategy, improving consistency and interoperability in public charging infrastructure and building on grants from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) and finance from the Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC).
  • Improve energy efficiency for households and businesses by expanding the energy rating label program, delivering grants of up to $25,000 for small businesses to upgrade the energy efficiency of their equipment and grants of up to $12,500 for community organisations to invest in solar and battery installations.

The Government is also putting in place a $22 million Communities Environment Program which will fund local community-led projects to improve our waterways, parks and other green areas.

The Coalition is taking action to address climate change to meet our international commitments. Just as we beat our first Kyoto target and remain on track to beat our second Kyoto target, we will meet and beat our Paris commitment, which is a responsible 26 to 28 per cent reduction in emissions on 2005 levels by 2030.

I would encourage you to read the attached brochure detailing the $3.5 billion Climate Solutions Package. More information can be found online at: http://www.environment.gov.au/climate-change/climate-solutions-package.