Dear Ms Peulich,
As CEO of Environment Victoria, I am writing in response to questions you asked of the Special Minister for State and comments you made about Environment Victoria in the Legislative Council on Thursday 23 February 2017.
I welcome your interest in the work of Environment Victoria, because we are working on behalf of the majority of your constituency. Research released by Sustainability Victoria last week found that 93 percent of Victorians want state government action on climate change, and four out of five Victorians are willing to take action on climate change. These are the people we represent, and we do so independently, openly and transparently.
The volunteers outside your electorate office last week live in your electorate and are representative of this 93 percent, because for them action by the Coalition and all political parties on climate change is a priority. While there were no Environment Victoria staff present, I can assure you that if the Coalition continues to oppose environmental measures and lacks its own environmental agenda, we will continue to inform Victorians this is where their alternative government stands when it comes to protecting our environment.
On 23 February, after the Victorian Coalition voted against legislation to cut climate pollution, volunteers driving a mobile billboard protested outside the office of MP Inga Peulich.
Since 1969, Environment Victoria has worked with all sides of politics for policies that protect and restore the environment and reduce greenhouse pollution. Since the Coalition lost office in 2014, we have met a number of times with your Shadow Ministers for Environment and Energy, Brad Battin and David Southwick. Both assured us that despite differences of opinion in the past they are keen to work constructively to develop stronger environment and energy policy.
In November 2016, I wrote to the Opposition Leader, the Hon. Matthew Guy, on how we hoped to work with the Coalition to protect Victoria’s environment and reduce our climate pollution. I received no response and since then the Coalition has:
- Voted against the Climate Change Act;
- Voted against fairer tariffs for solar energy;
- Campaigned to keep the dirtiest power station in Australia open for longer; and
- Signalled that it intends to scrap the Victorian Renewable Energy Target if re-elected.
We want to work constructively with you and your party. Unfortunately, the absence of any current Victorian Coalition environment policies and the Coalition’s general opposition to recent positive initiatives by the Andrews Government raise questions about your commitment to good environmental and climate outcomes.
I am happy to answer any questions you have about Environment Victoria and our work, and in return I would appreciate answers from you or one of your colleagues to some of our questions about the Victorian Coalition and its environment policy:
Does the Coalition plan to develop or release a positive environment policy any time soon? The last formal environment platform the Coalition released was in 2006 – more than a decade ago.
Why is the Coalition not representing the 93% of Victorians who want state government leadership on climate change?
- Given that the Coalition voted against the Victorian Climate Change Act, what is the Coalition’s plan to reduce greenhouse gas pollution and to respond to the impacts of climate change?
- Given that the Coalition argued in Parliament last week that responding to climate change is largely a national responsibility, is the Victorian Coalition satisfied with the current approach of their Federal colleagues under which Australia’s emissions across most sectors of the economy have been rising?
- Given that the Victorian Coalition pledged to scrap the Victorian Renewable Energy Target if elected, what is the Coalition’s alternative plan to support renewable energy projects and jobs in Victoria beyond 2020 when the Federal Renewable Energy Target ends?
I have responded in full to each of the comments and questions you raised in regard to Environment Victoria in the Legislative Council last week, and welcome the opportunity to discuss these, along with the questions I have raised, with you or one of your colleagues at any time.
I want to work with the Coalition to build an environmental platform that will serve Victorians for generations to come, but until I see any Coalition action on the environment I will not apologise for informing your constituency that this is where you stand.
Yours sincerely,
Mark Wakeham
CEO, Environment Victoria
This letter, and a response to each of the points made by Ms Peulich in the Parliament (see link below), was also sent to Victorian Opposition Leader Matthew Guy, Shadow Minister for Environment Brad Battin and Shadow Minister for Energy and Resources David Southwick.