More than 30,000 first time mothers and seniors who access Home and Community Care (HACC) services will get help to live more sustainably and reduce costs on water and energy bills under a future Labor Government.
Joining the Labor candidate for Ballarat West, Sharon Knight, Environment and Climate Change Minister Gavin Jennings today said the Sustainable Living strategy would be managed by Environment Victoria and provide practical advice to help people save on their utilities bills.
“Victoria is experiencing a baby boom and Labor is committed to support the families of the 200 babies born each day in Victoria. I know from talking with new parents that having your first baby often makes you think about the kind of world you are bringing a child into,” Mr Jennings said.
“Which is why the birth of your first child is an excellent time to help people become more educated about the environment, especially as new parents take decisions about what kind of appliances to use and set about child-proofing their houses.
“Information will be provided through social networking, blogs and forums and also through mother’s groups, baby showers and via information in pre-natal baby bags. It will be another way people can access information that will help Victoria achieve our ambitious target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 20 per cent by 2020.”
Ms Knight said seniors were another group often eager for information about how to save money on energy and water bills.
“Home and Community Care workers can provide valuable information to seniors as part of their regular visits which can help them to easily reduce their water and energy costs,” she said.
“As part of their routine visits Home and Community Care workers will inform seniors of low or no-cost changes that can save energy and water as well as inform them of how they can access rebates and existing retrofit and bulk-buying programs.”
The successful Sustainability for Home Carers program has already trained 432 HACC workers to deliver sustainability audits to nearly 5200 senior and disabled Victorians.
Environment Victoria CEO, Kelly O’Shanassy, said:
“Environment Victoria has worked with the Brumby Government for the past four years to help the most vulnerable Victorians live more sustainably. We know these programs work and they assist Victorians who are most affected by climate change to reduce their utility bills and their impact on the environment.”