Environment Victoria has audited the environmental performance of the Baillieu government after two years in office and found that many key environment election promises have not been advanced.
Environment Victoria Campaigns Director Mark Wakeham said today:
“In their second year of office the Baillieu government has escalated their attacks on renewable energy, rivers, forests and threatened species, and allowed much of their pre-election policy agenda to fall by the wayside.”
The audit assessed the Baillieu government’s delivery of its election promises on the environment and also assessed significant policy actions taken that were not mentioned before the election.
The audit, entitled “Envirowatch 2012: Two years in”, found that of the 58 environmental policy commitments made ahead of the election:
13 commitments have been delivered in full
10 commitments have been partially delivered
14 commitments have not yet been delivered
15 commitments represent a backwards step for our environment
6 promises that were made have been broken.
It also assessed 26 significant environmental actions that were not part of the Coalition’s election platform, and found that:
21 represent a backwards step for our environment
5 represent a forwards step for our environment.
“This audit shows a government out of touch with the Victorian community. Polling undertaken by Environment Victoria shows that the clear majority of Victorians expect that the state government to protect their environment, not destroy it.”
“Community support for renewable energy and water and energy efficiency is extremely high, yet the Baillieu government has made it almost impossible to build new wind farms and has reduced support for solar power.”
Mr Wakeham said some key election promises are at risk unless they are funded at the next State Budget.
“Promises to improve the efficiency of Victoria’s housing stock and to generate 5 percent of the state’s electricity from solar power will be effectively broken if they are not funded in the next State Budget.”
“The Baillieu government’s recent attempt to outline its environment policy agenda in a report released last week entitled ‘Environmental Partnerships’ contained no new funding or agenda for environmental protection. Clearly this is a government struggling to acquit its responsibilities” Mr Wakeham concluded.
Mr Wakeham said that the Baillieu government’s environmental record would be under the microscope at a Public meeting on Tuesday 27th November in the Premier’s electorate.
The State of Victoria’s environment: Questioning the Baillieu government’s record will be held at Kew Heights Sports Club, 397 Barkers Road, 6-7.30pm, Tuesday 27th November. The Public meeting will be addressed by Professor David Lindenmayer and representatives of the Hamer family.
For further information or comment contact:
Mark Wakeham 0439 700 501