Ballarat & Central Highlands Open Letter

Victorians from regions right across the state are getting together to show how widespread the support for climate action is in the lead up to the federal election.

In Ballarat and the Central Highlands, community members are reaching out to local businesses, community groups, schools, sporting clubs and other groups –   asking them to sign onto the open letter for faster and fairer Victorian climate action. Click here or scroll to the bottom of the page to read the open letter! 

Fill in the form below to sign on and show your support.

To our local, state and federal MPs and prospective candidates,

We, the people and organisations of the Ballarat and Central Highlands region call on you, our elected representatives and candidates to back our region and take immediate steps to:

•       Replace coal, oil and gas with clean energy (including no more new coal fired power plants to be built in Australia,  no new gas plants to be developed in Australia, a national moratorium on coal seam gas exploration and no more oil, coal or gas exploration permits to be issued in Australia, and the necessary action to help transition workers out of these industries;
•       Protect, regenerate and increase our natural environment;
•       Promote and support regenerative practices in farming/agriculture and sustainable land practices generally;
•       Move towards adopting and implementing the principles of an environment focussed, circular economy with an emphasis on wellbeing, rather than economic profit for its own sake.

Every Victorian community has a stake in moving our state beyond polluting fuels and protecting our rivers and natural world, and we owe it to our younger generations.

The Central Highlands region has an opportunity to show strong civic leadership in this transition.  We cannot afford to cling to an unjust and destructive fossil-fuel-based economy. To be a part of the modern era, we must accelerate the transition to a sustainable economy – now.

The pandemic has taught us we can’t avoid big global threats. It has also taught us the value of expert advice and decisive leadership. We need leaders at all levels – global, national, state and local – to step up and make deep and urgent cuts to the pollution that is overheating our planet. This is a non-partisan issue and needs to be treated as such.

The transition to a more sustainable society needs to be fast and fair, avoiding the worst climate damage while supporting communities to adapt and thrive.

Victoria has set a great foundation. In just four years large-scale clean energy has created over 3500 jobs and attracted $5 billion in investment. Now Victorian wind, solar and hydro is generating enough energy to power almost 3 million homes.

But we must act with even greater speed and urgency before the costs of inaction increase exponentially. We demand that you commit to immediate and concrete action including:

• A national plan to slash climate pollution this decade with strong targets that, at a minimum, match our trading partners;
• Accelerating the rollout of renewable energy projects and infrastructure to create a healthy, prosperous economy while ceasing new energy generating projects from fossil fuel sources.

We have the technology and the knowledge, we just need the political will to make it happen.

What do you want your legacy to be?

Signed by,