Page 494 - Week 02 - Thursday, 11 February 2021
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vulnerable household energy support initiative will not only lower the territory’s energy use but mean that many more Canberrans will be living in dwellings that stay at a comfortable temperature all year round without generating massive energy bills. The vulnerable household scheme is significant and reflects another of our priorities: to ensure that the transition to a green, zero-emissions city is fair and just.
The funding that supports the transition to zero-emission vehicles and the progress towards light rail stage 2 will not only contribute to lowering emissions but also help Canberra’s air to stay cleaner, help our busiest streets to be quieter and help commuters to be more productive and less stressed. This investment in zero emission vehicles is another key commitment of ours. We have a vision for an EV revolution over the next decade, one that will help tackle our problem area of transport emissions, but also one that will help mitigate people’s growing transport costs.
Budget support of $100 million over five years for a Canberra big battery will deliver at least 250 MW of new, large-scale battery storage. This will help store renewable electricity and assist with stabilising the electricity grid. Those are some of the headline climate action items, but the detail is exciting, too.
This budget starts the process of phasing out fossil fuel gas use in the ACT, with an initial $855,000 to undertake work on our sustainable energy policy actions and develop legislation to prevent new gas mains network connections to future stages of greenfield residential development in the ACT. Gas is simply another fossil fuel and we must phase it out, in line with our climate change imperatives.
Another key priority of the Greens in last year’s election was “a home for all”. This budget delivers real action to reduce homelessness and increase Canberra’s stock of affordable housing. Federal government cuts to ACT Shelter are being reversed by the ACT government in this budget, with $700,000 over four years to support systemic housing advocacy work. $1.2 million will continue funding the Mackillop House and Winter Lodge services, established as an emergency response to COVID, as well as the Axial Housing service.
This is another example of a silver lining we have seen from COVID. There are a few. In many instances, the pandemic has shown us what is possible, that we can do better than we thought we could. The expansion of the Early Morning Centre and increased emergency support and accommodation funding to OneLink were also key election commitments and agreement items that are delivered in this budget.
As my colleague and Minister for Housing and Homelessness Services, Rebecca Vassarotti, has pointed out, unemployment, financial pressure and homelessness can strike suddenly. We have to fund the right support so that it is there when it is needed without delay. The Greens know that it is far better for a person’s health and wellbeing, and for the budget bottom line, to provide fundamentals like food, showers, health care and clothing—and, of course, keep people from sleeping rough in the first place—rather than try to bring those people back to housing and health after a damaging period on the streets.
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