Speech - Better Futures Forum

Thank you to the Better Futures Forum for inviting me to this event, I am sorry I couldn’t be here earlier to hear from the earlier speakers.  

I take every opportunity I can to make sure that people know how important local councils are.

And I always highlight the critical role they are playing in the transition to net zero, because I’ve seen this first hand in my travels around the country.

It’s so important our communications look beyond what I think is an unfair perception, that councils are just about rates, roads and rubbish.

Particularly in rural and regional areas, local councils are often at the front line of the impacts of climate change. 

I have experienced the challenge of climate change first-hand.

In my four years as Mayor I had nine declared natural disasters. 

We had the Black Summer bushfires, and then extreme floods, just to name a few.

Since then, I have made the journey from Mayor to Minister.

I carry with me the understanding that everyone has a role to play in the transition to net zero.

Business, industry, community members and government at all levels.

This understanding is shared across the Albanese Government, because we have a clear mandate from communities to address climate challenges.

And we’re not wasting a day.

Our work to reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions is ongoing.

We know that the switch from coal fired power to renewable energy is driving the change we’re seeing in our communities.

We’re moving to wind and solar power, and bringing renewable energy to homes and businesses.

This involves significant investment from our government, such as $168.1 million to better prioritise approval decisions for renewable energy projects of national significance.

$3.2 billion over the next decade through the Australian Renewable Energy Agency, to support the commercialisation of technologies that are critical to net zero.

We want regional communities to seize the employment and economic opportunities that come with this.

Which is why we’re working with local leaders to make this happen.

Our investments in renewables will support the creation of new jobs and support people to retrain, particularly in our regions. 

As we make the economic transition to a green future, we’re also addressing the physical threats of climate change. 

We’ve allocated over $27 million over two years to deliver Australia’s first National Climate Risk Assessment and National Adaptation Plan.

The Risk Assessment will help us to understand the national level risks and impacts from climate change, drawing on a range of data and lived experiences. 

And the National Adaptation Plan will be the blueprint for how work with industry and communities to respond to these climate risks.

This is about evidence-based decision-making, because that’s what good governments do.

The Department of Climate Change and Australian Climate Service are working to finalise this framework, which will be released later this year.

This work is in addition to our $1 billion Disaster Ready Fund.

As I said at the start, having been through natural disasters in my own community, we know Australia’s disaster risk continues to increase due to climate change.

New risks are approaching us at an accelerated pace.

Strengthening communities, and ensuring they’re in the best possible position to recover is something close to my heart.

It’s something the Albanese Labor Government takes seriously. 

Round 2 of the Disaster Ready Fund was announced in the last fortnight, which will provide $200 million to 164 projects across the nation. 

Projects will build resilience, improve preparedness and reduce disaster risk – something incredibly important to our communities.

We want to unlock this potential in our regions, through our $22.7 billion Future Made in Australia Plan. 

Because a future made in Australia is a future made in the regions.

It’s our regions that have the natural assets, like critical minerals.

It’s our regions that have the abundant renewable energy resources.

And it’s our regions that can house the new and emerging priority industries, which will help the Australian economy navigate and prosper through the global shift to net zero.

And there is so much excitement out there about new opportunities – a heap of positivity and goodwill to move our regions forward.

Investing in our future will build on the diverse work that’s already underway.

For example, in my childhood home region – in the Latrobe Valley. 

The Valley’s transition away from coal will be supported by significant renewable generation and storage, including the Delburn Wind Farm, the Latrobe Valley Battery Energy Storage System, and via offshore wind.

In May of this year, feasibility licences were awarded for six wind-farm projects off the Gippsland Coast, with six more progressing their consultation with regional communities.

Transforming heavy-industrial regions will be key to a successful national transition, and local governments have as much of a stake in this as anyone.

Importantly, the Albanese Government has been very clear that we need to make sure the transition is done with regions, not to regions.

That’s why in this year’s Budget we invested more than $20 million to improve engagement with communities involved in the energy transition.

We are collaborating on the development of national guidelines for social licence for transmission infrastructure – supporting transmission businesses to improve community engagement and benefits.

This approach is shared across portfolios. 

Recently, energy Ministers from the Commonwealth and across state and territory governments responded to the independent review of community engagement into renewable energy infrastructure.

All Ministers committed to ensuring communities are engaged in an appropriate and timely manner about decisions that affect them.

We are enhancing the role of the Australian Energy Infrastructure Commissioner – including to address misinformation, support First Nations people, and improve complaint resolutions.

We are progressing an energy infrastructure Developer Rating Scheme – fostering transparency and trust between developers and communities.

And we are investigating mechanisms for enhancing community benefits in impacted regions – because support needs to be tangible.

These concrete steps reflect our Government’s commitment to ensuring the energy transition benefits all Australians, especially those in our regions.

Finally, Australia is transitioning to a more circular economy – as a way to decarbonise and drive economic growth.

A third of countries globally already include circular economy as part of their decarbonisation strategies and Australia is looking to do the same.

The circular economy also supports regional, community development.

For example, the new plastics recycling plant in Albury employed over 200 people during construction and employs 40 local people full time. 

Grassroots circular economy initiatives, such as community repair workshops or second-hand markets, offer cost-effective alternatives to new purchases and are often led by local community groups.

And the circular economy is most successful when its community driven and led.

Community action on Norfolk Island boosted their recycling rate to 75 per cent - one of the highest in the country. 

They have also saved 7.5 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions as a result. 

An in my own electorate of Eden-Monaro, I was thrilled to attend the launch of the Bega Circular Valley 2030 Program.

This is a local organisation on my home turf, which really has the wind in its sails.

Led by the CEO of Bega Cheese, Barry Irvin, he’s now got Rabobank on board, KPMG, Deloitte, CSU, UOW, Bega Valley Shire Council and state and federal governments all at the table.

I love that Barry says he wants to make people jealous of the Bega Valley.

That he wants people to come and say “We should be doing that.”

And that is the power of local leadership. 

When business, all levels of government and the community work together – we get the best results. 

Thank you for inviting me to be here with you.

It’s two years since the Climate Change Act became law and – at the national level – much is underway.  Particularly in regional Australia.

I know from talking to many Mayors over the past few years that much is also underway at the local level.

I’d also like farewell Linda Scott from the Australia Local Government Association – who is leaving local government after 12 years this week.

Thank you for your vast contributions, passion and advocacy for the sector. 

I wish you all the best for your conference, and have a great night. 

Thank you.