Liberal Party

Climate leadership?

  • Before the 2010 election, did not release a climate or environmental policy despite repeated promises to do so.
  • Walked away from pre-election bi-partisan agreement to cut Victorian emissions by 20% by 2020.
  • Do not see a role for the state government in reducing greenhouse gas emissions– only in adaptation  to climate change.
  • Election Plan 2014, does not mention climate change or environment.
  • Have lobbied against the federal carbon price and for watering down federal action on renewables.
  • Merged the Department of Sustainability and Environment with the Department of Primary Industry and instructed public servants to avoid use of the term ‘climate change’.
  • At a federal level, claim to support a 5% emissions reduction by 2020, but Direct Action is not generally regarded as a credible mechanism for achieving this.

Support for renewable energy?

  • Have put a halt to almost all wind farm development with fewer development restrictions on new coal mines than on wind farms.
  • Lobbied to include gas in the federal Renewable Energy Target and reduce it by 40% (to a ‘real’ 20%).
  • No plan for expanding or supporting the renewable energy industry and little mention of renewables in their Jobs Plan.
  • Provided funding towards a geothermal project in the Surf Coast Region. Invested $5 million in the trial of wave power off Port Fairy.

 Coal and gas expansion?

  • “The Victorian government believes that brown coal can, and should, play a key role in our energy future.” Link here.
  • Have actively supported the expansion of brown coal mining and the development of a brown coal export industry including new coal ports and other infrastructure.
  • Under pressure, introduced a moratorium on CSG exploration until mid-2015.
  • Failed  to honour election commitment to "review subsidies for fossil fuels by June 2011".

Phase out coal and gas power?

  • No plans to phase out any coal or gas power stations.
  • Scrapped bi-partisan support for new coal power emissions caps and requirement that new plants to be ready to install clean coal technology.
  • Terminated negotiations for partial closure of Hazelwood.
  • Renewed Alcoa's Anglesea mining lease for 50 years with no additional pollution measures.
  • Gave permission for the Anglesea coal-fired power station to continue to export to the grid after the Port Henry aluminium smelter closes.

Support energy efficiency?

  • Allocated $3.59 million in funding to help improve the energy efficiency of Victoria’s commercial office buildings.
  • In 2011, doubled the Victorian Energy Efficiency Target and extended the scheme to small and medium enterprises, but recently attempted to abolish it.
  • Abandoned their pre-election commitment to support the 6-star new building and renovations standard, and raise existing Victorian homes to a 5-star standard. Propose ‘voluntary’ building standards.

Would scrap the East West Link and reallocate the funding to public transport?

  • Are committed to building the East-West Link.
  • Public Transport Users Association rate their public transport policy D: “They have some good rail policies, but given the near-dumping of Rowville and Doncaster Rail, and years of delay on Southland station, we remain skeptical that those policies will be delivered. And the Coalition’s rail tunnel plan is flawed. Apparently designed on the back of an envelope, it makes no sense to connect a line from the south-east to a line from the east, and in the process miss the busy Parkville precinct.”

Would establish a Great Forest National Park?