Page 122 - Week 01 - Tuesday, 9 December 2008
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beyond our own borders. To do otherwise would be insular and oblivious. Effective long-term sustainability of our economy—locally, nationally and globally—requires cooperation and coordination between government, the private sector and the broader community, not just within the ACT but between the tiers of government and even between nations.
Internally, the government is working with organisations like the ANU. Nationally, we are part of the COAG working groups that are determining the most effective ways of improving our economic sustainability as a nation. Most importantly, we will be part of a national emissions trading scheme that will have far-reaching implications for the Australian and ACT economies. We will continue to work closely with the Australian government and the community during the development and introduction of this scheme and we will refine our economic policies as the impact of the scheme becomes clearer.
The ACT government also participates in the Small Business Ministerial Council Working Group on Climate Change. This working group assesses and shares initiatives across Australia and considers how these can be adapted to the particular circumstances of the small business programs offered by jurisdictions. In addition, the government is committed to providing $148,000 to fund a service that delivers best practice information and advice on climate change mitigation and adaptation measures to small business, which could be delivered through an existing service like Canberra BusinessPoint. Indeed, there are a number of existing ACT government programs delivered through the Lighthouse Commercialisation and Innovation Centre and Canberra BusinessPoint that are well positioned to support “clean tech” business opportunities. In addition, the new investment facilitation program, which will give payroll tax concessions, was explicitly designed with sustainable industries in mind and will play a valuable role, I hope, in attracting larger sustainable businesses to our town.
Importantly, the government understands that some actions to achieve a sustainable future may have disproportionate effects on some households, particularly those with less capacity to change their behaviour and less capacity to absorb increased prices. We were confronted with just such a situation during the design of our feed-in tariff. I recall at the time that some of those who purported to care about the needy scoffed at the government’s determination to explore this aspect of our nation-leading legislation. Well, these things can be complex. Motherhood statements and grand gestures have their place, but not in government. That is why the government will continue to examine ways to assist low-income, vulnerable and disadvantaged households to mitigate the effects of climate change and to maintain access to essential products and services.
In every area of this government’s activity, we witness a commitment to a more sustainable economy. We have committed $30 million towards the construction of a large-scale solar power facility for the ACT and are on the point of going to the market to seek proposals. This project is just one that is helping to build Canberra’s credentials as Australia’s solar capital and this government’s credentials as the most sustainable government in the country.
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