Climate change is obviously important for people my age and people living in Goldstein.  What do you plan to do about it?

Last year, we announced Australia’s plan to reach Net Zero by 2050.

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Taking responsibility to ensure the next generation of Australians has a sustainable and healthy environment is at the forefront of my focus as the Assistant Minister for Industry, Energy & Emissions Reduction.

We will use the next generation of emerging technologies - like hydrogen - to meet and beat our emission reduction targets, as we have done. Some people just talk; we act and deliver. 

I believe our energy policy is the best response to reducing emissions as it uses known technologies.  All the other solutions are reliant on technologies that don't yet exist.  It's important that energy is affordable and reliable because if energy is rationed or there are blackouts lives are at risk.

I am standing as a candidate for this election because for me, and the Greens, the current lack of action on climate change is unbearable.

I am very proud of the Greens comprehensive climate plan to reduce emissions by 75% by 2030 in line with the science.

We will stop any new coal, oil and gas projects and help households, businesses and communities transition to clean energy.

There are many more aspects to our plan, including making it cheaper and easier to switch to electric vehicles and helping coal communities switch to clean industries.

The good news is we have the technology to make the switch right now, all we need are good politicians who want to make it happen.

Our plan is realistic, costed and will bring hope and confidence in a new low carbon economy.

Labor’s Powering Australia Plan will put us on track for net zero by 2050 in a meaningful way, by 2030 we will get 82% of our energy from renewables and reduce emissions by 43%.

To list some of the ways we will achieve this:

- Invest $20 billion for the urgent upgrade of the electricity grid so it can handle more renewable power, leading to cheaper and more reliable energy, averaging $275 less a year.

- Invest $100 million for 85 solar banks across the country, providing energy for 25,000 renter and low income households unable to get rooftop solar.

- Install 400 community batteries with a $200million investment, providing energy storage for 100,000 households.

- Invest $3 billion from the National Reconstruction Fund labor will establish, for green metals and clean energy manufacturing/ agriculture. 

- Support the development and commercialisation of emissions-reducing livestock feed.

- Invest in 10,000 New Energy Apprentices to be trained in the jobs of the future, and a $10 million New Energy Skills Program to boost training pathways.

- End Direct Action subsidies 

- Restore the Climate Change Authority

- Introduce an Electric Car Discount to make electric vehicles cheaper.

There is scientific consensus that our climate is changing. A growing global movement is calling for urgent, meaningful climate action, realising that not only is this imperative for humanity, but that the renewables revolution promises enormous economic opportunities.

This is why if elected I will seek the following:

• Hold the Government to account on our Paris Climate Agreement commitments

• Cease subsidising fossil fuels

• Continue and strengthen solar rebates and subsidies

• Fix the grid to support more solar energy

• Build a skilled renewable energy workforce

• Make solar batteries affordable and part of the national grid

• Accelerate the transition to electric vehicles

• Protect our environment by reducing carbon emissions.

Both Bayside City Council and Glen Eira City Council have made climate emergency declarations and have adopted comprehensive climate emergency action plans. Bayside Council has set a target to reduce community greenhouse gas emissions by 75% by 2030, and achieve net zero emissions by 2035 or earlier, while Glen Eira Council has set a target of net zero emissions by 2030. I would support the endeavours of Goldstein’s local councils in setting strong emissions reduction targets and have expressed my support for strong national targets in my Climate policy.

Exploring the viability of community energy projects is part of my climate policy, noting the opportunities in community battery and other potential energy initiatives.

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I understand that all the media coverage about climate change is scary for our young people in particular, and many adults are very worried too. This is an area I’d like to understand a lot more about. There is a great deal of conflicting information and I’m not confident the current approach by government, most political parties or media is the correct one. We have information about our climate policy on the One Nation website. I will commit to involving myself heavily in these discussions in parliament, to critically examine all literature and science available and to sharing evidence backed facts with the community, for review and feedback.

What concerns me is the small initiatives to improve our environment that we don’t champion, which could make a big difference – like mandatory solar in all new homes – and the big initiatives that aren’t considered well enough – like the recent wind farms in Gippsland, recently the subject of a Supreme Court ruling against the wind farm.