VICTORIA'S ENVIRONMENT - A STATE IN REVERSE by Environment Victoria

2012

Victoriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Environment A State in Reverse the environmental casualties of the Baillieu Government

Contents 1. Executive Summary 2. Victoria’s Aspirations: What the public want 3. The Baillieu record: Policy outcomes 4. Regional Impacts: A state in reverse 5. Choices for Victoria: Business as Usual vs. A Smart Economy 6. References

Victoria’s Environment 2012: A State in Reverse is published by Environment Victoria. Level 2, 60 Leicester Street, Carlton, Victoria 3053 Tel: (03) 9341 8100 Fax: (03) 9341 8199 www.environmentvictoria.org.au Authorised by Kelly O’Shanassy, CEO, Environment Victoria © Environment Victoria 2012 Environment Victoria mobilises people to safeguard our environment. As one of Australia’s leading non‐profit environment groups, we believe our future depends on all Victorians. That’s why we’re asking all 5 million of us to be part of looking after our environment. So what do you say? Are you in? Visit www.environmentvictoria.org.au today. Copies of this report are available at www.environmentvictoria.org.au

Victoria’s Environment 2012: A State in Reverse

Executive Summary This report Victoria’s Environment: A State in Reverse analyses the environmental policy trajectory of the Baillieu Government since its election in 2010, including public attitudes towards it, the environmental decisions made and their impact on Victorian regions, and the opportunities being lost. Overall, the report paints a picture of a state in environmental decline, with a government out of touch with the interests and attitudes of Victorians. The report catalogues a series of policy changes and actions that negatively impact on the environment, and every region of the state is being affected. The report includes a summary of quantitative research commissioned by Environment Victoria of Victorians’ attitudes toward environmental issues generally, and policy initiatives of the Baillieu Government specifically. The report compares what smart communities are doing with the actions of the Baillieu Government and details the opportunities Victorians are missing out on due to the negative policies being undertaken by the Baillieu Government.

The report finds that: 1. The Baillieu Government’s actions indicate that it does not consider environmental protection and sustainability a priority. 2. The Baillieu Government is not listening to the community and its aspirations for a healthy environment. 3. With a few positive exceptions in the areas of water and energy efficiency and recycling, the Baillieu Government has fundamentally failed to articulate a clear vision and programs to confront the significant challenges posed by declining biodiversity, dangerous climate change, unsustainable water use and a burgeoning city struggling with urban sprawl. 4. The Baillieu Government has demonstrated that it is capable of positive environmental action, but in most cases has chosen a policy response that is damaging to Victoria’s environment and unwinds existing environmental protections. This appears to be seriously out of step with Victorians’ aspirations for their environment. 5. The Baillieu Government’s decisions are having a detrimental impact on the security of Victoria’s food and energy supply, cost of living and liveability. This report was composed over a three-month period from May-July 2012 by Environment Victoria with Essential Media Communication.

Victoria’s Aspirations: What the public want 63% of those polled want less coal-fired power stations, and only 7% want more

Background In early 2012 Environment Victoria commissioned an independent, quantitative poll of one thousand Victorians to determine what Victorians value about the environment, what their aspirations are and where they think the government could be doing a better job. The poll explored general attitudes towards the environment, and tested issues including coal fired power stations, coal mining and exports, renewable energy, energy efficiency, water use and the management of our rivers and other natural places. The poll also considered Victorians’ views on the various initiatives of the Baillieu Government and their policies for the environment.

General Environment Attitudes:

78% of those polled want more renewable energy and only 4% want less

Victorians are proud of their environment and expect their government to protect it. The majority of Victorians think the state’s environment is getting worse [49%]. Of these, 33% think the environment is in good shape and getting worse and 16% think that the environment is in poor shape and getting worse. Top priority concerns for Victorians are the effects population growth and urbanisation are having on our liveability, ecosystems and communities; the Baillieu Government’s support for coal-fired power instead of renewable energy sources like solar and wind and the need for additional investment in public transport.

The Issues Population and Urbanisation When asked what are the biggest environmental issues that are facing Victoria, the highest responses are primarily urban-based issues, closest to home for most of those polled. These issues include population growth [44%], waste and consumption [37%] and urban sprawl [35%]. Victorians are also concerned about a reliance on coal-fired power stations [29%], drought and lack of water for rivers [29%] and a lack of energy efficiency [28%].

Coal Pollution: Coal-fired power stations are responsible for producing more than half of Victoria’s pollution contribution to dangerous climate change. The large majority of Victorians want to see more renewable energy to replace our reliance on coal-fired power. • 63% of those polled want fewer coal-fired power stations, and only 7% want more. • 45% want less coal mining and export, and only 13% want more coal mining and export. • 78% want more renewable energy, and only 4% want less. Victorians want taxpayer funding taken out of coal-fired power and put into investment in renewable energy. 55% agreed that the Baillieu Government should put the funding it currently puts into coal-fired power into solar power to clean up our energy supply and only 9% disagreed.

Renewable Energy: There is strong support in Victoria for moving to renewable energy. Renewable energy is seen as one of the most important things that can be done to address environmental problems in Victoria, with a third of people ranking it in the top three issues of importance.

Victoria’s Environment 2012: A State in Reverse

Investing in renewable energy is seen as the most effective means of addressing climate change. Respondents to the poll were asked what is the most effective means of addressing climate change, and renewable energy scored the highest of a range of responses. 44% of Victorians considered investing in renewable energy most important or second the most important things the state government could do to reduce greenhouse gas pollution. 78% of Victorians want to see more investment in renewable energy and only 4% would like to see less renewable energy.

Energy Efficiency Energy efficiency is an issue of critical importance to Victorians. They are concerned about the cost of power, and see energy efficiency measures as a means of both reducing that cost and reducing the impact on the environment. Victorians [82%] want more energy efficiency. Victorians support [44%] the government’s initiatives to double the amount of energy efficiency target, and only 7% opposed this initiative. Many didn’t know about this initiative, probably because the Baillieu Government failed to communicate its positive decision to Victorians.

44% of Victorians considered investing in renewable energy the most important or second most important things the state government could do to reduce greenhouse gas pollution

Rivers Victorians are also concerned about the state’s rivers and their current management and are more worried about the health of our rivers than they are about the health of the environment generally. The majority [1] [48%] think that the health of Victoria’s rivers is getting worse, with 20% of the view that they’re in a good shape but getting worse, and 28% consider the rivers in a poor state but getting worse. A minority [15%] think that the rivers are in a good state and getting better.

82% of Victorians want more energy efficiency

Water After a serious drought, Victorians care deeply about water efficiency. Victorians want the Baillieu Government to protect our rivers to help irrigators use water more efficiently. They also want the Baillieu Government to help households and businesses use water more efficiently and protect the Murray-Darling Basin. Victorians want a sustainable Murray-Darling Basin that balances the needs of irrigators with the needs of the environment. The Murray-Darling Basin Plan is supposed to return the Murray River and its tributaries to health by returning enough water to the environment and reduce water used for irrigation. The Baillieu Government is not supporting scientifically adequate amounts of water being purchased from irrigators to restore the river to health. The survey sought to determine why the government would take this approach, and the most common response [45%] was that the government was more concerned about the short-term needs of irrigators than the long-term interests of the river. 44% thought the government was unable to co-operate with other states and 39% thought the government was more interested in protecting irrigators’ interests than the river’s interest.

The majority of Victorians surveyed think the health of Victoria’s rivers is getting worse.

Public Transport With deep concerns around Victoria’s growing population and the consequences for urban sprawl and urban planning, public transport investment is seen as a key solution for environmental and urban challenges. Of those surveyed, 38% support more investment in public transport, while making cars more fuel-efficient received 12% support.

Initiatives of the government The survey also sought to assess awareness and attitudes to various environmental initiatives undertaken by the Baillieu Government. For the most part, Victorians were unaware of the decision to extend Alcoa’s mining lease at Anglesea [19%], which only 14% supported and 41% opposed. 5

Only 10% were aware of the decision to provide funding for the geothermal projects in the surf-coast region and this attracted 42% support.

Only 10% were aware of the decision to provide funding for the geothermal projects in the surf-coast region and this attracted 42% support. Only 32% were aware of the decision to scrap plans to phase out Hazelwood power station, Only 21% of Victorians supported this decision while 37% opposed. Other initiatives have greater levels of awareness. For instance 35% were aware of the decision to cut feed in tariffs for solar power which make installing solar power cheaper for households and businesses, which attracted 16% support and 37% opposition. 35% were aware of the decision to introduce buffer zones to restrict the development of wind power, and this decision attracted only 29% support.

The Baillieu Record: Policy outcomes The Baillieu Government is responsible for ensuring a healthy environment for all Victorians to enjoy. The decisions they make today will create a legacy for Victorians into the future. The state government makes decisions on whether to invest in clean energy or a new coal plant. Whether to dig a new landfill or instead to build a recycling facility. Whether to build a road or a railway line. They make the regulations that can either provide water to our precious rivers or bleed them dry. And they hold the power to unlock new green jobs or maintain our reliance on ancient and polluting technologies. They are the stewards of our environment. The Baillieu Government was elected at the most critical time in history for our environment. There has never been a more important time for strong environmental leadership from our elected officials.

The Baillieu Government’s performance The state Coalition spoke little about the environment in the lead up to the 2010 election. It developed, but never released, an environment policy. However it did make a series of commitments on the environment through other policies including the Coalition’s Energy, Planning and Water policies. However in just over 18 months the Baillieu Government has accumulated a poor record on the environment, through a series of decisions that either break election promises, represent a new attack on the environment or weaken existing state government programs or protections that, in some cases, have been in place for decades.

Broken promises and attacks on the environment Environment Victoria compiled a comprehensive list of all of the state Coalition’s promises on the environment ahead of the 2010 election. Then in November 2011 Environment Victoria undertook an audit of these promises, entitled “Envirowatch 2011: One year in”[2], and the progress made against their delivery. In summary there were 57 environmental policy commitments of significance made ahead of the election. Of these: • 5 commitments have been delivered in full • 17 commitments have been partially delivered • 17 commitments have not yet been delivered • 15 commitments represent a backwards step for our environment • 3 promises that were made have been broken. Some of the most significant broken promises and attacks on the environment include: • Scrapping the 20% by 2020 legislated greenhouse pollution reduction target • Re-introducing cattle grazing in the unique Alpine National Park • Axing plans to phase out the polluting Hazelwood coal fired power station • Undermining national efforts to save the Murray-Darling Basin • Scrapping the water savings ‘Target 155’

Victoria’s Environment 2012: A State in Reverse

• Making wind farms harder to build than coal-fired power stations by allowing landholders to veto wind farm developments within 2 kilometres of houses and declaring swathes of the state off-limits to wind farms. No such laws apply to coal-fired power stations. • Supporting a new polluting coal-fired power station in the Latrobe Valley and providing a $50 million grant towards its construction despite the project missing all grant deadlines. • Creating new suburbs outside Melbourne’s urban growth boundary fuelling urban sprawl.

Results 3

17 17

There were 57 environmental policy commitments of significance made ahead of the election. Of these: • 5 commitments have been delivered in full • 17 commitments have been partially delivered • 17 commitments have not yet been delivered • 15 commitments represent a backwards step for our environment • 3 promises that were made have been broken Delivered in full Broken promise

Delivered Partially delivered Backwards step for our environment

Additionally there have been 11 significant actions taken with environmental consequences. Of these: • 3 represent a forwards step for our environment • 8 represent a backwards step for our environment

Backwards step for our environment Forwards step for our environment

Positive action While the Baillieu Government’s record on the environment is overwhelmingly poor, it has made a handful of decisions that are good for the environment. These positive but poorly publicised initiatives, which are outlined in detail in Envirowatch 2011, include: • Doubling the Victorian Energy Efficiency Target • Boosting rebates on water-efficiency products • Increasing the landfill levy which boosts recycling rates • Increasing the network of parks and reserves by more than 10,000 hectares The Baillieu Government has demonstrated that it is capable of positive environmental action, but in most cases has chosen a policy response that is actually damaging to Victoria’s environment and unwinds existing environmental protections. This would appear to be seriously out of step with Victorians’ aspirations for their environment.

Regional snapshot of the actions taken by the Baillieu Government: A State in North West Victoria • Baillieu Government has reduced support for the Mallee Solar farm, refusing to commit the full $100m promised prior to the election, and only providing the funds if the project receives Federal funding. The Mallee solar farm could be supported by federal Clean Energy Finance Corporation, though the Federal Coalition have promised to abolish this body if elected. • No progress towards the 5% solar target by 2020 election promise which would deliver large scale solar projects in the north west.

Western Victoria and Surf Coast • Coastcare program slashed • Renewed Alcoa’s mining lease at Anglesea for 50 years with no further measures to reduce its pollution. •

50 DSE jobs in Ballarat and 75-80 jobs in South-West cut in areas like bushfire prevention, wild dog and weeds control programs [13]

• At least 10 jobs in threatened species protection in Horsham cut •

MILDURA

[14]

Department of Sustainability and Environment job cuts will reduce staff and program numbers at regional offices in Bacchus Marsh, Ballarat, Geelong, Gellibrand, Heywood and Maryborough. Staff cuts and office closures of Department of Primary Industries offices could also affect agricultural and environmental programs.

SWAN HILL

• New planning laws giving households power to veto wind turbines within two kilometres of their homes and declaring whole regions of the state out of bounds for wind farms lead to the Surf Coast community wind project, the Ben More wind farm, the Naroghid wind farm and the Pykes Hill wind farm being put on hold costing the region $370m of new investment in clean energy projects. [15] No such laws apply to coal-fired power stations or coalmines. HORSHAM BENDIGO

Northern and Central Victoria • Attempting to weaken the national plan to restore the health of the Murray - Darling Basin Plan by proposing just 2100 GL be returned to the river instead of the MDBA’s proposed 2750GL. • Allowing firewood collection indefinitely from Gunbower and Barmah national parks. [9] •

Backflip on pre-election promise to use Sugarloaf Pipeline water for the environment, instead auctioning it off to irrigators. [10]

•

Put on hold ban on cattle grazing in new Murray River Park. Cattle are being allowed to graze right up to the edge of the Murray River. [11]

• Department of Sustainability and Environment job cuts will reduce staff and program numbers at regional offices in Alexandra, Beechworth, Benalla, Bendigo, Broadford, Corryong, Mitta Mitta, Nathalia, Ovens, Seymour, Tallangatta, Wangaratta and Wodonga. Staff cuts and office closures of Department of Primary Industries offices could also affect agricultural and environmental programs. • New planning laws giving households power to veto wind turbines within two kilometres of their homes and declaring whole regions of the state out of bounds for wind farms lead to the Woodend community wind project, the Castlemaine community wind project, the Sidonia wind farm and the Baynton wind farm being put on hold costing the region $373m of new investment in clean energy projects. [12] No such laws apply to coal-fired power stations or coal mines.

Victoria’s Environment 2012: A State in Reverse

BALLARAT

MELBOURNE HAMILTON GEELONG

PORTLAND WARRNAMBOOL

n reverse

Gippsland and Alpine regions • Walked away from a State Government commitment to begin closing Hazelwood, our most polluting power station, giving no certainty to workers, the community or for new investment . [3] • Want to allocate the remaining 13 billion tonnes of brown coal in the Latrobe Valley for new mines and export in late 2012. [4] This is the equivalent of 13 mines the size of the current Hazelwood pit. • Returning cattle grazing to the Alpine National Park under the guise of scientific research when cattle grazing has been thoroughly proven to damage alpine biodiversity. [5] • Cutting funding for the West Gippsland CMA which has led to the loss of 17 frontline river health jobs. [6] • Supporting and funding a new polluting coal-fired power station just one kilometre from Morwell when a wind farm in the same location would be banned. • Coal export plans would involve new pipelines across farms, infrastructure and port expansion in Westernport Bay or Port Anthony. • Loggers can now seek exemptions from environment laws protecting endangered species under proposed changes. [7] •

Provided $1 million for a feasibility study for a new dam in the Lindenow Valley on the Mitchell River.

• Department of Sustainability and Environment job cuts will reduce staff and program numbers at regional offices in Bairnsdale, Bendoc, Cann River, Erica, Mansfield, Marysville, Noojee, Nowa Nowa, Orbost, Powelltown, Toolangi, Traralgon and Yarram. Staff cuts and office closures of Department of Primary Industries offices could also affect agricultural and environmental programs. • New planning laws giving households power to veto wind turbines within two kilometres of their homes and declaring whole regions of the state out of bounds for wind farms lead to the $31 million Yarram wind farm being put on hold. [8] No such laws apply to coal-fired power stations or coal mines. WODONGA SHEPPARTON

WANGARATTA

• Abandoned the voluntary Target155 water efficiency program putting more pressure on the Yarra and Thomson Rivers and increasing future use of the desalination plant.

Melbourne • Urban sprawl set to continue with announcement of six more suburbs for Melbourne, covering productive farmland and green wedges, with less protection for threatened species in these areas. [16]

E BAIRNSDALE

TRARALGON

• Abandoned the voluntary Target155 water efficiency program putting more pressure on the Yarra and Thomson Rivers and increasing future use of the desalination plant. • Seeking federal funding to advance the East-West tunnel freeway instead of investing in public transport.

Statewide •

Broke a pre-election commitment to keep Victoria’s legislated target to reduce greenhouse pollution by 20 per cent by 2020.

• Support for households and businesses to support solar power is slashed from 60c/kWh to 25c/kWh putting the brakes on the solar industry state-wide. •

Environment protection and jobs slashed in state budget. Slashed 400 Department of Sustainability and Environment jobs in threatened species protection, bushfire prevention, river health, weeds and feral animal programs and the Environment Protection Authority. DSE will suffer greater job cuts than nearly all other departments.

• Failed to deliver on a $20 million election pledge to replace energy guzzling street lights with more efficient lighting. [17] •

Weakening planning rules around sea level rise designed to reduce impacts of climate change. [18]

• Opposing the creation of any new marine protected areas. • Returning duck hunting season to 12 weeks in 2011 putting more pressure on duck populations recovering from drought.

Choices for Victoria: Business Victoria faces a myriad of environmental policy challenges in this term of Government. The problems faced by Victoria’s environment are well documented [19] : declining bio-diversity, resource depletion, threatened ecosystems, population growth and rising greenhouse pollution contributing to dangerous climate change. The decisions we make today will decide what kind of Victoria we have for tomorrow, affecting our lives, communities and our economy. The Government has a series of

Energy

Liveability and cost of living

Smart state: Supporting solar and wind power and attracting clean energy investment

Baillieu’s actions: Increasing our reliance on polluting coal and making it hard to build renewables

Smart state: Manage urban sprawl, protecting grasslands, green wedges and open spaces

Baillieu’s actions: Create 6 new suburbs with limited public transport, destroying green wedges

Smart state: Plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to safe levels

Baillieu’s actions: Scrapped promise to reduce Victoria’s pollution and continuing business-as-usual for polluters

Smart state: Invest in sustainable public transport to ease congestion and pollution

Baillieu’s actions: Pursuing an east-west toll way, cutting across Melbourne’s suburbs and increasing transport pollution and commuting costs.

Smart state: Replace coal with clean energy and support orderly transition to low carbon economies

choices to make to determine whether we will continue with business as usual, or start building a smart, clean economy for Victoria’s future. Do we want a state powered by coal, with expanding urban sprawl, decreasing food and water security and rising costs of living? Or do we want a smart economy, built on science and technology that drives investment in clean energy and sustainable communities? What are they key changes required to turn our state around and get us out of reverse?

Baillieu’s actions: Keep Hazelwood operating leaving coal communities exposed to market-based decisions

Victoria’s Environment 2012: A State in Reverse

Smart state: Make our homes and businesses more energy and water efficient to improve comfort, environmental performance and decrease running costs.

Baillieu’s actions: Some action here but no plan for large-scale retrofit for water and energy efficiency

s as usual vs. a smart economy Nature Smart state: Return rivers to health and support regional communities and catchments

Smart state: Complete our network of parks and reserves and protect the vital River Red Gum forests with increased environmental flows

Smart state: Protect high-conservation value old growth forests and transition the industry to plantation timber

Smart state: Protect and restore Victoria’s native vegetation and recognise its value as a carbon bank

Food and Water

Baillieu’s actions: Abandon river health programs and flag the destruction of riverside vegetation and support for in-stream clearance programs

Smart state: Protect our most productive agricultural lands from development recognizing their strategic importance with a growing global population

Baillieu’s actions: re-introduced hundreds of grazing permits on the Murray River and declined to formalise new Murray River parks.

Smart state: Recognise the historical over-allocation of our rivers for agricultural and urban use and act to restore environmental flows

Baillieu’s actions: Lock in long-term forestry contracts and unsustainable logging practices

Baillieu’s actions: Has flagged weakening native vegetation and threatened species protection

Risks and Threats Smart state: Prepare for climate change by developing a state-wide adaptation strategy to address the rise in quantity and severity of extreme weather events, with severe impacts on human health through increased risk of heat waves, bushfire and sea level rise Smart state: Introduce planning regulations to limit construction in areas likely to be affected by climate change induced sea level rise

Baillieu’s actions: Pursue band-aid solutions such as emergency relief without addressing the cause of the problem.

Baillieu’s actions: Weakening planning rules to protect Victorians and the State Government from the impacts of climate change.

Baillieu’s actions: Developing new suburbs and approving mining and exploration over our most productive agricultural regions

Baillieu’s action: No policy for protecting and restoring rivers and wetlands and aiming to weaken the national plan to safeguard the future of the Murray River.

Science and Technology Smart state: Develop a renewable energy strategy to attract investment in fast-growing solar, wind and energy efficiency industries

Smart state: Develop a Green Jobs strategy to create thousands of green jobs in manufacturing, research, construction and deployment

Smart state: Protect and extend our national parks, recognising they exist for biodiversity protection and recreation.

Smart state: Invest in science, environmental expertise and natural resource management

Baillieu’s Vision: Make it harder to build wind farms than coal plants, and more expensive to build solar plants, delaying clean energy.

Baillieu’s Vision: pursuing brown coal exports, despite the fact that no other country globally is importing brown coal.

Baillieu’s actions: Supported cattle grazing in the Alpine National Park under the guise of bogus “scientific testing” Baillieu’s actions: Massive budget cuts for environmental and research programs leading to the loss of momentum and expertise.

References [1] The majority finding accounted for those who responded ‘Don’t know’ [2] http://environmentvictoria.org.au/sites/default/files/EnviroWatch.pdf [3] http://environmentvictoria.org.au/blog/posts/coalition-missing-action [4] http://www.dpi.vic.gov.au/earth-resources/coal/coal-allocation [5] http://environmentvictoria.org.au/sites/default/files/Alpine%20grazing%20joint%20statement-FINAL.pd [6] http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-06-08/farmers-worried-about-cuts-to-river-management/4061496 [7] http://www.theage.com.au/national/new-state-law-in-the-pipeline-to-aid-loggers-20111102-1mvlm.html [8] http://yes2renewables.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/foe-cost-of-baillieu-laws-report.pdf [9] http://vnpa.org.au/page/publications/media-releases/firewood-collection-a-threat-to-red-gum-parks [10] http://environmentvictoria.org.au/media/pipeline-decision-breaks-promise-return-water-environment [11] http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/cattle-ban-along-river-put-on-hold-20120229-1u3ie.html [12] http://yes2renewables.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/foe-cost-of-baillieu-laws-report.pdf [13] http://www.thecourier.com.au/news/local/news/general/fear-that-up-to-50-dse-jobs-may-go-in-ballarat/2464969.aspx [14] http://www.mailtimes.com.au/news/local/news/general/at-least-10-jobs-cut-at-dse/2511327.aspx [15] http://yes2renewables.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/foe-cost-of-baillieu-laws-report.pdf [16] http://www.theage.com.au/environment/conservation/protection-for-threatened-species-scrapped-20120613-20axf.html [17] http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/baillieu-axes-street-lights-conversion-20120504-1y4je.html#ixzz1z3435FAq [18] http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/state-eases-sea-level-regulations-20120605-1zu9i.html [19] eg See the comprehensive State of Environment report for Victoria: http://www.ces.vic.gov.au/publications-and-media-releases/ces-publications/state-of-environment-report