Melbourne company HRL recently applied for approval to build a new “Dual Gas' coal-fired power station in the Latrobe Valley. The Brumby government is backing it and contributing $50 million in an attempt to prolong the life of the coal industry in Victoria.
The Victorian government and HRL are marketing the proposed new coal fired power station as a "clean coal" project. But clean coal technology doesn't exist: the plant will in...crease Victoria's emissions by 4.2 million tonnes of greenhouse gas and use 3 billion tonnes of water every year. It will lock us into dependence on dirty coal for decades.
Despite Julia Gillard proclaiming that never again will Australia build new 'dirty coal power stations', coal-fired power generation is being given the green light in Australia with plans for 12 new coal-fired power stations. HRL's 'Dual Gas' project is only one.
A recent CSIRO report made it clear that rising temperatures due to global warming contributed greatly to the severity of the Black Saturday bushfires. Premier John Brumby's support for the HRL project underlines his hypocrisy on climate change.
Most of the HRL project will be manufactured overseas and will provide very few jobs in the La Trobe Valley. If, as expected, it replaces Morwell power station, it may even mean a net loss of jobs for the valley.
Instead of continuing to invest taxpayer money in dirty coal, Brumby must
roll out large-scale renewable energy projects and create alternative, better paid and on-going employment for workers in the coal sector. Renewable energy CAN provide for all of Australia's electricity needs, provide thousands of new jobs and reduce carbon pollution TODAY.
Join students, climate change groups and unions to show your opposition
to the new coal fired station in Victorian and demand:
- No new coal fired power station in Victoria
- Green jobs and renewable energy now
- Just transitions for workers in the coal industry
This community action has been called by the Cross Campus Environment Network (CCEN) and is endorsed by:
-Friends of the Earth
-Environment Victoria
-Darebin Climate Action Group
-Melbourne University Climate Action Working Group
Speakers include:
Brian Walters (Victorian State Greens Candidate)
Victoria McKenzie McHarg (Environment Victoria)
Pablo Brait (Beyond Zero Emissions)
Jasmine Ali (Melbourne University Climate Action Working Group)
Speakers from Unions & other groups TBA
For more information and to get involved, contact
Jasmine Ali on 0405 317 787 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 0405 317 787 end_of_the_skype_highlighting, Dan Musil on 0432 485 869 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 0432 485 869 end_of_the_skype_highlighting
or find us on facebook: no new coal (Victoria)