Energy Motion for State Conference, Climate Change Action Plan

Congratulations on all those who worked so hard to get Labor elected in November. It was a great result and we now have an opportunity for Australia to take an international leadership role in combating Climate Change. The new government has moved quickly with its very first act being to finally sign the Kyoto Protocol. This is an exciting time and LEAN has an opportunity to influence environment policy of the new Labor Government as well as hit the ground running in 2008 for some big issues ahead in NSW.

Energy Needs For The Future of NSW - LEAN motion for conference
The Owen Report released last year included the finding that NSW will need a new base load power generator by 2013-14. LEAN believes that this new power demand can be addressed by a combination of gas, energy efficiency and renewables without the need for high emission infrastructure, like a traditional coal fired power station.

LEAN is proposing a motion for the Party Conference to be held in May this year (you can find a copy in the 'How you can help' section on the left). It calls on the NSW Government to delay any decision to build high emission infrastructure until new technologies have been given an opportunity to develop. We need to pass this resolution through as many branches, SECs and FECs as possible to show that the grassroots of the party do not support any new high emission infrastructure being built in NSW. If NSW is to do its part in meeting the 60% CO2 reduction by 2050 target or the 20% renewable target set down by the new Rudd Government we must invest in new technologies and low emission infrastructure.

Once it has been passed by your branch please send a copy of the resolution to leannsw@gmail.com and to ALP head office so it gets on the conference agenda, also feel free to email if you have any questions. Please pass this on to any other party members who would support this and pass the resolution through their branch.

Climate Change Action Plan
LEAN organising group members Sean Kidney and Gabrielle Kuiper convened an expert group on Climate Change to come up with 22 recommendations for the new government to implement in the next 100 days. These recommendations have been sent to Federal Government ministers and will be used as a basis for LEAN campaigning and lobbying on Federal Climate Change issues.

The paper is attached below for LEAN members. It is a very comprehensive document and definitely worth a read.

Farewell to Sean Kidney
A stalwart of LEAN since its inception, Sean Kidney, is moving on to continue the fight against Climate Change in other arenas. He has been an invaluable part of the LEAN Organising Group and he has the thanks of LEAN for his work. He will be replaced by Julie Macken who we look forward to having as an active part of LEAN.

Asren Pugh
LEAN Convenor

Download File:
LEAN Climate Change Action Plan [ pdf ]