Category: environment
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I support practical, affordable recycling solutions that reduce waste, protect the environment, and avoid unnecessary costs for Victorian households. I support the replacement of the one-size-fits-all 4-bin mandate with a more flexible, evidence-based approach that delivers better outcomes for residents, councils, and the environment. The Challenge The Victorian Government’s mandated 4-bin kerbside system has generated…
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Primary producers are on the front line of both climate risk and the clean energy transition. They face the dual challenge of adapting to environmental change while helping Australia meet its emissions reduction goals. Yet confidence in government policy has been undermined by uncertainty, inadequate protections, and a lack of fair outcomes for regional communities.…
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Victoria’s clean energy future depends on the communities hosting renewable energy projects and transmission infrastructure. Rebuilding trust and sharing the benefits must be the government’s first priority. / We should celebrate Victoria’s progress in transitioning to low-carbon energy. But the government has failed to sell the benefits to regional communities impacted by Renewable Energy Zones…
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Reforming Australia’s Weed Management System / Australia’s current weed management regime is critically inadequate—fragmented across jurisdictions, underfunded, and ultimately ineffective. Without decisive reform, invasive species will continue to degrade the nation’s already fragile ecosystems and impose escalating costs on communities, industries and governments. Weeds represent the second greatest threat to Australia’s biodiversity, after habitat loss.…
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Supporting a Just and Responsible Transition in the Latrobe Valley The Latrobe Valley communities of Traralgon, Moe, Morwell and Churchill have long powered Victoria’s economy. Today, they stand at the frontline of profound structural change driven by energy privatisation, the closure of the Hazelwood power station, and the impending shutdowns of Yallourn and Loy Yang.…
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Coastal erosion is our new reality. We need to prepare for changes to our coastal landscape due to rising sea levels. A planned retreat (or managed retreat) involves the purposeful relocation of people, infrastructure, and ecosystems away from the coastline. Victoria is planning for sea level rises of 0.8m by 2100. This is a mandated…
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The government should act to: Victoria produces around one-quarter of Australia’s total plantation-grown wood. Victoria holds the largest export volume in the country, shipping around 5.3 million m³ of wood products per year. The sector supports over 25,000 jobs (direct and downstream), the largest forestry workforce in Australia, Although Victoria leads the nation in hardwood…
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Victoria is the second largest agricultural producer (behind NSW) and has the largest agricultural workforce. Agriculture contributes 2% of Gross State Product. 60% of Australia’s milk comes from Victoria, and 73% of dairy exports. Victoria is Australia’s leading food and fibre exporter, accounting for 27% of the national total. Victoria contributes 45% of national horticultural…
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The sale or distribution of gazania should be banned. These weeds are at plague levels in Western Victoria and threaten sensitive Mallee ecosystems. While there is no national ban yet, the movement to restrict Gazanias is gaining significant momentum in 2026. Here is the current landscape of the “Ban Gazania” movement. 🚫 Why South Australia…
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Local governments have led the way in embedding sustainability into planning. With the State Government now excluding councils from the planning cycle, those sustainability standards are at risk of being eroded. If local oversight is removed, then Building Codes must be substantially strengthened to ensure buildings are genuinely energy‑efficient and climate‑resilient. “Better Decisions Made Faster”…
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You may have seen a notice on their website announcing the agency’s closure. But they’re not dead yet. Here is a brief overview (via Google) of the publicly announced changes. A clear outcome of the Silver Review is the abolition of statutory authorities. These types of authorities have often been amalgamated over the last few…
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The Urban Forest Strategy and Nature Plan lead the way in thinking about a cooler and more biodiverse environment. We can do more by: Merri-bek projects have been national leaders in re-vegation projects like the Merri Creek restoration. We are fortunate to be adjacent to the City of Melbourne’s innovate park meadows projects. Council has…
Mel Yuan for Brunswick 