Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Minister for Regional Australia, Regional Development and Local Government Simon Crean today outlined support to assist Australian communities and regions to move to a clean energy future.
The Government is committed to supporting local communities to make the adjustment to a clean energy future.
New funding to assist communities and regions includes:
? $200 million over seven years in assistance for strongly affected regions and communities. This will include employment and training support, community development and economic diversification and a range of other activities.
? An expansion of the Government's Low Carbon Communities program to $330 million to improve the energy efficiency of council and community buildings and low-income households.
? $40 million over five years for the Remote Indigenous Energy Program to assist Indigenous communities access clean, affordable and reliable 24-hour power supply.
If we don't act to reduce carbon pollution the impacts of rising temperatures and changing weather patterns could severely impact regional Australia. In addition, if we fail to transform our economy to one which can compete in a
carbon constrained world, we risk falling behind the rest of the world and jeopardising our future economic prosperity.
The Gillard Government's plan for a clean energy future will tackle climate change by putting a price on carbon pollution, driving innovation in clean energy, encouraging energy efficiency and creating opportunities on the land.
It will also transform the heaviest polluting developed economy on a per person basis into a clean energy economy where the link between carbon pollution and economic growth has been broken.
This fundamental reform will bring challenges and opportunities around the nation's communities and regions. With the Government's help, our regions, as well as the rest of the community, will prosper in our new clean energy future.
Further information in relation to the Government's clean energy future and carbon price announcement is available at www.cleanenergyfuture.gov.au