Jason Wood (La Trobe, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

With the melting of the polar icecaps and the bleaching of coral on the Great Barrier Reef caused by climate change, we have now come to the road of no return where we have no choice but to put the environment first or lose these great natural wonders. Even at the local level in my electorate of La Trobe environmental experts are greatly concerned with what impact climate change will have on the Dandenong Ranges. With even a small temperature rise, dormant and new weed species are expected to flourish and worse still there is a likelihood of wildfires.

Human impact on our environment is causing the greatest effect on our climate. Transport, especially the use of cars, is a major source of emissions. The rapid population growth of Melbourne’s outer east and the rising cost of fuel mean that public transport is an increasingly important issue for my constituents of La Trobe. Trains from Belgrave and Pakenham are groaning under the weight of more and more commuters. Residents of the Dandenong Ranges in particular bemoan the lack of public transport that makes owning a car in the hills a virtual necessity if you want to get anywhere, as the state Labor government has failed to provide regular local bus services. La Trobe is the classic case of why there are so many cars on our roads. Quite simply, many La Trobe residents have no choice but to use a car. They are forced to use a car simply because they have not got the option of a reliable, safe, timely and extensive public transport service. Locals are really hurting with the price of petrol now over $1.70 and fast heading towards $2.00, and it may go higher.

The Victorian Labor government, like their federal Labor counterparts, pays lip service to every green fad, yet it has done absolutely nothing as simple and as practical as improving public transport infrastructure, which will get people off our roads and into more efficient and less-carbon-emitting transport. I have raised the importance of several local rail projects numerous times, including duplication of the Belgrave train line between Ferntree Gully and Belgrave, providing this project passes an environmental impact statement. There is no time to waste on starting work on the triplication of the line between Ringwood and Ferntree Gully, on expanded rail services to Pakenham and on the train line to Rowville, yet the Victorian Labor government continues to ignore the push for greater investment in public transport.

As you are aware, the federal Labor government proposes to implement a national cap-and-trade emissions trading scheme after the receipt of the final report by Professor Ross Garnaut. Professor Garnaut’s interim report was delivered in February 2008; however, it did not refer to the role public transport may play in the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. In August 2006, the National Emissions Trading Taskforce released a discussion paper on the possible design for an emissions trading scheme, but there was no mention of public transport.

I believe that when a carbon emissions trading system is established in Australia emitters should be able to offset their emissions by buying permits, with the proceeds being re-invested in public transport infrastructure. Increasing the use of public transport has the potential to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the transport sector, for instance, by enabling carbon credits to be created by the emissions saved by bus companies converting their fleets from diesel to natural gas or LPG, or by train companies increasing their levels of patronage. In the meantime, as the carbon trading scheme is being rolled out, the Australian government should immediately set about improving Australia’s public transport infrastructure by investing a significant portion of the $20 billion infrastructure fund in creating a first-class public transport scheme. This can happen right now. No time is left to waste. I believe that a new carbon trading system will provide a wonderful opportunity to inject investment into Australia’s public transport infrastructure and it must be incorporated into any future Australian carbon trading system.