Rebates offered for registrations for hybrid and electric vehicles would double under a new plan to drive down emissions and drive new investment in cleaner, greener industries, Victorian Premier John Brumby announced today.

Addressing senior students at Glen Waverley Secondary College with Education Minister Bronwyn Pike and Member for Mount Waverley Maxine Morand, Mr Brumby announced new measures to tackle climate change including a $100 rebate for registering hybrid vehicles.

“Our $50 rebate, which has been available for the past 2 years has resulted in more than 6500 registered hybrid cars,” Mr Brumby said.

“Hybrid vehicles make a significant contribution to reducing our carbon footprint, producing lower emissions than standard engine technologies, reduced fuel consumption and reduced demand for oil.

“Doubling the rebate for registering hybrid vehicles provides additional incentives for people looking to buy a new car, and supports our growing green manufacturing industry.”

Mr Brumby said the government would drive the take up of energy efficient appliances in households and businesses through the doubling of Victoria’s energy efficiency target - the Energy Saver Incentive.

“The new Energy Efficiency Target will cut Victoria’s greenhouse gas emissions by 5.4 million tonnes a year,” Mr Brumby said.

“Our Government is rising to the challenge of climate change, supporting new initiatives to cut emissions and creating a climate of opportunity.

Mr Brumby announced the Victorian Government would drive emission reductions in households and businesses of at least 5.4 million tonnes of greenhouse gases a year over the next 3 years under a doubling of the Energy Saver Incentive.

The Victorian Government introduced Australian first legislation in 2007 that required electricity retailers to improve the energy efficiency of their customers.

Energy efficiency companies provide free or subsidised services to households, such as switching to energy efficient light bulbs and shower heads, draught proofing homes or offering discounts for upgrading appliances like refrigerators to higher efficiency - in order to meet the emission reduction target.

The first stage of the scheme resulted in greenhouse emission reductions of 2.7 million tonnes per year – more than 8 million tonnes over the three years of the scheme. More than half a million households saw improvements to their homes and households.

“Today we are expanding the scheme to apply to small and medium sized businesses and doubling the target to around 5.4 million tonnes of greenhouse emissions savings,” Mr Brumby said.

This expansion could benefit up to 500,000 of the small to medium businesses that we have in Victoria. And saving energy means savings money.

“It is estimated the new scheme will generate $100 million in economic activity each year from new products, services and labour.

“The first stage of the scheme generated more than 1200 jobs for our growing green industries and we expect this to increase significantly over the next three years.

“Doubling the target will stimulate significant private sector investment in new, green industries which in turn will create more jobs for Victorians.”

Mr Brumby said these new measures were part of the Victorian Government’s landmark Climate Change White Paper to be released later this month.