Mayor of Baw Baw Shire Council, Diane Blackwood, said it will be imperative to negotiate a smooth transition to a carbon-constrained economy within the Latrobe Valley in the face of the forthcoming price on Carbon.

 

“Our focus will be on job creation for Baw Baw residents as we respond to the challenge of structural adjustments,” she said.

 

“Businesses require stable environments in which to operate successfully and the current unknown consequences and uncertainty concerning the

future of power generation in the Latrobe Valley is having a real impact on Gippsland communities, including our own in Baw Baw shire.”

 

Cr said as the council welcomes the opportunity to work with the Federal, State and neighbouring Local Governments to support local communities during this period of change as we transition to a new and vibrant economy.

 

“In doing so, we will strive to identify the key factors in modernising the existing economy in an innovative and sustainable manner so that we can address productivity losses that the majority of Victoria has experienced,” she said.

 

“By way of example, we will investigate opportunities for carbon capture and storage and the potentiality of demonstration sties for innovative approaches for using brown coal.”

 

Cr Blackwood also believed the recent signing in Morwell of the Agreement for Cooperative Arrangements with Federal Minister for Regional Australia, Simon Crean, and the Victorian Minister for Regional and Rural Development, Peter Ryan, assured the council’s access to substantial funding through

the Latrobe Valley Advantage Fund to realise our endeavours. 

 

“It is this type of cooperative approach between all levels of government that will best benefit our local constituents,” said Cr Blackwood.