Global Climate Change Action

Monday 12 November 2007

Australian Greens Leader, Senator Bob Brown, and Greens Climate and Energy Spokesperson, Senator Christine Milne, today announced a ground-breaking new policy to boost jobs and keep people on the land in regional Australia, as well as to reduce greenhouse emissions, by helping farmers become renewable energy generators.

"Climate change poses a tremendous threat to regional Australia. The Greens want to help regional communities to profit from becoming a key part of the solution," Senator Brown said.

"The Greens Farming Renewable Energy initiative will establish Renewable Energy Development Zones to encourage investment in regional energy infrastructure and boost jobs in regional Australia."

Senator Milne said "A tragedy is unfolding in rural and regional Australia and neither the Government nor the Opposition are providing more than bandaid solutions with drought-relief cheques and hand-outs for leaving the land.

"Instead of abandoning farmers and regional communities to a hotter and drier future, the Greens' policies will enable them to generate income from their land even in drought.