The Member for Gilmore, Fiona Phillips, spoke in Federal Parliament last night in support of the Climate Change Bill, which will enshrine Labor’s election commitment to a 43 per cent target to reduce emissions on 2005 levels by 2030 and net zero by 2050.

The Bill is expected to pass the Lower House today, and the Senate next month with the support of the Greens.

“Finally, after a decade of inaction, we might finally see our country start to seize on all the opportunities our transition to a renewable energy future has to offer,” she said, before highlighting the extreme weather events experienced in Gilmore over her first term in Canberra – drought, bushfires and a series of floods.

Ms Phillips spoke of the importance of developing renewable energy generation and storage facilities on the South Coast, through the Government’s Powering Australia Plan, to ensure energy supply while creating jobs.

“I want the South Coast to become a renewable energy powerhouse. And I am going to work every day, with the Ministers, with the community, with industry, with businesses to get this done.”

As a former TAFE teacher, she recognised the importance of investing in training for the cleaner economy.

“Our plan will spend $100 million to train 10,000 New Energy Apprentices in the jobs of the future.

“Our $10 million New Energy Skills program will help to provide additional training pathways, and our investments in education and TAFE will also make a huge impact here.

“Young people in my community need support, they need to know they can live, learn, and work without having to move to the cities.”

She spoke of opportunities for the local manufacturing sector to benefit from the new $3 billion National Reconstruction Fund, and believes that more EV charging stations will be a great boon for the tourism industry.