Start the Change

My family and I oppose the rubbish tip plan for Orchard Hills. This plan is not an environmental friendly decision, as it would lead to more soil and air pollution. It would create a situation with more trucks on our roads leading to traffic congestion and further wearing out our roads which are already in bad condition.

I live in Glenwood. My area is predominantly Liberal voters.  Here are my issues of concern:

There needs to be a stronger push in NSW Liberal party profile of Barry O'Farrell. Even if that means more advertisements, home brochures, newspaper ads etc. At the moment, I don't really know who Barry O'Farrell is. What does he stand for? Is he a strong leader? Is he a formidable leader ready to lead NSW?  Does he represent as an outstanding alternative? I have to go through online to read about him. Not many people will bother to go online. I find the 'on the spot, in your face' ads like TV ads, newspapers and brochures are just as effective especially for time poor families like me.

Effective action on environmental issues requires sensible policies that deliver practical and real improvements.

The NSW Liberals & Nationals will introduce market mechanisms that will encourage people to use renewable energy.

We will introduce a renewable energy buy-back scheme – sometimes known as a feed-in tariff. The scheme will:

• - be a credit or payment to households, institutions or businesses for the renewable power they produce. This will include small-scale solar power from household rooftops; and
• - encourage households to make decisions that save energy bills over the medium term.

The NSW Liberals & Nationals policy for a gross feed-in tariff was first announced in October 2008.[1] The Labor Government mimicked the policy when it adopted a Solar Bonus Scheme in November 2009 for small solar photovoltaic installations.[2]

Despite this, the government has excluded many renewable and innovative energy sources, as well as involvement from many commercial energy users who are best positioned to take up decentralised generation.

It is estimated that if 5,000 households take advantage of the scheme, the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions is the equivalent of taking 16,250 cars off the road.[3]

Decentralised generation can reduce demand for costly generation and transmission infrastructure, and can reduce the peak price of electricity.[4]

The NSW Liberal & Nationals policy will ensure that NSW leads Australia in establishing a decentralised energy sector, by honouring the State Government’s current commitments and improving the scheme to make it more effective. A comprehensive scheme could cut NSW’s emissions by around 1 per cent per annum.[5]

Protect our local environment and return planning powers to the community

The NSW Liberals & Nationals understand that people are interested in the quality of their environment, and its sustainability and management.

When communities have a real say on their local planning and environment, they are strongly motivated to take responsibility for other related issues that align with their preferences and local priorities.

“Sydney’s unfortunate record as the city with the dirtiest air in Australia was boosted last year, with figures revealing the number of high pollution days doubled from 19 to 37 days; including 19 days where National Air Quality Standards were breached,” Shadow Minister for Climate Change and Environmental Sustainability Catherine Cusack said today.

“Australia’s National Air Quality Standards set a target in which standards are breached no more than once per year. For Sydney to exceed these standards 19 times in a single year is a distressingly bad performance that requires substantial response from Government,” Ms Cusack said.