Green Guide to Government Policy
The Advocate - October and November 2010
Mon 18 Oct, 2010 Advocacy
In this section
- GBCA green building agenda
- A New Deal for Urban Australia
- Improving existing buildings - what finance options are available?
- Submissions to Government in 2013
- Submissions to Government in 2012
- Submissions to government in 2011
- The Australian Government’s Clean Energy Future package
- Carbon pricing and Australia's property and construction industry
- GBCA supports Thriving Neighbourhoods conference
- Businesses for a Clean Economy (B4CE)
- The Advocate - July 2011
- Putting a price on pollution: what it means for Australia’s property and construction industry
- A summary of Built Environment Meets Parliament (BEMP) 2011
- A Minister for Cities is needed to build Australia's future, says ASBEC
- Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) Financing: Update on Commercial Programs
- Submission to the 2011-2012 Federal Budget
- GBCA Sustainable Population Strategy submission
- GBCA submission to DCCEE Tax Breaks for Green Buildings Consultation Paper
- Our cities: building a productive, sustainable and liveable future
- Calling for submissions for the Tax Breaks for Green Buildings consultation paper
- The Advocate - October and November 2010
- Green Schools
- The Advocate - September 2010
- Federal election an opportunity to move green building from voluntary to vital
- Water Industry Competition Amendment Regulation 2010- call for comment
- UK Green Building Council - Coalition Agreement
- The Advocate - May 2010
- The Advocate - April 2010
- The Advocate - March 2010
- The Advocate - February 2010
- The Advocate - January 2010
- The National Strategy on Energy Efficiency
- Call to Action Copenhagen by International Organisations of Architects
- GBCA submission to the Senate Inquiry into the Safe Climate Bill
- GBCA's Submission to the Australian Building Codes Boards
- GBCA's 2009 Federal Budget Submission
- Advocating green policies
- Advocacy wins in 2009
October and November have proved to be busy months for The Advocate and team, especially for federal government meetings. Now that the Gillard Government has started work - and ministers, staff and departments have been confirmed - we have been meeting with both new and familiar faces and focusing on the green building priorities for the next few years.
Meetings have included the Prime Minister's Office and the Office of the Leader of the Opposition, the Minister and Parliamentary Secretary for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency, the Shadow Minister for Climate Action, Environment and Heritage, and the Leader of the Greens and Spokesperon for Climate Change, amongst many others. And there will be many more meetings to come, so watch this space!
We have also seen the release of the report from the Prime Minister's Task Group on Energy Efficiency (read the GBCA's media release). The Task Group put forward three key issues: the production of clean energy; increased energy efficiency; and a price on carbon. The GBCA welcomes discussion about how Australia might achieve each of these.
The GBCA will continue to promote our five green building priorities for the coming years to all levels of government. These are to:
- provide visionary government leadership
- retrofit and improve existing buildings
- green education and healthcare facilities
- move beyond buildings to communities and cities
- embed green skills across all industry training.
The GBCA will be focusing on these priorities at a state and territory level before each of the forthcoming elections. Read more.
We have also launched our 'Green Schools' policy paper, which sets out clearly and precisely the benefits and opportunities represented by greener schools, universities and colleges. Providing contemporary data, the reasoning behind green building decisions, and case studies from Australia and around the world, this policy paper should be read by departments of education, parents, teachers, boards, principals and students alike. Read more.
It has been encouraging to see the Queensland Government's launch of their 'Green Door Advisory Committee' (which includes the GBCA's own Adam Beck). The Committee will be meeting to look at how to give streamlined development approvals to environmentally friendly projects that employ pioneering technologies, design techniques, recycled materials and renewable energies. It is exactly this kind of initiative which the GBCA is promoting as the first green building priority (above): visionary government leadership. "The Green Door Advisory Committee will recommend the eligibility criteria for identifying Green Door projects that they will monitor and assist through the Integrated Development Assessment System (IDAS)," according to Queensland's Minister for Infrastructure and Planning. Read more.
And finally, The Advocate is longing for some 'positive politics'. We know it's 'standard practice' for a government to release a report, launch a strategy or unveil an initiative; and at the same time it is 'in character' for an opposition to point out the flaws and criticise the process. Imagine how inspirational it would be for an opposition (of any flavour) to release a BETTER report, strategy or initiative - offering an 'improved' alternative?
This just might encourage discussion, offer choices, or even start a debate, rather than resorting to the 'negative' default option leaving everyone with that bitter aftertaste once more. Is this too much to expect from an opposition? Or could 'opposing' one course of action in Australian politics actually include providing a positive, better option? Positive politics. While The Advocate is compiling a wish list, we'd love a Tesla Roadster this Christmas, or even a bicycle!
