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Climate Heroes call for Garnaut action

Last week, QPSU Climate Heroes held a successful teleconference where they agreed to adopt a strong stance in facing the challenge of climate change in Australia.

Following the release of the draft Garnaut Report, over 200 QPSU members held a lunchtime conference chaired by union President Vivienne Doogan.

The teleconference heard from Australian Conservation Foundation Director Don Henry, and climate change campaigner Phil Freeman, about the substance of the Garnaut draft report and what it would mean for Queenslanders, Kate Flanders, Climate Heroes Lead Organiser then outlined what existing QPSU policy was and what the Queensland government had already committed to. All speakers talked about what we can do to make sure the Queensland and Australian governments take effective action.

Following the discussion, members talked about the QPSU's position and how to best foster a principled debate on climate change in Australia. The members passed - unanimously - a motion that called for the QPSU's Climate Change Committee to develop policy around climate change, and called on our employer, the state government, to support public transport investment, renewable energy for government buildings, and funding for TAFE to help develop "green collar" jobs for Queenslanders.

The next step for Climate Heroes is to promote green, sustainable government action following the release this week of the federal government's "Green Paper" on climate change and the adaption of an Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS), as recommended by Professor Garnaut in his draft report.

A "Green Paper" is not a blueprint - it's a list of options for the government to consider. It's likely that the paper will mix strong, effective solutions to fight climate change with weaker proposals that let polluters off the hook. The release of the Green Paper, and the accompanying publicity, is an important opportunity for us to make a contribution to the public debate.

According to Professor Garnaut, Queensland is the state whose economy, agriculture and environment will be worst hit by climate change. But we also are in a position to make sure that the government and the community get behind effective plans that not only preserve our climate and our way of life, but also offer great economic opportunities for us in the development of the low- carbon, high-tech industries that will fuel our future.

To read the motion that was passed by members see below. To sign up to be a climate hero complete this form.

QPSU members and Climate Heroes acknowledge that at this important time there are choices all levels of government must make about addressing dangerous climate change.

We note that the Garnaut Report outlined that Queensland will be most dangerously effected economically if nothing changes. We also note that Queensland is per capita the state that emits the most carbon of any in Australia.

A. As the Queensland Public Sector Union we endorse our Climate Change Committee of Union Council to develop policy on:

• A position on appropriate emissions reduction targets
• A position on minimizing the impact of damage to real wages by climate change
• A position on skills investment and promoting the role of TAFE and state government programs in doing this ,
• A position on investment in public transport and infrastructure to support state government projects and workers in a low carbon economy.
• A position on renewable energy sources for all government buildings, and
• A position on all government buildings have rainwater storage or offsets.

B. We endorse QPSU representatives attending the Garnaut Forum tomorrow to submit that money from the Emissions Trading Scheme for industry should be used as funding for training workers who need new skills for a low-carbon economy and that funding also be set aside to go to the State Governments for the provision of more public transport services and improvements for existing services.

C. We further endorse a plan to invite members to meet with federal MP’s as representatives of working people to explain our concerns about dangerous climate change, support action happening now and emphasize that solutions should be delivered to workers to assist them in paying for the increased price of energy and retraining them where they need new skills to match a new economic outlook.