A Rudd Labor Government will invest $15 million in at least 10 high profile practical projects to encourage water and energy saving measures such as solar and rainwater.
Federal Labor launched its Green Precinct policy today at Windy Hill in Melbourne, home to Melbourne’s Essendon Football Club, where up to $1 million was pledged in matching funds towards the Windy Hill Green Precinct Project.
Windy Hill has enormous roof space on its grandstand and buildings that can be used to harvest over 500,000 litres of rainwater each year. Capturing this water and investing in water efficiency measures could cut current consumption of mains drinking water in half.
The Precinct will include significant solar power generation, solar hot water services and energy efficiency measures – together delivering substantial reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.
The Windy Hill facilities will be a high profile example to all its users, including local schools, sporting clubs as well as the Essendon Football Club and its tens of thousands of supporters.
A Rudd Labor Government will create high profile Green Precincts around Australia, investing $15 million in demonstration projects that provide both direct environmental benefits and opportunities for broader community awareness raising about water and energy savings.
Working in partnership with community organisations, sporting clubs and State and Local Governments, a Rudd Labor Government will use Green Precincts to encourage Australian families to harness similar opportunities in their own homes.
Federal Labor’s $15 million Green Precincts program will fund at least ten projects that:
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Demonstrate significant water and energy savings, including use of renewable energy; |
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Are built at facilities that connect with or are used by thousands of people; and |
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Include a significant community education component. |
Green precincts could include public libraries, local governments, shopping centres, heritage-listed community buildings and other iconic public facilities.
The Green Precinct Fund will complement Federal Labor’s other programs to boost water and energy saving in households and communities, including investing $1 billion in building urban water infrastructure and making every Australian school a Solar School.
A Rudd Labor Government will fund its Green Precinct Fund with $8.8 million from Federal Labor’s National Water Security Plan for Towns and Cities and $6.2 million from Federal Labor’s enhanced Solar Cities program.
Under the National Water Security Plan for Towns and Cities, a Rudd Labor Government will invest $250 million to:
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work in partnership with government and local water authorities to minimise water loss; |
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invest in modern, more efficient water infrastructure and – where appropriate – refurbish older pipes and water systems; and |
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provide funding for practical projects to save water. |
Contact: Ryan Heath (Garrett) 0449 141 398, Taryn Langdon (Lundy) 0417 148 059, Antony Sachs (Albanese) 0417 493 485
