Brown city must control green jobs

Andrew Mathieson
A GEELONG MP has slammed the city’s environmental credentials while flagging an audacious bid for up to 40 per cent of the Federal Government’s proposed green jobs.
Member for Corangamite Darren Cheeseman labelled Geelong “the brownest city” in Victoria, which he accused of having the “highest level of carbon emissions on the planet”.
He also said Geelong “could not run away” from its obligation to lead the fight against climate change.
A political rival condemned the comments, calling Mr Cheeseman “remarkably ignorant”.
Mr Cheeseman said the Geelong region should aim to capture at least 10,000 green jobs, with an “aspirational” target of 20,000 from Labor’s plan to create a 50,000-strong workforce in the sector by 2020.
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd announced the green jobs plan at Labor’s national conference less than a fortnight ago. Part of the Government’s program would be to create 10,000 positions nationally for six months in a Green Jobs Corps for young long-term unemployed people.
“Geelong is the brownest city in Victoria, the state which proportionally has the highest level of carbon emissions on the planet,” Mr Cheeseman said.
“We cannot run away from the clear moral obligation that imposes on us.”
Mr Cheeseman believed a sixth of Geelong’s labour force should be green within a decade.
The region could provide “great opportunities” in wind energy generation, green car research, public transport, new farming systems, water recycling and environmentally-friendly building design, he said.
Mr Cheeseman said Deakin University would play a pivotal role in the drive for green jobs.
Geelong’s Victorian Liberal Senator, Michael Ronaldson, lampooned Mr Cheeseman’s choice of words in attacking the region’s green standards.
“Even by Darren Cheeseman’s standards, this was remarkably ignorant,” Mr Ronaldson said.
“For him to describe Geelong as a brown city is quite extraordinary.”
Mr Ronaldson said Labor’s “left-green policies” were a case of ideology overruling pragmatism.
A NSW government report had indicated that an emissions trading scheme would have its “biggest and most damaging impact” on regions such as Geelong, he said.
“(It) will drive up electricity prices and destroy, not create, jobs in the Geelong region,” Mr Ronaldson said.