THE HON MARK DREYFUS QC MP
Cabinet Secretary
Parliamentary Secretary for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency
MEDIA RELEASE
Helping households transition to a clean energy future
Parliamentary Secretary for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency Mark Dreyfus visited the Springwood Neighbourhood Centre today as he outlined the assistance householders would receive under the Clean Energy Future packaged announced by the Gillard Government.
Mr Dreyfus said the Government's plan for a Clean Energy Future will cut pollution and drive investment helping to ensure Australia's prosperity in the low pollution world of the future.
Putting a price on carbon will require Australia's biggest polluters to pay for the pollution that they put into our atmosphere. A carbon price is not a tax on households, Mr Dreyfus said.
More than 11200 families in Macquarie will receive household assistance through their Family assistance payments under the Clean Energy Future package.
And more than 3500 Jobseekers in Macquarie will get up to $218 extra per year for singles and $390 per year for couples combined.
In total, more than 35,700 people in Macquarie will receive household assistance through the transfer system. More than half of the revenue raised by the carbon tax will go to assisting households.
Pensioners will also receive Government support with more than 19300 pensioners in Macquarie to receive an extra $338 extra per year if they are single and up to $510 per year for couples combined, in their pension payments.
As we move towards a clean energy future, the Government will assist those people who don't have a lot of room to move in their budgets, like families on low and middle incomes and pensioners in Macquarie, Mr Dreyfus said.
Energy efficiency measures also allow households, businesses and communities to lower energy costs while at the same time contributing to cutting carbon pollution.
Energy efficiency improvements around the home require the right know-how. The Government's LivingGreener website (www.livinggreener.gov.au) provides information on living sustainably and will connect all Commonwealth, state and territory energy efficiency and climate change programs.
The website will be expanded to include more information on how households can improve energy efficiency to save dollars and cut carbon pollution, Mr Dreyfus said.
Tailored advice to householders will be delivered through a household telephone advice line, supplemented by social media channels.
Further information about the Governments clean energy future and carbon price announcement is available at www.cleanenergyfuture.gov.au
FRIDAY, 15 JULY 2011
