Delivering national leadership in protecting our environment

The ACT leads the nation in environmental innovation and the transition to a zero carbon economy.

The 2018 Budget will boost our status as Australia’s most sustainable community with new investments in electric vehicle infrastructure, stronger protection for biodiversity and the extension of popular Actsmart programs.

With the ACT on track to meet our goal of being powered by 100 per cent renewable electricity in two years’ time, we are now tackling the next priority to achieve our goal of zero net emissions by 2045.

Taking the lead on climate change

The 2018 Budget will strengthen our community’s efforts to reduce emissions and address harmful climate change, including:

• $6 million to extend the ACT Government’s Actsmart programs which have helped thousands of Canberra homeowners, businesses and community groups cut their energy use and emissions, such as the Actsmart Business Energy and Water Program, the Actsmart Sustainable Home Advice service and the Actsmart Low Income Household Energy Efficiency Program
• $661,000 to continue programs to reduce waste and increase recycling in businesses, schools and at public events
• $456,000 to install 50 new electric vehicle charging stations at ACT Government sites across Canberra. This builds on our recently-released Transition to Zero Emissions Vehicles Action Plan, which will see the ACT pursue Australia’s most ambitious emissions reduction effort across the transport fleet.

Protecting our natural environment

The ACT has a unique natural environment that needs protecting and sustaining as our community grows. We are investing to strengthen conservation management through the 2018 Budget, including:

• $3.3 million for ecological conservation works as part of implementing stage 3 of the Molonglo River Reserve
• $3.1 million to protect our biodiversity by reducing invasive plants, rabbits, wild dogs and feral deer in natural habitats across the ACT
• $1.6 million to support the Woodlands and Wetlands Trust to construct an ecotourism learning centre at Mulligans Flat Woodland Sanctuary. The Centre will feature a café, interactive displays, a multi-use community space and car park facilities
• $1.2 million to supportland conservation management works in the Jerrabomberra Valley which hosts a number of environmental assets
• $598,000 to eradicate rabbits and hares from the expanded Mulligans Flat Woodland Sanctuary
• $352,000 to support the Molonglo Catchment Group, Southern ACT Catchment Group and Ginninderra Catchment Group during the Commonwealth Government’s transition to new Landcare funding arrangements
• $175,000 to plant up to 5,000 more trees as part of the Murrumbidgee River corridor million trees project.

The ACT Government’s new investments in supporting emissions reduction and boosting local conservation will help protect our natural environment as Canberra grows.

Media contact: Brenton Sloane     0431 252 698     brenton.sloane@act.gov.au