In addition to avoiding an increasingly grim climate future, Rosemary Glaisher says transitioning to renewable energy could be a boom for Bendigo business.

She said Bendigo could play a part in the Greens’ plan to build $5 billion worth of renewable energy infrastructure by 2020.

“We’ll use capital raised by the Commonwealth for publicly owned and operated clean energy assets, as well as capital in super funds that’s available for investment in nationally significant infrastructure,” she said.

“Projects employing locals and buying their materials locally will get preference so there would be a lot of jobs generated.

“This would be a perfect opportunity for Bendigo to diversify our economy.”

Environment minister Greg Hunt visited Lake Eppalock earlier this week, where he said the Coalition would work to “re-plumb” regional Australia with a loans scheme for water infrastructure.

The Greens take a different approach, believing all water infrastructure systems should be publicly owned and controlled “to reduce consumption and waste of water while increasing recycling and re-use”.

Ms Glaisher said there were a number of ways to make water use fairer in the Murray Darling Basin.

“We want equitable use of Murray Darling Basin water resources to support sustainable food production and the long-term viability and well being of basin communities,” she said.

“We would introduce minimum water efficiency standards for new buildings and industries.

“The Greens have also secured an Australian-first register of foreign owned water because it’s important that we know where our water is going, and why.”

To deal with increased fire risk, Ms Glaisher said the Greens would double the number of paid firefighters by 2030 with an initial $120 million commitment over four years, doubling the federal contribution.