The Victorian government has backed an upper house motion in parliament calling for a big build of renewable energy projects ahead of the upcoming state budget.
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The "Green New Deal" motion was moved by the Greens in the Legislative Council on Wednesday and passed with a vote of 22 to 15 with the support of Labor MPs.
It's the first time an Australian state or territory has formally endorsed a "Green New Deal", a term popularised in recent times after a proposal of the same name was voted down in US Congress last year.
Although non-binding, the Victorian motion acknowledges the state's commitment to climate-friendly, job-creating projects as it emerges from the COVID-19 recession.
Ellen Sandell, acting leader of the Victorian Greens, said the government had sent a clear message on its economic recovery plans.
"Victorians don't just want Victoria to go back to the situation we had before COVID-19, where we had rising homelessness, polluting coal energy, environmental destruction and workers in caring professions with terrible pay and conditions," she said.
"Victorians instead want our government to build a better future for Victoria, and the government has a once-in-a-generation opportunity with this budget to fix some of the problems society faced before COVID-19 hit."
Under the Greens-led plan, Victoria would embark on a big build of public housing and renewable energy projects and employ more teachers, healthcare staff and community workers.
Public investment would also be pumped into projects to regenerate bushfire-affected areas and protect threatened species, commission bike lanes and build recycling plants.
The Victorian government will hand down the state budget on November 24 and has already pre-announced $84 million to build the southern hemisphere's biggest battery, as well as $235 million to create hundreds of jobs across health and support services.
Australian Associated Press
