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STAY INFORMED SOUTH Wangaratta CFA brigade members Ian and Sue Sheldrick will be among those handing out free information packs (and ice-cream) for attendees at Sunday’s bushfire preparation session. With the Fire Danger Period kicking in as of Monday, community members are being encouraged to attend the event.
True crime event raised $10,000 for charity
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STORY PAGE 3 PHOTO: Bailey Zimmermann
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Energy hub push Federal MP believes regional hubs are vital to reaching nation’s 2050 net zero target WANGARATTA-based Indi Independent federal MP Helen Haines is continuing to pursue Local Energy Hubs in regional Australia, believing they are “the vital missing link” with communities, in the nation’s goal of achieving net zero emissions by 2050. She recently hosted a briefing in Canberra alongside Hunter MP Dan Repacholi,
BY STEVE KELLY skelly@ nemedia.com.au
with industry stakeholders, discussing about where and how the hubs could be rolled out across Australia. Local Energy Hubs are a proposed network of outreach centres that would
be staffed by employed locals who are trusted and neutral to assist communities navigating renewable energy and transmission projects, while helping local households, businesses and farms to lower their energy bills and electrify. Dr Haines believes the hubs would support regional communities navigate oppor-
tunities as part of the transition to renewable energy and the nation achieving its net zero emissions target by 2050. The hubs are part of Dr Haines’ Local Power Plan that was co-designed with community energy groups and inspired the Australian Local Power Agency Bill, which she introduced into the Parliament, but failed to receive
WANGARATTA BEARINGS AND INDUSTRIAL SUPPLIES
government support and did not become law. Dr Haines said the hubs would support regional towns and organisations to develop renewable energy project models that benefit their communities and provide information and clarification to local people about how the transformation will impact them.
“The creation of a network of Local Energy Hubs would assist regional towns, industry and organisations to access reliable information about Australia’s energy transformation and support genuine regional development and community benefit,” she said. ■ Continued page 2
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