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Latrobe Valley workers meet to call for a federal Energy Transition Authority
WORKERS and their unions from Victoria’s Latrobe Valley are calling on the Federal Government to urgently support a federal Energy Transition Authority.
Gippsland Trades and Labor Council (GTLC) secretary Steve Dodd said the Latrobe Valley was a living example of a community suffering from power station closures with no alternative plan in place.
“We are still feeling the effects of Hazelwood’s closure in 2017, with just five months notice," Mr Dodd said.
“Coal power and coal mining have been the economic lifeblood of this region.
"We have powered the state and nation for a century but with the timeline for closure for our remaining power stations accelerating – we need federal co-ordination and support," Mr Dodd said.
Mr Dodd and supporters of the proposed body said a federal statutory authority would be responsible for: Co-ordinating the orderly closure of power stations; overseeing industry diversification in energy regions, like the Latrobe Valley; and supporting workers with redeployment, retraining and early retirement where appropriate.
The support for a federal Energy Transition Authority was demonstrated in a public meeting on April 20 at the GTLC Building at Morwell, where the call was amplified through media channels.
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