Environment Victoria volunteer Micah Demmert spoke to The Courier, at a protest outside Ballarat MP Catherine King’s office yesterday.

He was one of about 20 people who gathered at the Lydiard Street office asking for a cut in government subsidies to big polluters.

Mr Demmert, who organised the protest, said the government was giving $10 billion in fossil fuel subsidies to big polluters. “That’s the equivalent of giving them $65 million from people in this electorate alone,” Mr Demmert said.

“We would much rather this money was spent in the community on health, education or making Ballarat a more sustainable city.”

The protest was part of a nation-wide movement in the lead-up to the federal budget, he said.

Mr Demmert said environmental groups, including Environment Victoria, Australian Conservation Foundation, World Wildlife Fund were recommending the federal government cut five subsidies, including fuel tax credits scheme to the mining industry and statutory effective life caps (accelerated depreciation) to the oil and gas, and petroleum extraction industries.

“We would like to see Ballarat embrace renewable technology as a way of the future,” he said.

Mr Demmert said the opposition would be wise to listen to businesses who were beginning to invest in renewable energy.

“We are seeing very progressive movement in the business world,” he said. “Many businesses are becoming carbon neutral and incorporating sustainability in their bottom line.” 

Strong environmental action made economic sense, he said. 

Ballarat MP Catherine King said she would happily address the issues raised and encouraged those concerned to contact her office.