Warning about social impact of climate change policies

Wednesday, 17/09/2008

A former speaker of Victoria's Parliament is warning the Federal Government's green paper on climate change will effect whole communities, and isn't planning properly for the social impacts of climate change.

Ken Coghill, now a Monash University politics lecturer, says in order to make the transition to a clean green future, the communities affected by changes to industry have to be re-skilled and given new job opportunities.

Mr Coghill says industries like coal have communities built around them, and if towns aren't shown a clear future the government could suffer at the polls.

"That's a matter of working very closely with the communities to assist people who wish to move into other industries through training, relocation and other assistance," he says.

"And the support has to go not just to the people working directly in the coal industry, but to the communities that are affected."

http://www.abc.net.au/rural/news/content/200809/s2366778.htm