by Cam Lucadou-Wells
Greens councillor Isabella Do has moved to strike-out Greater Dandenong Council’s withdrawal from a regional councils’ climate-change alliance.
After lodging a rescission motion for 28 April, Cr Do said the council’s withdrawal from South East Councils Climate Change Alliance (SECCCA) was “passing the buck under the pretense of cost-savings”.
Cr Do said she felt a “sense of solidarity” with other opposing councillors Phillip Danh and Melinda Yim from the ALP.
“It hit me that all the councillors who voted to stay with SECCCA were all under the age of 30.
“Climate disasters strain public infrastructure, leading to more frequent repairs and upgrades to roads, drainage systems, power lines, and emergency facilities.
“As young leaders we are pushing for proactive climate policies and actions becauwe we’ll face the fallout if action is delayed.”
In a split decision this month, councillors voted to abandon its 12-year membership of the eight-council alliance from 1 July, citing rising costs and limited benefits and relevance.
Greater Dandenong will instead invest the $128,249 saved this year – and more than $400,000 over three years – into its own climate change “priorities”.
They include transitioning from gas to renewable energy, installing solar panels, planting more trees and supporting residents and businesses to adapt to climate change challenges.
The council baulked at a $75,000 annual ‘project fee’ – $300,000 over four years – to help fund nine SECCCA projects.
Only two of the projects – business energy support and financing flood resilient infrastructure – would benefit Greater Dandenong, according to a council officer’s report.
The ‘non-beneficial’ SECCCA projects include climate risk, a residential resilience ratings pilot for bushfires, a small business climate adaptation toolkit, carbon sink, EV/hydrogen heavy-duty truck, asset vulnerability assessment and a BriefEzy tool.
Do said SECCCA’s resilience projects, as well as its advocacy, carried “tangible benefits”.
Greater Dandenong, being one of the most disadvantaged council areas, would be disproportionally affected by climate change, she said.
“Climate change does not respect borders.
“Whether or not you believe climate change exists, these (extreme) weather events are happening and the impacts are tremendous.
“Not just to those in Dandenong South where 1 in 25 homes will be uninsurable or one of the residents in Willow Lodge, Bangholme, where their home stood in floodwaters last year.
“Ultimately, everyone ends up paying for it.”
