The Strong Independents launched their energy statement this week, which they say is about cutting emissions in a practical way.

The party’s two candidates, Peter Strong AM and Ann Bray AM, are running in the seat of Kurrajong. Mr Strong was former CEO of the Council of Small Business Organisations Australia for more than 11 years and owner of Smiths Alternative Bookshop in Civic. Ms Bray, a trained medical scientist, worked in the private sector and Commonwealth Public Service for 35 years, most recently as an Australian diplomat in Washington DC. She has also been a small business owner.

“We know that 69 per cent of emissions in the ACT are made by ground transport – buses, cars, and trucks,” Mr Strong said. “We can impact that immediately.”

“We can replace the dirty diesel buses with electric buses as soon as possible,” Ms Bray said. “This may mean some rearrangement of the budget, but don’t we want to cut emissions now? There is a climate crisis now, and we in the ACT need to continue to show the way.”

Strong Independents say they support creating new policies and continuing successful policies and actions of the past and present. This includes not only the replacement of the old buses, but more EV charging stations; keeping and refreshing the initiatives to encourage solar; the increased use of batteries; and support for the purchase of zero emissions vehicles. Bike riding should also continue to be encouraged through safe design of more bike paths.

“We would also push for the ACT to become a part of the hydrogen economy,” Ms Bray said. “That is the future. We could use our treated wastewater to produce green hydrogen using solar energy. This could then power buses; used as a green battery when the sun doesn’t shine; or sold as a revenue source.”

Energy policy

What: The Strong Independents would support the continuation of current incentives in the sustainable household scheme. They would increase incentives for zero emissions vehicles, rapidly increase the number of Electric Vehicle (EV) charging stations, and seek the replacement of all diesel buses with Z(zero)EV buses at a faster rate than the ACT Government is achieving.  Bike riding should be encouraged through safe design of bike paths. They would push for the ACT to be a part of the green* hydrogen economy. 

Why: Strong Independents support the ACT’s emission reduction targets. The ACT’s Green-house Gas (GHG) emissions have reduced significantly over the last five years due to electricity GHG emissions falling to zero in 2019-20 in line with the ACT’s 100 per cent renewable electricity supply target. The ACT’s total net GHG emissions in 2022-23 were 1,622 kilotonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (kt CO2- e). 

Transport is now responsible for 69 percent of Canberra’s emissions, so it makes sense to focus on this sector. More than 40 per cent of the ACT’s greenhouse gas emissions come from private vehicle use, and only 2.45 per cent of ACT registered cars are zero emission vehicles. Diesel is 31 per cent of all ground transport fuel consumed in the ACT. The diesel bus fleet must be converted as soon as possible. Currently, the entire fleet will be converted to zero emissions by 2040. This is not good enough.

The Hydrogen economy is growing, and Australia remains on a path to be a global hydrogen leader by 2030 on both an export basis and for the decarbonization of Australian industries. There is no reason why the ACT cannot be a jurisdiction that receives incentives to participate in this economy and benefits in the production of green hydrogen, which can then be used to run public transport and commercial vehicles, replacing diesel.

How: The Strong Independents believe in maintaining support for new solar and battery installation in the home, in the Sustainable Household Scheme, as many people will want to charge the EVs from their house. They would also maintain the free registration for ZEVs. The planned replacement of diesel buses with ZEV buses should be sped up preferably by 2035. 

Finally, to become part of the hydrogen economy, they would look at the feasibility of using Canberra’s ample sunshine and waste water for electrolysis to produce green hydrogen. It could be a resource that the ACT is able to get royalties for. 

But: This comes with costs, but we need to do our part and reduce the risks of a future our children and their children cannot cope with, and [which] would result in enormous costs. 

“The ALP and Greens have become so fixated on maintaining political power that they have forgotten how to get results,” Mr Strong said. “The Liberals still have too many science deniers and supporters of old ways of creating power. We want to ramp up climate responses and push renewable technologies.”

“The Strong Independents will ensure emissions reduce quickly – the climate can’t wait for vested interests and tired politicians – it needs action,” the candidates said.

The Strong Independents will soon announce their environment policy – the natural and human environments of the ACT and climate adaptation steps.

“It will be about the fabulous flora and fauna of our territory and their survival and growth. It will also be about the welfare of the population as temperatures grow and local climate changes are experienced.”