After Hazelwood: What can be learned from Latrobe Valley regional transition policies?
In this webinar, we review and evaluate key policy initiatives and strategies designed to strengthen regional economic, social and environmental outcomes in the Latrobe Valley in the three years following the closure of the Hazelwood power station. We find that employment and economic outcomes in the three years since closure indicate promising initial progress in creating the foundations required to facilitate an equitable transition to a more prosperous and sustainable regional economy. More broadly the Hazelwood case study experience provides support for a number of emerging propositions about regional energy transition including that well managed, just transitions to a prosperous zero-carbon economy are likely to be strengthened by: i) proactive, mission oriented industry policy and regional renewal strategies; ii) respectful and inclusive engagement with workers and communities; and iii) adequately funded, well-coordinated public investment in economic and community services and infrastructure.
John Wiseman is a Professorial Research Fellow at the Melbourne Sustainable Society Institute at the University of Melbourne. His other current roles include Adjunct Professor at the Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, Research Fellow at the Centre for Policy Development and Climate Change Policy Adviser, Sustainability Victoria. His current work focuses on the actions needed to drive a rapid transition to a just and resilient post carbon society.
Sebastian Fastenrath is a Research Fellow in Resilient Cities and Regions at the Melbourne Sustainable Society Institute at the University of Melbourne. He received his PhD in Human Geography at the University of Cologne, Germany, with research on urban sustainability transitions in the building and construction sector. Sebastian’s current work is focused on questions at the interface of economic and urban geography, innovation and transition studies. He is particularly interested in place-based innovation, resilient urban and regional development, governance, and interactive knowledge generation between actors from public, private and academic sectors.
Karen Cain is the CEO of the Latrobe Valley Authority and has significant senior experience working across government, leading strategic innovation, and developing and implementing policy in the public sector. Karen’s career in education as a teacher, principal and senior public sector manager in two states, Victoria and Tasmania, led to experience in working across communities to link and to build partnerships that harness capacity and growth. Her experience in developing and delivering on issues that reflect what matters to community and government led to her appointment as Chief Executive Officer at the Latrobe Valley Authority, which she has held since April 2017.
Frank Jotzo is Professor at the ANU Crawford School of Public Policy, where he directs the Centre for Climate and Energy Policy. He is an environmental economist. His research focuses on policy for climate change and energy, in the context of economic reform and development. He leads work on recovery from the COVID induced economic slump. The focus of his work is on opportunities for low-carbon investment in Australia’s energy, industry, transport and housing sectors, including through government stimulus packages. He and his team also analyse trends in energy use and emissions and in private sector investment, and trends in government policy and investment responses around the world.