April 11 2012''The government will make a formal announcement on...

April 11 2012

''The government will make a formal announcement on the coal allocation process in the near future.''

Environment Victoria's Mark Wakeham hit out at the coal plan, querying why there was not an equivalent plan to develop renewable energy.

Mayor of Latrobe Valley Council Ed Vermeulen said he was ''all in favour'' of a comprehensive approach to exploiting the large resource in the area. He said coal itself was not the problem, but rather its carbon emissions, which could be reduced by using modern technologies.

The narrative is understood to be part of a broader government public campaign to sell coal development. It says ''public-support for low-emissions coal projects is essential''.

''As part of action on climate change, many stakeholders expect to see a transition away from coal. This makes public support for future coal development difficult,'' it says.

http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/plan-to-head-off-protests-on-coal-20120410-1wn2f.html#ixzz1rg6RwRH7