The House of Representatives Environment and Heritage Committee is inquiring into the current contribution of environmental goods and services to employment in Australia, and the potential for future growth.

In particular, the Committee is interested in examining opportunities for growth and the how Federal policy can assist that growth to be achieved.

The Committee is also interested in ensuring that Australia has an appropriately skilled workforce to service environmental needs, and in examining possible information and reporting systems that would boost the uptake of environmental goods and services, enhance overall business performance, and assist development of the sector.

The Committee will hold its second public hearing this Monday, 11 November to hear from the Department of Industry Tourism and Resources (ITR) and the Office of the Renewable Energy Regulator (ORER) concerning employment in the environment sector.

• ITR is responsible for the implementation of Government actions agreed in the Environment Industries Action Agenda and the Renewable Energy Action Agenda.
• ORER has primary responsibility for administering the Commonwealth Government’s Mandatory Renewable Energy Target.

The third public hearing is to take place on Thursday, 14 November in Canberra. The House Environment Committee will also hold a number of other public hearings around Australia in 2003.

Background: Environmental goods and services can be broadly interpreted to include activities such as production of pollution reduction equipment, employment of environmental consultants and workers in the public sector involved in national park management, as well as provision of services in related activities such as tourism, and conservation and environmental management in agriculture, mining and manufacturing.

For media comment, please contact: Bruce Billson, House Environment Committee Chair, telephone (03) 9781 2333 (Dunkley electorate office) or (02) 6277 4879 (Parliament House office)