 🌱 GECAN Newsletter – April 2026 Edition 📰 In this edition: ✅ GECAN April Meeting✅ EV Mythbusters✅ New Victorian Government Active Travel Plan March 2026✅ Gas Export Tax Petition✅ Three hours of free power everyday is coming✅ Electrify Southside: Solar for Apartments✅ Going all-electric: Rose’s home transition✅ Paths to Degrowth series✅ Climate in the News✅ GECAN Working Groups In the midst of major global and local turmoil arising from war in the Middle East many feel powerless and helpless. We must use whatever capacity we have to urge for change to create a liveable world for all. With the focus on our dependence on fossil fuels there is an opportunity for major rethinking and action for a more self reliant and sustainable energy transition. Read on to find ways to get involved and do your bit! 📣 You’re Invited – GECAN Monthly Meeting: 🗓 Date: 9/4/2026
🕢 Time: 7:30pm
📍 Location: Zoom – reply for details Join us for our next GECAN meeting as we: Discuss climate collaboration for state election. Elster Creek update and Boyd Park. Make polluters pay campaign for Council advocacy. Offer simple advice to help you facilitate personal climate action. Whether you’re a regular or new to GECAN, you’re very welcome. Bring your energy, your questions, and a cuppa. Let’s keep building people power for a safer climate and a thriving Glen Eira. EV Mythbusters  Have you been advised your next step should be hybrid, as Australia isn’t ready for EV’s yet? Or that EVs don’t have resale value? There is a lot of misinformation out there.
Get the real story from experts, and the lived experience of current EV drivers, so you can decide what’s right for you:
• Bryce Gaton: A spokesperson for The Climate Council. Recognised EV expert. Works with the Victorian Government to set EV standards.• Brendan Lang: Charging expert. A ‘Tesla Driving Sparkie’ for over 10 years. Founder of ‘Get OFF Gas’, which helps households to transition to a renewable future.• Liz McConnell: A local who has owned an EV for several years and drives through rural Victoria regularly. Hear about the pros and cons from lived experience.• NEW CARS ON DISPLAYDate: 23rd AprilTime 7pm-8:30pmTickets New Victorian Government Active Travel Plan March 2026  ‘The Victorian Transport Sector Emissions Reduction Pledge includes a commitment to
boost the proportion of trips made by active transport from 18 per cent in 2021 to 25 per cent
by 2030. To achieve this, Victoria needs to shift about 1.2 million private vehicle trips per
day to walking or riding, with the greatest opportunities being short trips up to three
kilometres.’
‘The Transport Sector Pledge is guided by the Avoid-Shift-Improve (ASI) framework. The ASI
approach structures policy measures and is inspired by the principles of sustainability,
focusing on the mobility needs of people instead of car infrastructure. It involves avoiding or
reducing travel, shifting to more sustainable modes of transport and improving the efficiency
of transport systems.’
How will the plan be achieved ? The United Nations recommends countries allocate 20% of
their transport budget to active travel BUT Victorian spends less than 1%. Will there be a set
% of transport funds allocated for improving safety on Strategic Cycling Corridors or local
links for walking and cycling?Read it Here Gas Export Tax Petition Pressure on the federal government to introduce a tax on gas exports is gaining momentum. Add your name to the Australia Institute petition here. Gas export companies are reaping billions from Australian resources paying little or no tax. Australia Institute research shows a 25% tax on gas exports could solve the gas crisis – and raise $17 billion every year at the same time. A 25% tax on gas exports could end the gas shortages being engineered by the gas industry, cut energy bills and ensure there is enough gas for Australians. And it could also provide $17 billion annually for better housing, health care, education and childcare. Three hours of free power everyday is coming The Victorian Government is joining with the Federal Government in introducing a daytime free power scheme from October this year. This is similar to the Solar Sharer Offer (SSO) whereby eligible customers in Queensland, New South Wales and South Australia will get three hours of free electricity during the day when solar power generation is at its peak, commencing in July
These measures will help all households benefit from renewable energy transition. Electrify Southside seminar on electrification for rentals Tenants and Landlords can all benefit from electrifying rental homes. Did you know new energy efficiency regulations are coming to rentals including apartments?A community seminar informing renters, real estate agents, owners corporations & rental providers about the challenges and opportunities involved in the transition to renewable energy (particularly for apartment buildings), and the requirements of the new Residential Tenancies Amendment (Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards) Regulations 2025. Speakers : Kate Nicolazzo from ‘Let Me Be Frank’ Jacob Caine: President, Real Estate Institute of Victoria Member of an Owners Corporation Committee (from a Southside apartment block that’s recently progressed with electrification). Date: 6th May Time: 6:30pm-8pmLocation: St Kilda Library Community RoomDetails released soon Going all-electric: Rose’s home transition Many homes in Glen Eira still rely on gas for cooking, heating and hot water.
In this short story on Electrify Southsides’ Instagram, Rose invites us into her home to share what it was really like to transition off gas and go fully electric — from switching to induction cooking and a heat pump hot water system to upgrading her heating, sealing drafts and improving comfort.
This isn’t about doing everything at once. It’s about taking practical steps, one decision at a time, and learning from the experience along the way.
Rose’s experience shows that going all-electric can be achievable, comfortable, and deeply rewarding — for your home, your health, and the climate.To watch her story, click Paths to Degrowth series Degrowth Network Australia is presenting a series of three workshops on strategy to stimulate thinking and discussion among our local action groups. Degrowth is a movement that promotes a policy of reducing levels of production and consumption within an economy in order to conserve natural resources and minimise environmental damage. Focusing on the Degrowth movementDate: 7th AprilTime: 6-7pm Ted Trainer challenges us to consider if the Degrowth movement has become too academic or too broad in its goals. Degrowth by direct actionDate 16 April, Time 6-7 pm Tim Hollo explores the limitations of top-down politics as a pathway to a Degrowth future, and then proposes direct action as an alternative pathway. Bringing Degrowth into realityDate: 21st April, Time 6pm-7.30pm Anisa will give a brief summary of some of the main strategies to achieving degrowth, including what Ted and Tim have talked about. To make any sort of change we need people and we need groups, and we need them to function effectively. Given this, Anisa will talk about the skills and practices for groups and individuals to be effective for the long term; thinking strategically, resilience and motivation for the long haul, dealing constructively with conflict, and more. Paths to Degrowth Climate in the News  How much have our summers changed over three generations?
Major shifts to Earth’s climate usually unfold over thousands of years. Today, one can be
seen in just a single lifetime. In Melbourne, days over 42C have occurred as many times
since the year 2000 as they did in the 90 years before that.
During two major heatwaves in January, hospital admissions went up, major bushfires broke
out and big sporting events were suspended before giving way to major flooding from heavy
rain systems dumping months’ worth of water in days. Sixty-three all-time heat records were
broken over summer, according to the BOM, almost all in the space of just one week. What
we’re seeing now is the rate in which the climate is changing is faster than any part of our
Earth system can keep up with — our plants, our animals, our infrastructure, us.
“If you care about your grandkids, then you should care about climate change.” Australia’s climate in 2025 Bureau of Meteorology- Grim News from Cape Grim
Temperature
Australia’s fourth-warmest year since records began in 1910, annual average
temperature 1.23 °C above the 1961–1990 average.
The national average maximum temperature was 1.48 °C above average and
minimums 0.98 °C above average, and the eighth-warmest on record.
Oceans and Atmosphere
Sea surface temperatures for the Australian region were the warmest on record for
the second consecutive year, at 0.93 °C above the 1961–1990 average.
Concentrations of all the major long-lived greenhouse gases in the atmosphere
continued to increase. By December, the baseline concentration of carbon dioxide
(CO 2 ) at Kennaook / Cape Grim Tas reached 423.4 parts per million an increase from
421.4 in December 2024 (350 ppm CO2 is considered the safe limit to avoid long-
term, large-scale melting of polar ice sheets and major irreversible climate changes.)BOM Annual Report Too many cars, too much traffic: Spotlight on Car DependencyCar ownership rates in Australia have increased 48 per cent over the past four decades –
from 499 vehicles per 1000 people in 1985 to 740 per 1000 in 2025, analysis of federal
government data shows.
Victoria has 744 passenger vehicles (including utes and vans) per 1000 people, while NSW
is less car reliant, with 682.
RMIT University professor of urban policy Jago Dodson said Australian cities were some of
the most car-dependent in the world outside the United States. About 73 per cent of trips in
Melbourne are made by private vehicle – double the rate in London or Paris.
Cars and light commercial vehicle produce more than 10 per cent of Australia’s carbon
emissions, and Dodson said the country already needed to reduce private vehicle use to
reach its climate goals.
Car ownership levels also undermined efforts to build more and denser housing in major
cities, if every new apartment needed its own parking space, he said.
Climateworks Centre transport lead Helen Rowe said faster electric vehicle uptake was
critical to reducing emissions, but that needed to be accompanied by a significant investment
to replace some car trips with walking, cycling and public transport.
“If everyone is encouraged to just drive an EV, that isn’t solving some of the fundamental
issues about productivity and efficiency and livability in our city,” she said.
“Is it fair that some households need two to three cars to get around, and don’t have access
to any other options? How do you actually get people around without causing congestion?”
As part of its climate change strategy, the Victorian government wants to increase cycling
and walking from 18 per cent to 25 per cent of all trips by 2030, but does not have any public
targets for reducing car trips or increasing public transport use. 🌳 Biodiversity Working Group Update: We joined a recent bird survey of the Caulfield Racecourse Reserve by local group: Birdlife Bayside. They observed 32 species of birds in the space of just a couple of hours, which shows how rich the birdlife is at this special place. Birds seen included reed warblers, corellas, willy wagtails, wood ducks, flame robins, Australasian pipits and many more. Indigenous plantings at the Reserve have increased biodiversity. We are preparing to plant more indigenous shrubs and ground covers around the northern and southern lakes at the Racecourse Reserve from April onwards.If you’d like to join in on planting days please contact:Helen: hefischer01@gmail.com. GECAN Members, Join Glen Eira Advisory Groups: We are pleased that three GECAN members have been selected to be on the council’s Environmental Stewardship Advisory Committee.The Committee will work on: • Enhancing urban greenery and biodiversity.• Promoting healthy air and waterways.• Reducing Council and community emissions.• Reducing waste to landfill.• Actively engaging our community in Caring for Country and the natural environment. Our members look forward to working on and promoting environmental, biodiversity and climate actions, strategies, and policies over the next three years. 🌏 Our Mission: Grounded in Justice, Driven by Action: Accelerating emissions reduction and climate resilience, in Glen Eira and beyond, through inclusive, equitable action for a just, sustainable future.This mission reflects who we are, and who we need to be in this moment — a community-led group tackling the climate crisis at its roots, while ensuring that the transition is fair, inclusive, and grounded in justice. It recognises that climate action must go hand in hand with equity. As we face worsening climate impacts and deepening social inequalities, GECAN is committed to solutions that leave no one behind. Whether you’re helping neighbours electrify their homes, pushing Council to reduce emissions, restoring local biodiversity, or advocating for systemic change — you’re part of this vision. Let’s keep showing what people power can do. 💪 Want to Get Involved? Join a GECAN Working Group! If you’re ready to turn concern into action, our working groups are where the magic happens. They’re collaborative, community-led, and always open to new members — whether you’re an expert or just getting started. Here’s what we’re working on: ⚡ Electrify Glen EiraHelping households and the broader community understand the benefits of switching off gas and powering homes with clean energy.
Convener: Rose | Team: Tom, Rose, James, Belinda, Thess
Great for people who love practical solutions and public engagement! 📉 Emissions ReductionDriving deep emissions cuts in Glen Eira – no offsets, just real reductions. We hold Council accountable to its climate targets and push for more ambitious action.
Convener: Rick | Team: Helen, Rick, Simon
Perfect for policy-minded changemakers with a fire for systems change. 🐦 BiodiversityFighting for the protection and restoration of local ecosystems – from public parks to Caulfield Racecourse Reserve.
Convener: Helen | Team: Helen, Krystyna, Tam
Join us if you’re passionate about nature and place-based advocacy. 🍃 Sustainable LivingPromoting climate-friendly lifestyles, reducing plastic pollution, and building resilience in the face of climate impacts.
Convener: Barbara | Team: Barbara, Jason
Ideal for creative campaigners and everyday sustainability champions. 🧡 Want to learn more or join a group? Just hit reply to this email or talk to any of the conveners at our next meeting! |
