Fed: Rudd goes green at home, now wants govt to

AAP General News (Australia)
04-11-2007
Fed: Rudd goes green at home, now wants govt to

MELBOURNE, April 11 AAP - Prime ministerial aspirant Kevin Rudd is doing his bit for
the environment on the home front, but says he'd like to do more for the nation.

The Labor leader has introduced several environmentally-friendly measures at his Brisbane
home, including a rain-water tank.

"We've had a few problems with water and rainfall in Brisbane in recent times, and
so that's been installed some time ago," he told ABC Radio in Melbourne today.

Energy-saving light bulbs have been introduced, but an attempt to install solar panels
could not proceed as he was advised his house didn't get enough exposure to the sun.

Mr Rudd said would like to see the government do more for the environment, specifically
with its vast fleet of cars.

If elected prime minister this year, Mr Rudd said he would make all government cars
petrol-electric hybrids.

"Obviously when the opportunity presents itself into the future, if we form the government,
we're going to hybrid the lot," he said.

Mr Rudd said he drove a Ford Territory because he believed hybrid cars were not available
in the government purchase arrangements.

However, when Victorian Senator Lyn Allison's office called the radio station to advise
she drove a government-supplied hybrid car, Mr Rudd said he would switch.

"In terms of my next purchase I'll see if I can do that. I was unaware of that," he said.

Mr Rudd said Labor would also introduce a $500 million innovation fund to help Australian
car manufacturers develop Australian-built hybrid vehicles.

"There's no such initiative from (Prime Minister) Mr Howard," he said.

"So in terms of fixing this for the country, sure, we can all do more on the home front
.. I'm concerned about doing it for the nation as well."

AAP ce/gfr/jt/de

KEYWORD: CLIMATE RUDD

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