Latrobe City ratepayers should be outraged at another level of subsidy for the coal industry that they are paying, says Greens candidate for the Gippsland by-election, Dr Malcolm McKelvie.

 "When Jeff Kennett privatised the power industry he granted them a 5 year stay on paying the local government rates - the same situation that existed for SECV. For some reason this moratorium has been extended by the State Government ever since. As a result Latrobe City Council is missing out on around $10 million every year.

Recent studies have shown that protecting native forests will be critical to offset the burning of coal. The Greens candidate for Gippsland, Dr Malcolm McKelvie has asked all candidates and voters to think about Gippsland's two big industries that are worsening climate change.

Greens candidate Dr Malcolm McKelvie is calling for sanity after a new coal production plant for the Latrobe valley was announced yesterday.

"This is a completely crazy idea," Dr McKelvie said “we are trying to reduce carbon pollution, not increase it.”