BORDER climate action activist Lizette Salmon had a direct message for six Victorian politicians on Thursday.
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The convenor of Wodonga and Albury Toward Climate Health told the members of a committee probing ways to tackle climate change to lead and be vocal on the issue.
"Now is the ideal time for politicians, including you, to speak up about the reality of climate change and about how the longer we procrastinate about reducing emissions the greater the cost to our economy," Ms Salmon said.
"We could be world leaders in renewable energy and the jobs it creates but we need your leadership."
Ms Salmon said the bulk of the committee had been mute in talking about climate change, based on scrutiny of Facebook posts and maiden parliamentary speeches.
Committee members at Thursday's hearing at Wangaratta's joint TAFE-university campus were Nationals member for Ovens Valley Tim McCurdy, Liberal MP David Morris (Mornington) and Labor quartet Danielle Green (Yan Yean), Paul Hamer (Box Hill), Darren Cheeseman (South Barwon) and Will Fowles (Burwood).
Ms Green responded to Ms Salmon's concern by saying "you should be assured we're all on board" and asked the WATCH boss if she had consulted hansard, the record of parliamentary speeches.
Ms Salmon said it had not been searched.
In ending her oral submission, Ms Salmon flagged four recommendations for the Victorian government.
They included setting new carbon reduction targets for 2025 and 2030, pushing for tougher air pollution standards nationally, extending the state's onshore gas moratorium beyond June and planning for an energy transition from coal, gas and oil.
The Lower House group will report to parliament by June 30 and the government will have six months to respond to recommendations.
It has had hearings in Gippsland, Ballarat, Bendigo, Geelong and Mooroopna.