Labor claims Coalition’s proposed native title changes breach deal deal struck between major parties
Coalition’s proposed native title changes a breach of deal struck between major parties, Labor claims, ABC News, 2 Apr 17 By political reporter Dan Conifer Federal Labor has accused the Coalition of bungling native title changes and breaching a deal struck between the major parties.
The Coalition moved to amend the Native Title Act in February soon after a court scuttled a multi-million-dollar deal between the West Australian Government and traditional owners.
The Federal Court rejected the Indigenous Land Use Agreement (ILUA) between the parties because it was not signed by all native title claimants.
Until February’s court decision, ILUAs could be made without the support of all native title applicants.
The court ruling overturned years of established law, throwing doubt over current and future agreements nationwide.
“It is once again clear that these new amendments have not been subjected to any form of consultation with legal experts, Indigenous Australians or industry.
“The repeated breaches of faith by your Attorney-General in this matter, and the clear unwillingness of your Government to properly consult on the significant issues at hand, have meant that Labor remains concerned about some aspects of the bill.”
The correspondence was also signed by shadow attorney-general Mark Dreyfus and shadow assistant minister for Indigenous affairs Pat Dodson.
The letter said Labor wanted the Senate committee’s recommendations enacted “as quickly as possible” and offered to work with the Coalition over coming weeks……..
The amendments have not been debated in the Senate.
Parliament next sits in May. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-04-02/native-title-proposal-by-coalition-breaches-deal-labor-says/8407964
The Coalition and Labor agreed on the need to amend the legislation to reverse the effect of the recent court decision, allowing at least 126 ILUAs already proposed or registered to continue with as few as one claimant.
But the Opposition claims Attorney-General George Brandis has proposed changes that go beyond what the major parties agreed during a Senate committee process.
Shorten ‘uncomfortable’ with Government handling of issue In a letter to Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull on Friday, Opposition Leader Bill Shorten accused the Government of “repeated breaches of faith”.
“These amendments failed to deliver on the prior agreement and were again defective in a number of respects,” the letter said.
Labor supports emissions scheme to reach 50% renewable energy goal
Labor to drop renewable energy target in favour of emissions scheme
RET will come to a natural end as emissions intensity scheme can reach goal of 50% renewable energy by 2030, says Andrew Leigh , Guardian, Paul Karp, 2 Apr 17, Labor will abandon the renewable energy target after 2020 because an emissions intensity scheme will be sufficient to reach the goal of 50% renewable energy by 2030, Andrew Leigh has said.
On Sky News on Sunday the shadow assistant treasurer firmed the opposition’s plan to reach the 50% goal without a hard target in comments that appeared to rule out extending the existing renewable energy target (RET).
“We’ve committed to getting 50% renewables but the mechanism that we’ve used in the past has been a renewable energy target. That comes to an end and we believe an [emissions intensity scheme] EIS can take us to the point of having 50% renewables … without the RET,” Leigh said.
Asked to confirm that meant Labor would not support the RET when it expired in 2020, Leigh responded: “We believe that the emissions intensity scheme does that job … without a RET.”……..
Pressure has been mounting on the Finkel review to recommend a market mechanism. A string of peak bodies have already called for market mechanisms, including the National Farmers’ Federation, the Investor Group on Climate Change and the Business Council of Australia, which explicitly called for an EIS.
Leigh noted that an EIS was supported by experts across the field, including the Business Council of Australia and many energy regulators. He noted renewables account for the majority of new investment in electricity generation in the last decade.
“One of the government’s favourite backers, Bjørn Lomborg, not somebody Labor would usually support, says that every $1 invested in renewables gives you a pay back of $11.”
Leigh said that Nick Xenophon, who abandoned his demand for an EIS in return for support for company tax cuts in favour of a payment to pensioners and a number of energy measures, had been “sold a pup”.
The measures include fast-tracking a solar-thermal plant in South Australia already promised, a study of a gas pipeline connecting the state with the Northern Territory, and a new national energy policy………https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2017/apr/02/labor-to-drop-renewable-energy-target-in-favour-of-eis
BHP Billiton moves to terminate homicide indictments
Matthew Stevens, 2 Apr 17
BHP Billiton has aggressively opened the formal legal defence of the eight present and former executives and managers charged with qualified homicide in the wake of the Samarco tailings dam disaster. (subscribers only)
http://www.afr.com/business/mining/bhp-billiton-moves-to-terminate-homicide-indictments-20170331-gvb4sz
1 This month
of the week – Disrupting War & Militarism in Oceania. Active solidarity. Radical practice.
Antinuclear 