Senator Scott Ludlam shows Greens proposal for Collie as renewable energy zone
Greens propose Collie as renewable energy zone Sept. 4, 2013,By By Mackenzie Dixon http://www.colliemail.com.au/story/1753791/greens-propose-collie-as-renewable-energy-zone/?cs=1191 Sept. 4, 2013 GREENS Senator for Western Australia Scott Ludlam was in Collie Monday to give a presentation on the Greens proposal to turn Collie into a renewable energy zone….. Mr Ludlam was joined by representatives from research organisation Sustainable Energy Now to outline the Greens Energy 2029 plan, which looks to making WA a 100 per cent renewable energy state.
“I do hope this brings a conversation about a transition to a form of economic development that’s not premised on depleting non-renewable resources” said Sen. Ludlam during his presentation.
“We’ve struggled in past decades with four key problems to getting renewable energy up and running – the cost associated, the risk of investment, network access and the fact that it’s not always on when you need it.
“But those things are becoming less problematic, the cost is lowering, there’s specific entities who invest in renewable energy, priorities are changing when it comes to allowing access to the network and we are making leaps and bounds when it comes to energy being there when you need it.
“We also recognise that Collie has good sun and wind energy resources, and if deployed in Collie under one of the scenarios we propose, these other forms of energy generation would each create hundreds more local, highly skilled jobs.”
Western Australia’s South West could prosper as renewable energy hub- Greens candidate
The South West could be a flagship region for renewable energy ABC South West WA By Sharon Kennedy and David Bone, 5 September, 2013 Greens candidate Gordon Taylor is passionate about achieving 100 per cent renewable energy generation “…… he is passionate about renewable energy. “There is potential for this area of the South West to be a flagship zone,” he says.
Environment
On the question of one of the region’s traditional industries, timber, he again sees the need for plantations and other renewables. “I think in the long term, because of the gradual decline of our forests, there has to be a point where we move in other directions – we create employment in other ways – hopefully through renewable energies.” A Greens presence in the Senate will help to keep a balance, says Mr Taylor. Voters have the option of voting for a major party in the Lower House but casting 1 for Scott Ludlum in the Senate to “keep that green edge in the parliament which is so needed now”……abc.net.au/local/stories/2013/09/05/3842164.htm?site=southwestwawww
Liberal Coalition makes big cuts to its already inadequate climate action plan
Coalition climate policies take $320m hit http://www.theage.com.au/federal-politics/federal-election-2013/coalition-climate-policies-take-320m-hit-20130905-2t82a.html#ixzz2e96fsfiL September 6, 2013 Tom Arup Environment editor, The Age The Coalition has cut $320 million from its direct action climate policy, halving rooftop rebates for households and cutting spending on geothermal and tidal power.The changes came amid a sweep of cuts to clean energy and climate change programs in the Coalition’s costings released by Shadow Treasurer Joe Hockey on Thursday.
But Coalition climate action spokesman Greg Hunt confirmed the rebate on offer would now be $500. That means spending on the solar scheme will be $50 million a year, rather than $100 million. Mr Hunt said the reduction was the result of dramatic decreases in the cost of solar systems in recent years. He said priority would now be given to solar hot water and low income households.
In other changes:
- The Coalition has also scrapped $50 million over four years in planned funding to support the development of geothermal and tidal power.
- $60 million in spending on clean energy employment hubs has been scrapped, with Mr Hunt instead saying it had been replaced with $9 million in funding for the National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility at Griffith University.
- $100 million for a solar towns and schools program will be stretched over six years, rather than four.
With other changes all up direct action will now cost $2.88 billion over the first four years, rather than the originally budgeted $3.2 billion. The costings confirm the Coalition’s long-stated plans to axe the carbon price, which will end up costing it $6 billion to do so as a result of foregone revenue.
Amid the savings it claims is $1.46 billion from abolishing “other carbon tax measure no longer needed.” That is understood to include a cut to the Australian Renewable Energy Agency and savings for closing the Clean Energy Finance Corporation. But the Coalition is yet to detail the exact cuts. Other savings include suspending a program to connect renewables to the electricity grid, saving $185 million. The national low emissions coal initiative will have $42 million in funding reduced, while the national CO2 infrastructure plan will be suspendend, saving $13 million.
It will also “redirect” $349 million in spending on the carbon capture and storage flagships.
Australia’s Liberal Coalition sets out plans to destroy renewable energy development
Coalition ‘No Friend Of Renewable Energy’ http://www.energymatters.com.au/index.php?main_page=news_article&article_id=3928 6 Sept 13 100% Renewable has come out swinging after recently released Coalition budget costings revealed what it says is ‘a dark and dirty energy future’ for Australia.
According to the group, the costings show not only does the Coalition intend on shutting down the Clean Energy Finance Corporation; but they would also slash their “One Million Solar Roofs” rebate by half and make the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) responsible for delivery of the program. This would lead to a reduction of funding and resources available to ARENA to execute other projects.
National Director of 100% Renewable, Lindsay Soutar, has reminded the Coalition there are over 1 million solar households in Australia and millions of solar-supporting voters. “Today’s announcement is clearly a capitulation to the big power companies who don’t want to see Australia take advantage of our abundant renewable energy resources. It will mean less innovation, less new jobs, and less small, medium and large scale solar projects.”
“By cutting funding to the only remaining clean energy funding body, the Coalition is again revealing it is no friend of renewable energy.”
Ms. Soutar also took exception to the Coalition’s Policy for Resources and Energy (PDF); which she says doesn’t mention the words ‘solar’ or ‘renewable’ even once.
What the Policy does mention frequently and favourably is fossil fuel. RenewEconomy’s Giles Parkinson reports the document promises to “focus on restoring coal-fired power stations to profitability, boost exploration for oil and gas, and to produce another ‘white paper’ on energy.”
Where renewable energy related technology does get a mention; it isn’t positive – the Coalition promises yet another investigation into the health impacts of wind farms; even though so-called Wind Turbine Syndrome has been thoroughly debunked.
“Australians want more renewables,” says Ms. Soutar, “but this announcement again shows that the Coalition is out of touch with ordinary Australian’s vision for a wind and solar powered future.”
The role of Bob Carr, Australia’s Foreign Minister, in NOT helping Julian Assange
Mr Assange is the lead WikiLeaks Party candidate for a Senate seat in Victoria. Since June, 2012, he has resided at Ecuador’s London embassy where he was granted political asylum on the grounds that he is at risk of extradition to the US.
Carr accused of meddling in Assange case http://www.watoday.com.au/federal-politics/federal-election-2013/carr-accused-of-meddling-in-assange-case-20130905-2t847.html#ixzz2e8ycDLrt September 6, 2013 Philip Dorling Australian diplomats in Washington immediately stopped reporting to Canberra on the trial of WikiLeaks source Chelsea Manning, formerly known as Bradley Manning, after Foreign Minister Bob Carr declared he would not allow ”over-servicing” of Julian Assange’s consular case.
Australian diplomatic cables released under freedom of information law reveal that the Australian embassy in Washington reported on the first two days of US Army Private Manning’s two-month trial, which began on June 3, and highlighted numerous references to Mr Assange, who has been targeted by US law enforcement and intelligence agencies in a long-running espionage investigation.
However, a response by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade to a freedom of information application by Fairfax Media shows that the Washington embassy stopped reporting on the Manning trial after Senator Carr told a Senate estimates hearing on June 6 that the WikiLeaks publisher’s case ”doesn’t affect Australian interests”. Continue reading
Even if Abbott wins, he will find it hard to destroy renewable energy in Australia
Not all doom and gloom for renewables under Coalition REneweconomy, By Stephen Webb on 5 September 2013 Renewable energy has its neck on the guillotine with Messrs Hunt and Hockey holding the blade up with rope, awaiting a nod from the Australian Electoral Commission that they can let go. At least, that’s the impression the electorate might be receiving: carbon price (tax) – gone, CEFC – gone, Clean Technology Program – gone, Climate Change Authority – gone, with as yet unspecified cuts to ARENA as well. In all, $9.1 billion (less according to Labor) in climate change and renewable energy expenditure-related savings.
However, even assuming that the Coalition are able to get these changes through the Senate and pierce former PM Gillard’s “Abbott Proof Fence”, all is not doom and gloom. The Renewable Energy Target (RET) is King and domestic and international developers are not abandoning Australia like some may think. Continue reading
Speak out against wind power – urges Gina Rinehart, Australia’s richest woman
Rinehart calls for action against wind power BY:SARAH-JANE TASKER The Australian September 06, 2013 AUSTRALIA’S richest woman — Gina Rinehart — has urged people to speak out against wind power and for the country to address its debt by getting non-violent prisoners to pay to avoid jail and for governments to sell their art and decor.
Ms Rinehart, in her latest article in Australian Resources and Investment magazine, used a conversation she had with a Dutch cab driver to lead her argument about concerns around the use of renewable energy……http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/rinehart-calls-for-action-against-wind-power/story-e6frg6nf-1226712611162
National pressure growing in Australia against Muckaty radioactive waste plan
Dump under the pump: Pressure grows against Muckaty radioactive waste plan. Territory trade unions, medicos and environmentalists have been joined by their national counterparts in a call to end a planned radioactive waste dump in the NT.
The groups have placed an advertisement (attached) in the Tennant and District Times today to highlight their concerns over federal plans to dump radioactive waste on Aboriginal land at Muckaty, north of Tennant Creek and their commitment to continuing campaigning on the dump plan after this Saturday’s federal election.If elected, Tony Abbott will find it hard to dismantle Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC)
Greens find clean energy sticking point SMH, September 4, 2013 Paul Osborne, AAP Senior Political Writer A federal coalition government won’t be able to immediately stop clean energy grants being paid out without amending legislation, the Australian Greens say. Opposition Leader Tony Abbott has said if the coalition wins the election on Saturday it will order the Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) to stop paying out grants and then abolish the $10 billion fund.
But Greens Leader Christine Milne has received advice from the Clerk of the Senate showing Mr Abbott and finance spokesman Andrew Rodd can’t stop the corporation carrying out its work without the parliament amending legislation. “Mr Abbott and Mr Robb are arrogantly assuming they can usurp the role of the parliament to direct the CEFC to halt its legislative function. They can’t,” Senator Milne told the National Press Club.
“Only the parliament can repeal the carbon price and only the parliament can stop the roll out of renewable energy by the CEFC.” She said that was why voters should support the Greens on election day.
“We will protect the environment, address global warming and continue Australia’s path to a clean energy economy,” she said in Canberra on Wednesday. Senate clerk Rosemary Laing said in her written advice a minister could decline to authorise payments to the CEFC “and so starve them of funds”.
“However, a minister who declined to carry out a statutory function … contrary to the will of the parliament, would risk serious legal consequences, in addition to any legal action that could arise if lack of funding led to defaulting on specific contracts,” she wrote.
“It seems unlikely, in my view, that any government would contemplate such a course of action……. http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/greens-find-c
Warren Mundine – Tony Abbott’s Unelected Aboriginal Man for Australia
many Aboriginal people in the NT remain unconvinced of the elegance, and legitimacy of Mundine’s manifesto.
Maurie Ryan, Chair of the NT’s Central Land Council questions the LNP’s anointment of Mundine as head of the Indigenous Advisory Council.
The members of the [Central] Land Council find it unacceptable that policy affecting them may be dictated by somebody who doesn’t understand the issues affecting them. Unfortunately Mr Mundine seems to be unaware of the significant changes made in recent years and he needs to update his knowledge of the current situation in the Northern Territory
Abbott wins the election on this Saturday, Warren Mundine will most likely become the most powerful Aboriginal person in the country. He will lead the Abbott’s Indigenous Advisory Council, an as yet vague entity that will be unelected and, in the minds of many, an unrepresentative body providing Abbott with high-level policy advice in his “Prime Minister for Indigenous Affairs” morph.Australian wind power a record in August
August A Record Month For Aussie Wind Power by Energy Matters, 5 Sept 13 South Australia, Victoria, Tasmania and New South Wales all broke records for wind power generation during August.
Helped along by blustery conditions during the week beginning August 11; the amount of power generated during the month was enough to power 155,000 homes for an entire year says the Clean Energy Council (CEC).
In South Australia, wind power provided just under 40 percent of the state’s electricity needs for the entire month.
“South Australia’s wind farms produced the lion’s share of the country’s wind power in August, but the new Macarthur Wind Farm in western Victoria is the largest in the Southern Hemisphere and provided a huge clean energy boost,” said CEC Policy Director Russell Marsh.
“These recent statistics add to results published by the Australian Energy Market Operator last week which showed that more than a quarter of South Australia’s power came from wind power over the last financial year.”…… http://www.energymatters.com.au/index.php?main_page=news_article&article_id=3925
Australia’s inevitable path away from fossil fuels investment
Dim future for coal as renewables rise, research finds SMH, September 4, 2013 Peter Hannam Carbon economy editor, Australia’s energy industry is on an inevitable path away from fossil fuels and further investment in the sector, particularly in coal, would be very risky, according to research by UNSW.
New analysis comparing the likely costs of pursuing 100 per cent renewable energy for the power sector by 2030 against a range of coal and gas options found a shift to commercially available clean energy would be cost-effective and relatively low-risk.
The tragedy is that superannuation and other funds have invested in this industry
The research assumptions included a price on carbon emissions of at least $56 per tonne by 2030, as modelled by the Australian Treasury, and estimated a range of costs for capturing and storing emissions from coal or gas-fired power plants underground………
“We think that whatever the year-to-year politics in Australia, in the long run there will be quite high prices for carbon around the world inevitably,” Professor Diesendorf said.
The research builds on earlier work, including from the Australian Energy Market Operator, which found Australia could shift towards 100 per cent renewable energy for its power sector for a similar cost of using fossil fuels without undermining reliability.
The modelling assumed wind would provide about 46 per cent of energy to the power sector, with concentrated solar thermal power 21 per cent, solar photovoltaics 20 per cent, and the remainder sourced from biofuels and hydropower. The risks of sticking with fossil fuels included being tied to nascent carbon capture and storage technology and being exposed to gas prices that are expected to rise steeply in the future.
“There is no need to invest in new, expensive, unproven, high-risk, fossil-fuel technologies,” Professor Diesendorf said……..
UNSW’s Professor Diesendorf predicted further investments in the coal industry would be risky as the local and international economy faces up to a more carbon-constrained future.
“A lot of that could be dramatically stranded assets in the future,” he said. “The tragedy is that superannuation and other funds have invested in this industry.”
Indigenous Land Under Attack through ILUA Indigenous Land Use Agreement
Australia: ILUA Indigenous Land Use Agreement Equals Indigenous Land Under Attack http://indigenouspeoplesissues.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=17864:australia-ilua-indigenous-land-use-agreement-equals-indigenous-land-under-attack&catid=24&Itemid=57 Native Title lawyers and anthropologists are deceiving claimants of their true Native Title rights and interests Michael Anderson said from Goodooga on July 2:2013
Australia’s election September 7 – nuclear power, uranium, and climate change
How do the parties stack up on nuclear power and uranium mining, uranium enrichment,, nuclear wastes?
How do they stack up on climate change?
Australian Greens will stand firm in the Senate – for carbon pricing, action on climate change
Christine Milne warns Greens must retain balance of power in Senate to block repeal of carbon tax ABC By Monique Ross 4 Sept 13, Greens leader Christine Milne has warned voters that unless her party retains the balance of power in the Senate, Tony Abbott may have free rein to “tear down carbon pricing mechanisms”.
The Opposition Leader has today reaffirmed his commitment to repealing the carbon price in favour of his Direct Action policy if he is elected to the top job. While Labor MPs have said they would block the move, Mr Abbott says that would be political suicide, and has repeatedly threatened to call a double dissolution election on the issue.
Senator Milne says the Greens are needed in the Senate to “stand firm against Tony Abbott” for the sake of the global environment. “If Tony Abbott has effective control of both houses, then he will be able to do as he likes,” she told ABC News 24’s Capital Hill.
“He will be able to tear down the carbon pricing mechanisms. He will be able to get rid of the Clean Energy Finance Corporation. Who knows what he would do to the environment.
“It is critical that the people who actually believe the science, who want this to be evidence-based policy, are there to argue it because Tony Abbott doesn’t believe in evidence-based policy. He thinks climate change is crap.”
Senator Milne rounded on Mr Abbott’s concession that his policy may not succeed in reaching Australia’s target of cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 5 per cent by 2020. “He has been able to get off the hook here. Nobody has really unpacked his Direct Action farce,” she said.
“Is he walking away from his 5 per cent reduction target? Greg Hunt says they’re not and Tony Abbott says they are.”
She did not let the Government off the hook either, saying that Greens Senators are needed to “keep Labor on track”.
“We will never support reducing action on climate change and as long as we’re there in balance of power, we will be able to shame Labor into standing up and holding the line,” she said.
“Otherwise who knows where they would go on this either.”
Earlier, Labor figures including Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and Environment Minister Mark Butler said the party would not give in to Mr Abbott’s push to repeal the carbon tax.
“Carbon pricing is fundamental to how you deal with climate change,” Mr Rudd said.
“Any alternative response to that is just intellectually dishonest.” http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-09-03/milne-says-greens-senators-vital-to-carbon-tax-future/4932712
1 This month
17 October, Free Public Talk on Nuclear Issues in South Australia
David Noonan will speak on public interest concerns over the new Roxby Downs Indenture Act 2026 on BHP copper-uranium mining and ore processing in SA, and on how AUKUS may face SA with a High-Level nuclear waste agenda.
Dr Jim Green will discuss international developments in the field of nuclear power including ‘small modular reactors’ and Generation 4 ‘advanced’ nuclear reactor concepts.
Help Aunty Sue Protect Her Land and Sacred Sites From Destructive Rocket Testing.
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Australians deserve the truth
about
AUKUS – https://aukuspublicinquiry.com/
PETITION – To: Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and the Australian Labor Government
of the week – Australians for War Powers Reform (AWPR)
To see nuclear-related stories in greater depth and intensity
