Carbon pricing: position of Liberal Coalition, Labor, and Greens
AUDIO: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-09-03/is-carbon-pricing-key-or-ripe-for-abolition/4932722 Is carbon pricing key or ripe for abolition? ABC radio, 3 Sep 2013″………MARK COLVIN: Fourteen-and-a-half million people are eligible to vote this Saturday and already, more than one and a half million of them have had their say, either through pre-poll booths or postal votes.
If the Coalition wins, Tony Abbott says he’ll have a mandate to abolish the carbon tax, and that Labor should recognise that. And he 
isn’t ruling out a double dissolution on it. But the Climate Change Minister Mark Butler says Labor won’t cave in, and the Prime Minister Kevin Rudd says pricing carbon is fundamental to dealing with climate change.
Chief political correspondent Sabra Lane…….
KEVIN RUDD: If every government took that position that he has taken, what’s the net consequence? The net consequence is that all governments would walk away from hard action on this, the planet would continue to endure global warming, and as a result, we’d provide a very uncertain future for our kids.
I think the contrast is very clear and reflects poor judgement.
SABRA LANE: He later accused Mr Abbott of walking away from the bipartisan commitment to cut CO2 emissions.
KEVIN RUDD: He’s not fair dinkum about climate change, and when yesterday he made it very explicit that he was walking away from his 5 per cent commitment if his so-called Direct Action farce did not work, then that says everything to everybody out there who follows these debates with any degree of closeness.
SABRA LANE: Tony Abbott’s often couched this election as a referendum on the carbon tax, saying if the Coalition wins he’ll consider it a mandate to scrap the tax.
But on RN (Radio National), the Climate Change Minister Mark Butler dismissed talk of mandates……..
KEVIN RUDD: Carbon pricing is fundamental to how you deal with climate change. Any alternative response to that is just intellectually dishonest…….
The Greens, meanwhile, are arguing for the status quo in the Senate. Its leader, Senator Christine Milne:
CHRISTINE MILNE: And Tony Abbott has now become so arrogant that he is assuming that he’s already got The Lodge. What he’s now coming after this week is control of the Senate as well, absolute power and control of both Houses of Parliament and the Liberal Party advertising is going in that direction.
And that’s why the Greens are standing firm saying if you don’t want Tony Abbott to have absolute power, then vote for The Greens in the Senate.
Tony Abbott abandons climate change action
As the world warms, Abbott goes backwards The Age 4 Sept 13, Like the anectodal frogs in a gradually heated pot of water, our would-be leaders seem inured to climate change. While the major economic blocs are moving to tougher carbon pricing regimes to cut planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions, Australia’s contenders for government have shown little urgency on this issue during the federal election campaign.
Coalition leader Tony Abbott has just walked away from a long-term, albeit modest, bipartisan commitment to a 5 per
cent reduction in the nation’s emissions from 2000 levels by 2020. He now promises only ”as much emission reduction as we can for the spending that we’ve budgeted”. That is not nearly enough, according to several independent analyses of the Coalition’s ”Direct Action” policy of taxpayer-funded payments to primary producers and industry to cut emissions.
Mr Abbott has shed any pretence that he sees emission cuts as a priority. Good governments, though, heed expert advice, and the advice from the Australian Bureau of Meteorology, the CSIRO, the World Meteorological Organisation and national scientific and climate research agencies around the world is clear…….
Draw the line in the Senate Very few people know this, but legally you can vote both ways on the Senate ballot paper. In other words, instead of completing either option, voters can do both: the short-cut above-line and the more time-consuming below-line procedure. Below takes precedence, but if the vote is informal the above-line option comes into play.
Call to Greg Bickley, Liberal for Bendigo: are you a climate change denialist?
A real local would commit to renewable energy http://www.bendigoadvertiser.com.au/story/1751662/a-real-local-would-commit-to-renewable-energy/?cs=79 By Ivan Kitt, Bendigo Sept. 4, 2013,
I would like to ask Greg Bickley if he actually believes that climate change is happening, or is he a sceptic like Tony Abbott and the majority of the Coalition?
Also, does he support the need for renewable energy?
This state once supported wind farms under the previous Labor government, but under Ted Baillieu this project was scrapped, and even with the recycling of Dennis Napthine he hasn’t made any substantial announcements on climate change or renewable energy, although I believe he has agreed to establishing them in his electorate.
If you consider yourself a local Mr Bickley then you should answer yes to these questions.
Because if you don’t then you are not fair dinkum in your promises to create jobs, ease unemployment, improve the economy and support the local community these project would cover all those areas.
And it would appear that you will be a puppet on a string following the party lines and you wouldn’t be a strong voice for the community, whereas Lisa Chesters has already aired her disapproval to the asylum set-up proposed by Labor.
It would be a case of Bendigo being short-changed again by the Coalition.
Top Aboriginal body scathing about Abbott, and not keen on Labor, either
Peak Aboriginal organisation lashes Abbott and ticks off Labor BY:PATRICIA KARVELAS From:The Australian September 04, 2013 THE peak body representing Aborigines has criticised Tony Abbott for his lack of commitment to the organisation and failure to acknowledge the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, in an evaluation of the major parties that was sent to its members.
The National Congress of Australia’s First Peoples questioned the major parties on their commitment to advancing the interests of Aborigines.
It says the ALP supported the UN declaration in April 2009, and in 2010 gave moral and financial support for the establishment of the congress, but “regrettably the ALP has yet to address the declaration to any meaningful extent”.
The congress said it was not aware of the Coalition having made any official announcements on the UN declaration or the rights of first peoples.
“The Coalition has not expressed support for representation and decision-making,” it said.
It noted that the Opposition Leader had instead made commitments to manage indigenous affairs from the portfolio of prime minister and cabinet, and to establish an indigenous advisory council headed by Warren Mundine. Continue reading
Liberal candidate for Hume, Angus Taylor, tipped to fight against renewable energy
Controversial wind farm gets clean bill of health SMH, September 3, 2013 Peter Hannam “……….Opposition hopes Lyn Jarvis, a member of the Bodangora Wind Turbine Awareness Group, said her community group remains opposed to the wind farm despite the NSW Health and Planning Assessment Commission’s findings.
Ms Jarvis said the commission had ignored an independent noise assessment by Steven Cooper, an acoustics technician that found the wind turbines would be harmful.
“It’s fallen on deaf ears,” she said. “We had 94 per cent of the submissions against the development.”
The group is pinning its hopes on the election of Liberal candidate for Hume, Angus Taylor, to help lead a pushback against renewable energy, particularly wind farms.
“Hopefully, he will pull the renewable energy credits and it won’t get built – or any wind farms won’t get built in inappropriate places,” Ms Jarvis said. http://www.smh.com.au/business/carbon-economy/controversial-wind-farm-gets-clean-bill-of-health-20130903-2t1u2.html#ixzz2dxXonk7R
Solar farm in ACT will be up and running in 2014, funding secured
Royalla Solar Farm Secures Cash http://www.energymatters.com.au/index.php?main_page=news_article&article_id=3923 4 Sept 13 The parties involved with the ACT’s Royalla Solar Farm have secured financial backing via ANZ and National Australia Bank.
The FRV Royalla Solar Farm will be constructed 23 kilometres south of Canberra’s centre. Approximately 83,000 solar panels at the facility will generate enough electricity to supply the power needs of around 4,500 homes.
Clean Energy Council Chief Executive David Green has congratulated the companies involved with securing the backing.
“The financial backing is obviously welcome news for both FRV (Fotowatio Renewable Ventures) and Acciona who are working together to deliver the project,” he said. “The ACT Government’s Solar Auction has been a game-changer in supporting this new form of renewable energy at the lowest cost to consumers.”
Construction of the plant is due to be completed in 2014. Continue reading
Research shows Australia’s record heat linked to human activity
Humans behind record Australian heat, research shows (good graphs) SMH September 3, 2013 David Karoly and Sophie Lewis It’s official, the past 12 months have been the hottest in Australia for more than a hundred years.
Temperatures averaged across Australia between September 2012 and August 2013 were hotter than any year since good records began in 1910. The previous record was held by the 12-month period from February 2005 to January 2006.
The new record follows a suite of broken records following last year’s “angry summer”, including the hottest summer since records began. New weather records are being set all the time. Sometimes these are record cold temperatures, but more often in recent times these have been record hot temperatures. A common question is what is the human role, if any, in these records compared with natural variations of weather and climate?
The link between global warming and human causes has been firmly established over the last two decades. Continue reading
New South Wales Health and Planning Commission find wind farm no risk to health
Controversial wind farm gets clean bill of health SMH, September 3, 2013 Peter Hannam Carbon economy editor A controversial $200 million wind farm that divided a local community and drew opposition from a nearby maximum security jail has secured planning approval to proceed.
Infigen Energy’s 33 turbine wind farm planned for Bodangora, near Dubbo in central NSW, was approved by the state’s Planning Assessment Commission late last week with the ruling only made public on Monday.
In a potential setback to opposition at other proposed wind farm sites, the commission dismissed community concerns that noise from the turbines would affect their health. The commission said NSW Health “was very clear in its advice” that “there is no published scientific evidence to link wind turbines with adverse health effects”.
The commission’s findings are “an important precedent” for the state, said Simon Chapman, a professor of public health at the University of Sydney. They add to almost 20 other official reports, such as from the Victorian government in May, that examined wind farms and health, he said.
“All of them are consistent in saying that there is no good evidence that wind turbines directly cause health effects,” Professor Chapman said. The NSW government has been considering draft guidelines for wind farms for about two years, including rules for a two-kilometre setback. Such a range is applied in Victoria and claimed by the wind energy industry to be among the toughest anywhere.
Frank Boland, Infigen’s senior development manager for the 100-megawatt project, welcomed the commission’s ruling for the Bodangora site.
“It not only gives us comfort but also should give comfort to anyone who did have health concerns about the project,” Mr Boland said. “We don’t see any causal link between wind turbines and health, full stop.”
The NSW Health statement “is relevant to other states as well”, Mr Boland said, adding that its ruling could help secure planning approval for a similar-sized wind farm planned by Infigen at Flyers Creek, south of Orange, and for projects elsewhere…….. http://www.smh.com.au/business/carbon-economy/controversial-wind-farm-gets-clean-bill-of-health-20130903-2t1u2.html#ixzz2dxXonk7R
Australian Greens the only party to stand up and speak out for climate action
Greens say climate change being ignored http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/breaking-news/greens-say-climate-change-being-ignored/story-fni0xqi4-1226708983674 AAP SEPTEMBER 02, 2013
THE Australian Greens say the issue of climate change has been sidelined in the federal election campaign.
The Greens’ Sydney candidate Dianne Hiles says it’s shameful how little exposure climate has had during the campaign. “It’s the elephant in the room,” Ms Hiles told AAP. “It’s so big and it’s getting so little air time.
“My concern is that we’ve just had the hottest year on record – these sort of extreme events aren’t going to go away.”The Greens are the only party prepared to stand up to Big Coal and Big Gas and stop them undermining the future viability of this country.”
Greens NSW Senate candidate Cate Faehrmann urged voters to think about the world they would be leaving their children and grandchildren.
Tony Abbott’s reputation in question, over his climate policy that won’t work
Emissions shortfall a risk to reputation : http://www.theage.com.au/federal-politics/federal-election-2013/emissions-shortfall-a-risk-to-reputation-20130902-2t165.html#ixzz2dsy1XQ51 September 3, 2013 Tom Arup Environment editor, The Age Amid its bitter campaign against the carbon price the Coalition has maintained one significant foundation – ”we may hate the method, but we will achieve the same outcome”.
That outcome is at least a 5 per cent cut to emissions by decade’s end on 2000 levels, and more ambitious reductions if the world takes actions to curb climate change. These targets have enjoyed bipartisan support for about five years.
Abbott told the audience the Coalition would not increase its spending on cutting carbon dioxide under direct action, even if its efforts were going to fall short of what is needed to meet the 2020 target. ”The bottom line is we will spend as much as we have budgeted, no more and no less. We will get as much environmental improvement, as much emissions reduction as we can for the spending that we’ve budgeted,” he said.
That budget is $3.2 billion over the next four years. Out of that, $2.55 billion will be spent paying industry and farmers to carry out projects to reduce emissions, the rest on planting trees and installing more rooftop solar. Abbott said he was confident the Coalition would meet the 5 per cent cut with the money on offer. But several independent economic modelling studies dispute this.
One, commissioned by the Climate Institute, found the Coalition was $4 billion short and direct action could instead see emissions rise 9 per cent above 2000 levels instead of 5 below. The assumptions made in Climate Institute modelling were kind to the Coalition.
Other work has found larger holes. Voters have to take Abbott on faith that what is on the table is enough to meet our emissions commitments. And at this stage there is little to support his claim. Australia’s emissions per person are some of the highest in the developed world. And we have pledged to the international community we will make inroads on our contribution to the pollution problem warming our planet. If we do not – and fall short of our promises – we discredit ourselves as a global citizen.
Tony Abbott’s subservience to climate denialists might be his undoing
The conversation on global warming has been stalled because a shrinking group of denialists fly into a rage when it’s mentioned. It’s like a family with an alcoholic father who flies into a rage every time a subject is mentioned and so everybody avoids the elephant in the room to keep the peace.For any political leader unwilling to exercise leadership on the issue, trying to respond to climate change leaves them uncertain which way to turn. Continue reading
Glut of uranium to continue – market forecast is dire, especially for Paladin
Japan’s nuclear energy intentions are the swing factor at present. … if Japan does not start turning back on more reactors, Japanese uranium stockpiles will continue to hit the market to pay for increased fossil fuel imports. Nor is it helping at present that the US is also talking about turning off reactors.
Meanwhile, traders and speculators stuck with material and producers suffering cash flow problems are ever more desperate to offload material.
No rush to buy uranium, 9 News Finance by FN Arena 2 Sept 13, The spot market for uranium was never of much interest until the big surge took prices up well over US$100/lb in 2006. In that era, legacy contract obligations at much lower prices impacted on the earnings potential of the large and long-established players, such as Energy Resources of Australia in Australian terms, while new kids on the block, such as Paladin Energy relished the opportunity to secure contracts at more spot-aligned pricing.
Fast forward to the post-Fukushima era of 2013 and the tables have turned. Those noughties contract obligations have largely run off and the uranium price is wallowing in the depths. Lower cost, long-established producers such as BHP Billiton can at least bungle along (ERA has had its own specific production issues) while the high-cost later entrants are struggling to stay afloat. Paladin is the classic example. Continue reading
Aborignal elders’ knowledge – the key to a sustainable Australia?
While we cannot go back to pre-European cultures because the society and the land has changed forever, we can now learn to respectfully take some of the knowledge our ‘elders’ have acquired over generations, and combine this with our modern methods of farming and land care.
This way, we may be able to forge new ways of caring for our precious land in more sustainable ways.
Respecting the elders of our land can help rehabilitate the environment Press Service International for Christian Today Australia – Mark Tronson Press Service International for Christian Today Australia – Mark Tronson Monday, 2 September 2013,The Bible exhorts us to respect our elders. It starts right near the beginning with fifth (sometimes regarded as the fourth) of the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20 verses 1-17 and re-told in Deuteronomy 5 verses 4-21): “Honour your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you.”
Who are our Australian ‘elders’?
I was thinking about this when watching some of the episodes of the TV series ‘First Footprints’. A summary of this program can be found at: www.kimberleyfoundation.org.au
Aborigines, over time, developed land-management strategies that worked for them. They did not leave the land in its original pristine state, no human society has ever done that, but they learnt to manage the land and climate in the 200 or more different areas of Australia to maintain their food sources over many, many generations. Is our modern European land management strategy achieving this same result?
South Australia’s drop in electricity consumption partly due to solar panels
Solar Panels Reducing South Australia’s Electricity Consumption by Energy Matters, 2 Sept 13, Expected growth in energy consumption in South Australia over the next decade has been lowered; thanks in part to solar PV.
The 2013 South Australian Electricity Report (SAER), prepared by the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO), says the state’s annual energy consumption was 13,330 gigawatt hours (GWh) in 2012-13; down by 42 GWh compared to 2011-12.
Looking ahead, electricity consumption is forecast to decrease by 0.1% per year over the 10-year outlook period……. http://www.energymatters.com.au/index.php?main_page=news_article&article_id=3919
Ashurst, Paladin, attack this website with legal threats. Reply from Ashurst
Among other things, the Ashurst letter accused the anti-nuclear campaigner of imputing that Mr Walker was ‘’insensitive’’.
In any case, these kinds of threats to muzzle free speech are on the rise. At a time when the mainstream media is under pressure from falling revenues, lawyers are threatening and shutting down websites around the country at an alarming clip.
Anti-nuke campaigner braces for legal blast, The Age, December 19, 2012 Michael West Ashurst is at it again.
Acting on instructions from its clients, the big law firm last month was threatening a farmer who had the hide to express his opinion on electricity prices.
This month it has been instructed to threaten a 75-year old pensioner who has spoken out against the alleged exploitation of African workers by an Australian uranium miner. Noel Christina Macpherson Wauchope, who runs the website www.antinuclear.net under the name Christina Macpherson, told Business Day she was not in a position to hire lawyers.
“I think they must have thought AntiNuclear Australia was a big organisation, but it is just me,” she said. She was particularly worried that the letter of demand said “STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL NOT TO BE PUBLISHED” until we explained that there was no legal basis for expecting confidentiality from somebody who simply bobbed out of the blue with a bunch of threats and told you to keep quiet about it.
If you already had some kind of confidential or contractual arrangement with the other party, it might be different…… The price of Noel Wauchope’s concern for the people Karonga was a long and intimidating letter of demand from Ashurst on behalf of the uranium company Paladin Energy and its general manager of international affairs, Greg Walker. If she did not comply with these demands, warned Ashurst, she would face court action.
Curiously, big companies with more than 10 employees are not permitted to sue for defamation yet the concerns notice sent to Noel Wauchope complains about defamation of Paladin.
…… the Ashurst defamation partner responsible for the letter was unavailable for comment….. and did not respond to
questions. Neither did Ashurst’s public relations department. Paladin chief executive John Borshoff said he was unaware of the
letter. “I’m not aware about a 75-year old lady,” said Borshoff, “All I know is that these NGOs (Non-Government Organisations) and they are
absolutely maligning us, and we sent them legal letters”.
Neither was Borshoff aware that Paladin was unable to sue for defamation……
Among other things, the Ashurst letter accused the anti-nuclear campaigner of imputing that Mr Walker was ‘’insensitive’’.
In any case, these kinds of threats to muzzle free speech are on the rise. At a time when the mainstream media is under pressure from falling revenues, lawyers are threatening and shutting down websites around the country at an alarming clip.Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/business/antinuke-campaigner-braces-for-legal-blast-20121219-2bm74.html#ixzz2FeGIYe9h
Legal Firm Ashurst replies to the article above
27 August 2013
Dear Ms Wauchope
Thank you for giving me ths opportunity to respond to the article which you have posted on your websites. I trust that you will post this letter with equal prominence. Fairfax is no longer publishing it, has accepted that I and Ashurst acted ethically and competently at all times, and has withdrawn and apologised for the suggestions in the article to the contrary.
Your article contains a number of errors and says a number of false and damaging things about me. In particular, when I sent you the letter on 10th December 2012, I had no way of knowing who you were, as we were sending it to you as a domain name registrant. Your site appeared to be published by an organisation. Further, I at all times acted in accordance wit proper legal practise, and my professional obligations to my client.
I hope that you will rethink your decision to continue to publish incorrect and harmful allegations about me.
Kind regards
Ashurst lawyer
Editor’s note: I don’t understand why Fairfax withdrew the article from their online publication, as I thought that the article was true. I understand that the journalist who wrote that article stands by the story and has not accepted the claims made by Ashurst’.
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
