Compare policies between political parties on carbon, renewable energy
Environment policy: where the parties stand, ABC News 27 June 13 By Sarah Clarke and Andrew Greene “………What aspects do the major parties agree/disagree on?
Greenhouse gas emission reduction targets
Both ALP and the Coalition agree on the science of climate change, and have formally backed Australia’s emissions reduction target of 5 per cent by 2020. But there are some differences
- ALP: Committed to 5-25pc reduction on 2000 levels by 2020, based on the ambition of global agreement and 80pc reduction by 2050 which is in line with the UK and Germany. Signatory to second commitment period of Kyoto Protocol for 2020 reduction and intention to ratify.
- Coalition: Committed to the 5-25pc reduction on 2000 levels based on ambition of global agreement. Review in 2015 to consider longer term target in light of international agreement. Coalition has stated “in principle” support for second commitment period of Kyoto Protocol but no position on ratifications announced.
- Greens: Committed to 25-40pc reductions on 1990 levels by 2020, net zero emissions by 2050 and the second period of the Kyoto Protocol. Continue reading
Warren H Williams a strong Greens contender for Northern Territory Senate seat
He nominated land rights, protecting the land and the Greens’ opposition to uranium mining as a reason he wanted to represent the party.The Greens will announce Mr Williams along with other senate candidates in Canberra on WednesdayCountry singer challenges Peris in Senate race http://www.crookwellgazette.com.au/story/1597432/country-singer-challenges-peris-in-senate-race/?cs=12 By Heath Aston June 26, 2013,
The Greens will seek to capitalise on bad blood over the shafting of veteran Labor senator Trish Crossin by running Aboriginal country singer, Warren H Williams, in the Northern Territory senate race.Mr Williams, a multiple ARIA award winner and a major star in the Top End an the country music scene, will take on political novice Nova Peris for the one winnable seat for the progressive side of politics. Continue reading
Australia’s opposition Liberal Coalition in confusion about climate change
Green energy helps reduce power bills, study finds June 25, 2013 The Age Peter Hannam Carbon economy editor “…….Maurice Newman, the chairman of the opposition’s proposed business advisory council, wants the target dumped because he does not accept climate change science and says renewable energy is pushing up prices.
Liberal senator Chris Bach and Nationals senator Ron Boswell spoke at an anti-wind farm rally in Canberra last week.
Senator Boswell said aid to the wind and solar energy sector was “fraudulent” and that leader Tony Abbott would face mounting pressure to alter the legislation.
Coalition climate action spokesman Greg Hunt said last week that the Coalition continued to back the policy.
“We support the Renewable Energy Target and we support the 20 per cent,” he said…..”.http://www.theage.com.au/business/carbon-economy/green-energy-helps-reduce-power-bills-study-finds-20130625-2ou3e.html#ixzz2XMBA2zNU
Australians increasingly support carbon tax, despite Abbott’s claims
Abbott is out of touch on carbon tax uknowispeaksense, From the Climate Institute, June 23, 2013
A national poll from early June reveals that there is no support for the claim that the Federal election is a referendum on the carbon laws. It also shows that more Australians oppose a double dissolution on the laws than support one, said The Climate Institute today.
“The carbon laws themselves are not a dominant reason behind those supporting the Coalition, nor is there majority support for their repeal or a double dissolution, ” said John Connor, CEO of The Climate Institute.
“The claim that this election is a ‘referendum on the carbon tax’ is without foundation. Issues of economic management, trust and competence are much stronger influences behind the Coalition vote.”…..
Key findings include: Continue reading
AUDIO: Julian Assange speaks about whistleblower Edward Snowden
AUDIO http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/breakfast/assange-wikileaks/4770642 Assange says Snowden leaks will boost Senate election chances 21 June 2013 Matt O’Neil It’s one year since Julian Assange sought asylum in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London to avoid extradition to Sweden. But the controversial WikiLeaks founder says he has a bigger battle to fight—his bid for the Australian Senate is building momentum, and he hopes recent leaks about government surveillance will bolster his party’s message…..
‘We now have a regime of secret deals between a national security agency and major organisations like Google and Microsoft and Apple.’
Speaking with Fran Kelly on RNBreakfast, Assange said that America’s surveillance policies ‘affect all Australians’—and he believes Canberra has a lot to answer for. ‘How are they involved in this? Does the Australian Government swap that information? Is the Australian Government using that information from the US government?’
‘All of that is being kept secret, and it’s completely unacceptable. What kind of world are we drifting into where we have a transnational surveillance apparatus, [with] different rules for people in that apparatus compared to the rest of society. It’s very dangerous.’ Continue reading
Tony Abbott’s program for killing renewable energy in Australia
here are the five ways that an Abbott Government could kill renewables:
- Can the Carbon price:…… taking away the carbon price also increases the risk around investment in any sort of generation – be it fossil fuel or renewable. So, perversely, it will probably help increase the cost of electricity.
- Can or dilute the Renewable Energy Target …
- Can the Climate Change Authority…..
- Can the Clean Energy Finance Corporation….
- Cut funding to the Australian Renewable Energy Agency….. It would be an appalling step backwards.
Five ways Abbott could kill renewables in Australia, REneweconomy, By Giles Parkinson 21 June 2013 Apparently, one of the few areas of bipartisan agreement in the heated politics of this country is in the area of renewables. Both major parties – Labor and the Coalition – say they support the 20 per cent renewable target, but it doesn’t actually mean what it says.
Indeed, Tony Abbott may well want to have his photo taken next to a wind farm (well, maybe not), or a solar array in the lead up to the election. Behind the scenes, however, he is under intense pressure to pull them down. Continue reading
Solar Scorecard and also the Politicians’ Solar Survey
Solar Scorecard – Australian MP ‘Renewable Energy Ranking’ http://www.energymatters.com.au/index.php?main_page=news_article&article_id=3798 19 June 13 A new 
web site helps Australians determine where local politicians stand on issues relating to renewable energy and provides information on the progress of the solar revolution in each electorate.
Solar Scorecard provides a detailed breakdown of what each federal politician is (or isn’t) doing to support a range of renewable energy policies and incorporates information on the number of solar 
homes in each Member’s electorate. Politicians are allocated either a sun, an emerging sun or a cloud according to their stance on each of 8 criteria. Where a ‘?’ is assigned, this indicates the MP’s stance on the issue is not yet known.
As part of the project, all politicians have been invited to respond to a solar survey by Monday 1 July to clarify their position on renewable energy issues.
100% Renewable is also sending an electorate-by-electorate Australian solar energy information resource called “solar briefers” to every Federal politician across the country; which includes the number of households in each electorate that have invested in solar, as well as data on their collective carbon dioxide emissions and energy bill savings.
Solar Scorecard is a project of 100% Renewable, a community campaign for clean energy. Lindsay Soutar, National Director of 100% Renewable, says while polls show voters support a transition to renewable energy, the support of some politicians is shaky.
“That’s why we have developed these two resources. So that our politicians understand the scale of the transformation under way, and they understand that Australians want this transformation to happen.” Ms Soutar says Australians need politicians to stand up to the companies that have controlled Australian energy for so long, to ensure that Australians can continue to take power back into their own hands, and so that Australia can make the most of its abundant renewable resources.
Together, we can make sure that no matter who wins on September 14th, renewable energy wins as well.”
The Solar Scorecard gives you the renewable energy position of your local Member of Parliament
http://www.solarscorecard.org.au/ The Solar Scorecard lets you find out where your local politicians stand on renewable energy. Use it to help make sure that no matter who wins the election on September 14th, renewable energy wins as well.
ABOUT THE SOLAR SCORECARD Solar energy is on the agenda this election year. With one and a half million Solar Homes across the country Australians are turning to the sun. We’ve developed the Solar Score Card so you can see where your MP stands and how they compare on key solar criteria.
The Solar Score Card has been put together by 100% Renewable, an Australian community campaign for a sustainable future. The scorecard is designed as a tool for those on the ground. That means you! You can compare MPs across parties and electorates to see who’s looking forward and who’s looking back. Even better you’ll be able take the Scorcard to your MP and show them what they’re getting right and what they’re getting wrong.
Each MP has a profile complete with scores on 7 key criteria and one wildcard. The wildcard is their chance to shine, or not. If you know of something wonderful or disastrous your MP has done for solar in Australia leave a comment and let us know!
Liberal Coalition in the grip of front groups opposing wind energy
Windfarm industry fears consequences of Coalition turbine noise policy, Guardian UK Lenore Taylor, political editor, 12 June 13, Firms say they face crippling costs if forced to monitor in ‘real-time’ noise some blame for health problems The Coalition will impose new noise monitoring rules on windfarms that the multibillion dollar industry says will inflict crippling costs, provide no useful information and represent another victory for an anti-noise campaign by concerned citizens backed in part by the climate sceptic lobby.
The yet-to-be-released resources policy is set to require all windfarms to provide “real-time” noise monitoring, with the findings immediately publicly available, so nearby residents concerned about the alleged health impact of windfarms can compare the results with strict state government noise controls. The Coalition resources spokesman, Ian Macfarlane, will also try to introduce the measures before the election with a private members bill.
People living close to windfarms have reported symptoms including headaches, sleeplessness and nausea. Several residents experiencing the symptoms have given evidence at inquiries, but a recent study by Prof Simon Chapman of Sydney University found incidence of the sickness was far more prevalent in communities where anti-windfarm lobbyists had been active and suggested it might be a psychological phenomenon caused by the belief that turbines make people sick. “As anti-windfarm interest groups began to stress health problems in their advocacy, and to target new windfarm developments, complaints grew,” said Chapman. Continue reading
Greens’ Alex Bhathal likely to take over federal seat of pro nuclear Martin Ferguson
Alex Bhathal has worked tirelessly for 4 years on issues concerning her local electorate of Batman. Not that Bhathal is forgetting national and global concerns, either. The electorate of Batman deserves a highly intelligent and committed representative to represent this community, while furthering issues of benefit to the nation.
This could be a big change from having Martin Ferguson a celebrity-star puppet of the nuclear and fossil fuel industries as Member of Parliament for Batman
Greens set sights on Batman http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/political-news/greens-set-sights-on-batman-20130607-2nuso.html June 7, 2013 Aisha Dow It’s meant to be the safest Labor seat in the nation.
But as the party bickers over preselection for the Melbourne electorate, the Greens have declared “Batman’s next” and pronounced themselves a genuine chance to snatch a surprise outright victory.
In her fourth time running as the Greens’ candidate for Batman, Alex Bhathal said she has been flooded with community donations.”I’ve had aged pensioners donating, people in public housing giving me five dollars, it’s just extraordinary people’s belief in the Greens and what we stand for,” Ms Bhathal said.
Instead he said the battle for Batman will be a two-horse race between the Greens and a Labor party he said no longer represented the progressive views of the electorate.
In the last federal election Ms Bhathal, a Preston social worker, achieved a swing of 6.3 per cent, pinching most of those votes off retiring former Labor frontbencher Martin Ferguson. She’ll need an even bigger swing, of about 8 per cent, if she is to turf out Labor in September.But on Ms Bhathal’s past form, which has seen the Green’s primary vote rise by almost 20 per cent within a decade, Bob Brown challenged the perception Batman was in fact as “safe” as it has been touted.
“It’s been seen as the safest because the Liberal vote is so small. The Greens vote is growing rapidly and the bean counters tend to look at the two big parties and don’t see the Greens coming,” he said. “It’s happened in Cunningham, we won the first seat in the lower house and it’s happened in Melbourne. “Batman is next.”
Best to vote Green – global warming concerns Liberals Malcolm Fraser and John Hewson
Former Liberal PM Malcolm Fraser reckons you should vote Green in September! The Australian Greens 8 June 13 Former PM Malcolm Fraser just asked his twitter followers to vote Green, after a discussion on global warming & funding schools through the Gonski reforms.
On Lateline last night, former Liberal leader John Hewson called on Australia’s $80+ billion Future Fund to cut global warming risk in their portfolio – just after Christine Milne launched our plan for the Fund to leave coal companies behind.
Two Coalition leaders in 24 hours. Do you think Mr Abbott might get onboard with tackling global warming and funding public schools too?
No? Better vote Green on September 14, then.
Tony Abbott’s climate views a danger to our children’s future
Christine Milne: Abbott’s climate stance jeopardises the future of children Lenore Taylor, political editor guardian.co.uk, 6 June 13, Greens leader plans ‘keep the bastards honest’ campaign, casting party as Senate curb on Coalition excesses Milne talks to Guardian Australia The Greens leader, Christine Milne, has suggested Tony Abbott is not fit for leadership because of his stance on climate change, but she is preparing a Democrats-style “keep the bastards honest” election campaign to stop Abbott’s “excesses” in the Senate, on the assumption he will be prime minister.
In an interview with Guardian Australia, Milne said the Liberal leader’s personal politics were threatening the planet. “Tony Abbott has been so irresponsible in terms of addressing global warming,” she said. “He has chosen to jeopardise the future of children, of generations henceforth, of species, by putting his own political perspective ahead of actually addressing global warming. Continue reading
Hear this: Clean Energy Finance Corporation will issue contracts to low carbon companies, despite Abbott’s threat
Clean Energy Finance Corporation told to shelve contracts http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-05-29/clean-energy-investment-at-stake-if-coalition-wins-election/4720894 AUDIO: Sarah Clarke reports on the clean energy future(The World Today) 29 May 13 The Coalition has already promised to dump the $10 billion Clean Energy Finance Corporation.
It was set up to lend money to firms delivering clean energy and low emissions, to give them a kick-start in the market.The Coalition is now warning it to stop drawing up contracts for new projects until after the election…….
Reserve Bank board member Jillian Broadbent, the chair of the Clean Energy Finance Corporation, says she is disappointed with the Coalition’s plans.
“There’s a lot of confusion about what we are and what the working model is and what kind of costs we’re going to be to the taxpayer, because on our numbers we’re going to be financially self-sufficient in probably within the first two years of our operation,” she said.”Then you start generating dividends which go to the Australian Renewable Energy Agency which can save the Government putting funds into that agency directly.”
The fund is currently considering applicants from at least 50 low carbon and low emission companies with contracts worth up to $2 billion.It plans to start issuing those contracts on July 1, despite calls for them to be shelved until after September.
Fund has ‘obligation to fulfil responsibilities’
Ms Broadbent says shelving the contracts is not possible. “We have an obligation to fulfil those responsibilities and that’s what we’re doing,” she said……..
The parliamentary secretary for Climate Change Yvette D’Ath says the Clean Energy Finance Corporation has a guaranteed future if Labor is re-elected. “These businesses have to meet very strict investment guidelines and criteria to get that finance through the Clean Energy Finance Corporation,” she said.
“So we’re very confident that there’ll be that rigour, there’ll be that transparency and that this will attract a lot of investment in Australia to invest in renewable energy.”
23 per cent of Victorian voters likely to vote for Julian Assange
New poll reveals that Julian Assange could win senate seat in Australian elections, TNT 29th May 2013 By Emma Featherstone Assange’s bid for a senate seat was seen by many as a stunt, but a poll has found 26 per cent of Australians would vote him in.
The Senate is in the upper chamber of Australia’s National Parliament and is comprised of 12 representatives from the six states, plus a pair of representatives from its territories.
The poll came from data through UMR Research, the Labour Party’s pollster. It was compiled from 1,000 Australian voters’ online answers.
They were asked: “Recently, Wikileaks has announced that Julian Assange plans to run for a seat in the Australian Senate. If he were to run, how likely would you be to vote for him and the Wikileaks Party?” 26 per cent of respondents declared themselves likely voters for the Wikileaks Party. 23 per cent of voters in Victoria, where Assange will run, consider themselves “likely” to vote for his party……. New poll reveals that Julian Assange could win senate seat in Australian elections – TNT Magazine
AUDIO: Clean energy investment frustrated due to fear of Abbott win in Australian election
Clean energy sector faces uncertain future if Coalition wins federal election http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-05-29/clean-energy-investment-at-stake-if-coalition-wins-election/4720894 ABC Radio The World Today 29 May 13 By environment reporter Sarah Clarke Billions of dollars worth of investments in the clean energy sector are at stake if the Coalition wins the federal election in September.
The Coalition is vowing to scrap the carbon tax, review the renewable energy target and axe the $10 billion Clean Energy Finance Corporation if it takes Government.
As the largest owner of installed wind energy capacity in Australia, the company Infigen says the current level of uncertainty is playing havoc with some big investments.”It’s a problem that’s been in our industry for a number of years because it’s the first time legislation’s been reviewed or tinkered with,” Infigen’s executive director Miles George said.
“Now we have a prospect of a change of government, that uncertainty will remain until there is a change of government and a further review of the renewable energy target. “So yes, at the moment investment is pretty much stalled in the industry.”
Mr George says Infigen is yet to decide if it will go ahead with up to $2 billion worth of potential investments.
“We have a number of projects in our development pipeline but we won’t be progressing any of those until there’s more certainty about the legislation,” he said. “It’s very frustrating. Frustrating for our investors, frustrating for our capital providers for the sector, but it’s also frustrating given that the renewable energy target legislation has actually been very effective.”…….
1 This month
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