Tony Abbott to remove carbon tax, but keep the compensation. Strange politics?
Tony Abbott’s vow to abolish the carbon tax but keep the compensation smacks of populist politics at its finest PAUL SYVRET THE COURIER-MAIL JULY 02, 2013 “…………On the carbon front, emissions from the electricity sector have been reduced by 7 per cent, although other factors, such as demand, contribute to this, while renewable energy use is up 30 per cent. Most of the new-generation energy being planned is renewable or gas fired, indicating the carbon price is doing what it is designed to do in terms of shaping long-term investment.
Not a bad effort, Australia. Take a bow.
Still Abbott perseveres (straight-faced) with his claim the looming election will be a referendum on carbon, despite polls indicating only one in three voters support the removal of the tax and its replacement by the Coalition’s nebulous “Direct Action” scheme.
In short, a price on carbon, which was Abbott’s preferred policy option until he saw a chance to use it as a wedge in his plot to topple former Liberal leader Malcolm Turnbull, is seen by all but a handful of economists as the most efficient way of reducing emissions.
It is a “Pigovian tax”, designed to change behaviour by penalising companies that generate what are called negative externalities, in this case, spewing greenhouse gases into an already warming globe.
As Harvard Professor of Economics Greg Mankiw put it in a 2009 paper: “The economics here is straightforward: emitting carbon into the atmosphere entails a negative externality. In absence of any policy, people will emit too much. The Pigovian policy response is to impose a tax on carbon emission. This will induce households and firms to internalise the carbon externality when deciding, for example, how much to drive, what kind of car to buy, how much electricity to use, what kind of electric power plant to build and so on.”
But no, the Abbott response is to declare again on national television over the weekend that not only would he axe the tax, but Australians would keep the compensation, the sort of addle-headed populism that must have more financially literate members of his team screaming in silent anguish……
This is at the same time the rest of the world is moving to price carbon, with some markets, such as Europe, already well established. Just last week US President Barack Obama took America a big step down the road with a decision to cap emissions for US power plants. California, with a larger economy than Australia, already has a cap-and-trade scheme.
What about here? We may well be left with a “policy” that is based on little more than blood oath obduracy and dog-whistling for the deniers. http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/opinion/tony-abbott8217s-vow-to-abolish-the-carbon-tax-but-keep-the-compensation-smacks-of-populist-politics-at-its-finest/story-fnihsr9v-1226672519966
Tony Abbott keen to rush coal development, stifle renewable energy
Abbott to fast-track coal mines, in competition for ideas REneweconomy By Giles Parkinson on 1 July 2013 Tony Abbott has given his clearest indication yet that he intends to fast-track approval for large thermal coal mining projects, saying his new “one stop” shop for environmental approvals will ensure quick decisions on project approvals.
Abbott’s move, along with his party’s policy platform that has effectively suspended most investment in large scale renewables, comes as newly restored Prime Minister Kevin Rudd seeks to take the wind out of Abbott’s sails by proposing a more rapid transition to a (low) market price for carbon, as first foreshadowed on this website last Thursday morning, and the Greens push for even more ambition – proposing a 90 per cent renewables target by 2030.
Confusion about New South Wales Government’s attitude to nuclear power and uranium mining
In May, the minister’s office said evaluation of the expressions of interest were due to begin, with an announcement of the successful applicants due “mid-year”.
It’s far from clear, but presumably the announcement – which must be imminent – will not only tell us which companies have applied to explore uranium, but also where they want to do so. (at left, areas recommended for uranium exploration)
[NSW Premier -] “The Uranium Mining and Nuclear Facilities (Prohibitions) Act 1986 continues to prohibit the construction of nuclear generation facilities in this state,” a spokesman told Fairfax Media when approached about the response.
“There has been and will be no change in the NSW government’s position on that.”
Nuclear act is still a minefield http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/comment/nuclear-act-is-still-a-minefield-20130628-2p2cm.html#ixzz2XfneLben June 29, 2013 Sean Nicholls Sydney Morning Herald State Political Editor More than a year after the heat generated by last year’s announcement that the NSW government would overturn a 25-year ban on uranium exploration, things have gone a little quiet – publicly at least.
Premier Barry O’Farrell declared the move would help boost the state economy, particularly in light of the federal government decision to allow export of uranium to India. As expected, it was met with furious opposition from environment groups. Greenpeace labelled it “obscene”.
But while O’Farrell talked up the decision as a potential economic boost, he insisted his government was “not about to rush into mining uranium until we have carried out the necessary environmental and exploration checks and have had a mature and sensible discussion about utilising this resource”. Continue reading
This could be the 2013 climate change election
Australia got its price on carbon under the prime ministership of Julia Gillard. Gillard, whatever you think of her, was remarkable in her ability to forge consensus in a hung parliament. The Greens party and independent MPs supported the Clean Energy Future Act, which in most ways was similar to Rudd’s carbon reduction scheme, albeit with more investment in renewable energy.
During this time, as I’ve written about earlier, the conservative opposition leader, Tony Abbott, ran an unrelenting fear campaign against the carbon price. Support for the carbon price from 2010 to 2012 fell sharply, until July last year when it came into effect. Since then, public support in Australia has increased for the carbon price.
Kevin Rudd’s return could herald a second Australian climate election http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/southern-crossroads/2013/jun/28/kevin-rudd-australian-climate-election The Labor leader’s return to the Australian prime ministership could see a repeat of 2007’s ‘climate change election’ Rudd was elected in 2007 saying that climate change was the “the greatest moral, economic and environmental challenge of our generation”. In many ways, 2007 was the climate change election.
The first act Rudd took as prime minister was to ratify Kyoto, a symbolic break from the lead-footed conservative government under John Howard. A price on carbon was the major policy that the new Labor government saw to reduce carbon emissions, called the carbon pollution reduction scheme.
The scheme was defeated in the Senate in 2009 after the Greens party refused to support it, and voted with the Liberal and National parties to oppose it. Then the dismal efforts of Copenhagen further dampened efforts for climate action. Rudd’s final climate act as prime minister in 2010 was to announce that the carbon pollution reduction scheme would be shelved. Continue reading
Australia’s Clean Energy Finance Corporation launches investment, but Coalition opposes it
The Coalition has vowed to axe the CEFC, along with the carbon price.
It has also written to the corporation saying any contracts it signs will not be honoured by the Coalition if it forms government.
Clean Energy $100m deal gets Coalition cold shoulder http://www.theage.com.au/environment/clean-energy-100m-deal-gets-coalition-cold-shoulder-20130628-2p2q9.html#ixzz2XgCLAQWO June 29, 2013 Tom Arup Environment editor, The Age Australia’s Clean Energy Finance Corporation has launched its first investment, committing to a joint $100 million energy efficiency loan program with the Commonwealth Bank.
The deal sets up a stand-off with the Coalition which has vowed not to honour any contracts signed by the $10 billion corporation if it wins office later in the year.
The corporation’s chief executive, Oliver Yates, said on Friday it would co-finance loans for medium-sized businesses for energy efficiency projects such as energy saving lighting, solar panels, and cogeneration and trigeneration plants.
The CEFC and the Commonwealth Bank will each chip in $50 million to the program, which will hand out loans between $500,000 to $5 million. It builds on an existing scheme put in place by another government agency, Low Carbon Australia – now folded into the CEFC – which has so far delivered $10.2 million to projects in manufacturing firms.
The CEFC is also working on a number of other larger deals, and it is understood some could be introduced as early as next week. It is reportedly negotiating to help New Zealand company Meridian Energy increase its debt in the massive Victorian Macarthur wind farm with a $100 million-plus loan, before it sells its share in the project. Continue reading
Giles Parkinson on Kevin Rudd, renewable energy, and the carbon tax
Will Rudd get to axe the tax before Abbott? REneweconomy By Giles Parkinson 27 June 2013 Good luck guessing what the extraordinary drama played out in Canberra last night means for climate change and renewable energy policies in Australia. From a Starbucks café in the Mojave Desert, a short drive from the 392MW Ivanpah solar power tower project (an extraordinary sight that must represent Australia’s energy future, but more on that later), the events make as little sense as they would do from inside Parliament House. Or from inside the office of an investor contemplating putting money into new energy technologies…….
It’s pretty clear that the hung parliament may well remain the pinnacle of policy making in Australia, at least in the short term. The current suite of policies – carbon pricing, renewable energy target, the Clean Energy Finance Corporation, and the Australian Renewable Energy Agency – make Australia one of the most attractive destinations in the world (were it not for the imminent threat of repeal).
The only thing missing has been a national energy efficiency plan, and a recognition by the states that it is time to move forward.
Now, the principal actors that made this possible are stepping back. Gillard has paid the price for the manner of her appointment, a poisoned chalice that was amplified by an intolerance of having a woman in the top job. Like many others, she saved her best for her resignation speech, when she was no longer a politician……eaves only Greens leader Christine Milne, who faces marginalisation if her party loses the balance of power. The prospect of that, though, will recede if Rudd succeeds in rescuing Labor’s electoral prospects, even if he doesn’t win. This would be disastrous for the renewable energy industry. The last time a Coalition government trod on renewable developments, the only thing that saved the industry were supportive state governments. They no longer exist.
Good climate change and renewables policies were put in place because of the tenacity of a few strong individuals willing to act on principle. That drove the factions and the mainstream media mad. The reaction of the factions was entirely predictable. The reaction of the media has been a crushing disappointment……. Quite where we go from here in the policy perspective is impossible to say. Rudd championed climate change in 2007 and got himself elected on the strength of it. But then he used it as a political wedge rather than a public policy pursuit. In the end his CPRS was an unsavoury compromise with the Opposition, and was ditched after pressure from Julia Gillard and Wayne Swan.
Rudd says now that he regrets the decision to dump his climate policies. But frankly, it is unclear whether Rudd sees that mostly in the prism of his own career or as a public policy issue. Renewable energy supporters would rather he didn’t keep saying “let’s get cooking with gas”…….
n the short term, however, most interest will be on the fate of the CEFC, and the numerous projects which are under consideration. An early election call – depending on the flow of events today – would mean that the caretaker period would start immediately, and the board of the CEFC would not be able to make any new decisions.
In the event of an Abbott victory, it would probably have to wait until after the election to make those announcements and continue on. It cannot stop work until its supporting legislation is repealed, and that is unlikely until next July. The CEFC is absolutely sure of its legality, but the rhetoric (and frankly the ignorance) of the Opposition might suggest some sort of challenge. But they may have other fish to fry. http://reneweconomy.com.au/2013/will-rudd-get-to-axe-the-tax-before-abbott-24216
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
Democratic process stops the uranium mining rush into Woomera area
Senate slows deal to give mineral explorers access to Defence’s Woomera testing grounds Adelaide Now, CHRISTOPHER RUSSELL Business Editor June 21, 2013 “…..Laws to keep Defence as the prime user and controller of access to Woomera Prohibited Area but giving certainty to mineral explorers were this week shunted into a Senate committee inquiry after earlier clearing the Lower House with bipartisan support.
The Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade committee now will seek new public submissions on the pact, which had been negotiated over several years between industry, government and Defence following an inquiry by former public servant Allan Hawke.
The committee is only due to report back on August 20, just weeks before the federal election. That means the reform Bill will lapse and have to await being reintroduced by the next Federal Government……..
Greens MP Adam Bandt said his party was “absolutely opposed to mining uranium” and also had concerns about Aboriginal issues.SA Senator David Fawcett said it was quite appropriate for the Bill to go to a committee inquiry and it should not be rushed.”If it’s not dealt with this week – and clearly it won’t be – it’ll be an issue for whoever forms government after September,” he said.
Senator Fawcett, who came to politics from a military career which included working in Woomera, said the area was crucial to Defence testing.
“Just because we have a State Government and mining lobby who are saying let’s go on with it, I don’t see that – short of a national emergency – we should be circumventing the democratic process,” he said…… http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/business/sa-business-journal/senate-slows-deal-to-give-mineral-explorers-access-to-defence8217s-woomera-testing-grounds/story-e6fredel-1226667870070
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
Successful pro wind energy rallies in Canberra
Wind taken out of protesters’ sails in Canberra Independent Australia 19 June 13 Callum Davidson and deputy editor Sandi Keane report from Melbourne and Canberra on a tale of two cities and three rallies — or rather two and a sorry fizzer. THE GLOVES CAME OFF today in Melbourne in the phony war waged against wind farms whilst in Canberra, the pro-renewables rally stole the show from the shadowy anti-wind pressure group, Stop These Things.
Morten Albaek, Senior Vice-President, Vestas Wind Systems, chose Australia, the hotbed of anti-wind activity, to launch its fight against the campaign by vested interests and climate skeptics:
“The wind industry is being attacked by media-savvy and politically influential adversaries who often display a brazen disregard for factual information. The “Act on Facts” campaign is our way of fighting back.”
Speaking at the University of Melbourne today, Albaek said the industry has been too conservative:
“Today it’s gloves off. We’re stepping up our game to fight back but with one big difference — it will be fact-based.”
An impressive line-up of speakers including the master debunker of the mythical “Wind Turbine Syndrome”, Professor Simon Chapman, attracted a large crowd of enthusiastic renewables supporters. Chapman’s reading of the public mood that the community is no longer buying the fear campaign was certainly played out in Canberra, as Callum Davidson’s photos show. In the capital, a lackluster turnout of barely one hundred protesters emerged from the heavy morning fog and filed onto the lawns of Parliament House in Canberra. They came from Crookwell, Mudgee, Yass and a few stalwarts from Western Australia and far North Queensland. Their slogans carried the same gripe: no more windfarms.
Headlining this event was the staunchly anti-windfarm and vocal climate change skeptic, Alan Jones. The popular shockjock announced his unwavering support for their cause:…..http://www.independentaustralia.net/2013/politics/wind-taken-out-of-protesters-sails-in-canberra/
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.”
1 This month
Chernobyl: The Lost Tapes – A good documentary on Chernobyl on SBS available On Demand for the next 3 weeks– https://www.sbs.com.au/ondemand/tv-program/chernobyl-the-lost-tapes/235274195556
20 May – Webinar – The dangerous world of AUKUS, US, military occupation and suppression of dissent
National Webinar, 20th May, 2026, 6.30pm AEST. Confronting laws restricting/suppressing protest speech and action
Speakers: Former Sen. Rex Patrick, Lawyer Nick Hanna ,Arthur Rorris ,Jorgen Doyle, Sen David Shoebbridge,
Facilitator Kelley Tranter.
of the week – Australians for War Powers Reform (AWPR)
To see nuclear-related stories in greater depth and intensity
Antinuclear 