If Abbott scrapped carbon tax – a minefield of court action would follow!
Scrapping green bank would incur ‘huge cost’April 3, 2013 The Age Heath Aston Political reporter Tony Abbott’s ”pledge in blood” to scrap the carbon tax and dismantle the agency ploughing billions of dollars into renewable energy projects will cost taxpayers more in compensation and legal costs than the financial benefit of abolishing the system, it is claimed.
A report by law firm Norton Rose has highlighted the minefield of court action that would result from any move to wind up the Clean Energy Finance Corporation. The corporation, which has $10 billion to spend on renewables and energy efficiency programs over five years, is preparing to sign off on a first tranche of multi-year contracts to begin on July 1.
The Coalition has promised to abolish the corporation and tear up the contracts if it wins power in September.
The report found an Abbott government would be forced to retain the corporation or replace it with a new agency to oversee contracts it could not break. The opposition has not revealed exactly how it will abolish the clean energy contracts but has warned the industry that it intends to do so.
…… A spokeswoman for the Clean Energy Finance Corporation said it was obliged under legislation to push ahead with making investment decisions.
Wiluna uranium scheme means high risk, no reward for Western Australia
Burke’s blunder on Wiluna uranium scheme 2 April 2013. The Australian Greens strongly condemned today’s decision of Federal Environment Minister Tony Burke to allow the mining of uranium in Wiluna, Western Australia.
The Greens nuclear policy spokesperson, Senator for Western Australia Scott Ludlam, (left) said the approval showed Labor could not be trusted to protect the environment or public health.
“Today marks the beginning of the campaign to stop Toro, and the Greens will remain a strong voice to prevent the expansion of uranium mining around Australia. With the government’s abandonment of environmental protection, the Greens will target the investment community to ensure that investors continue to shun this unwanted industry.
“While the Minister has placed 36 conditions on the approval, there is simply no safe way to mine uranium on a lake bed that floods. This is a rookie company with no operating mines. The WA Government got it badly wrong and the Federal Government just blew its chance to fix this mess.
“Under new mine closure guidelines, Toro has to find 100% of the mine closure cost, around $150 million, before it has raised the $300 million to open it. With uranium prices plummeting by more than two thirds since its peak in 2007, it is highly unlikely that Toro can open, maintain and close a mine abiding by the necessary conditions and environmental standards.
“150 nuclear power plants are scheduled for closure without replacement in Europe alone. Toro’s business case is based on wildly unrealistic assumptions, including the projection that the US dollar will suddenly strengthen against the Australian dollar. Tony Burke is placing our environment and public health at huge risk for precious little prospective reward.
“Australian uranium was in the four reactors of Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant in Japan. After more than two years, large areas of Japan are toxic and 160,000 people remain evacuated from their homes. It is time Australians got out of this industry.”
Is the Gillard government now downgrading climate change?
The Climate Change Department’s staff once numbered above 1,000. It is now down to “approximately 620 with 50 contract staff” and, according to Senate Estimates from October last year, “employee staff numbers are steadily declining”… with no more Climate Change Department, there will no longer be a Climate Change secretary.
“how can the minister overseeing the big mining companies turn around and manage renewable energy?”
New-look Climate Change Department: What’s ahead? ABC News, By environment reporter Sarah Clarke, Mar 27, 2013
After last week’s spill that never happened and in a week described by the Prime Minister as “appalling”, it was on the cards that those who stuck by Julia Gillard would be rewarded.
But with the new ministries unveiled and extra portfolios being taken on by some, you have to ask, are they being rewarded or overloaded?
Climate Change Minister Greg Combet has been a staunch supporter of the Prime Minister and that has now translated to a number of extra titles and a huge portfolio.
As Fairfax’s Tony Wright put it, imagine the letterhead on that one; the “Department of Industry, Innovation, Climate Change, Science, Research and Tertiary Education”. It is a mouthful by any standards.
And what does this mean for what was the Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency? It is now being squeezed under the umbrella of the Industry Department, while the Energy Efficiency component is being shifted to the Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism. Continue reading
A note of optimism: Australia’s renewable energy initiatives are being kept.
New-look Climate Change Department: What’s ahead? ABC News,
By environment reporter Sarah Clarke Mar 27, 2013 “………Which agencies are safe? A spokesman from Mr Combet’s office says the “Clean Energy Regulator, Clean Energy Finance Corporation and the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA)” are all clear.
The Clean Energy Regulator will remain independent with the newly-merged Climate Change Industry, Innovation, Science, Research and Tertiary Education portfolio.
The Clean Energy Finance Corporation is an independent agency within Treasury. That too won’t change.
ARENA is independent within the Resources, Energy and Tourism portfolio. That too continues as is.
But can Climate Change and Industry work together? The Climate Institute thinks so.
“It’s not illogical to have Climate Change, Industry and Innovation under one umbrella,” chief executive John Connor said.
Mr Connor says what matters is that climate change is taken seriously across all of government and across all portfolios.http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-03-27/climate-marriage3a-will-it-work3f/4595794
New Energy Minister Gray – dubious credentials on climate change
Political moves in Australia’s renewable energy landscape, PV Magazine 25 MARCH 2013 BY: JONATHAN GIFFORD, A cabinet reshuffle in Australia results in the Department of Climate Change merging with Industry and a new Energy Minister. In the states of Queensland and Western Australia, electricity price policies remain a subject for debate.
With renewable energy becoming an increasingly contentious issue in Australian politics, former oil and gas industry advisor Gary Gray has been appointed Australia’s new Energy Minister in a cabinet reshuffle. As a part of the changes, the Climate Change Department will be merged with the Industry Department, however minister Greg Combet will remain in charge of the portfolio.
Australian green business website Climate Spectator observed earlier today that not bringing the energy and climate change portfolios together represented a missed opportunity. It also pointed out that new energy minister Gray has dubious credentials when it comes to climate change.
“Gary Gray was one of the founders of the Lavoisier Institute, a group that has probably done more than any to spread misinformation about the science of global warming in Australia. According to The Age (newspaper), in 1993 Gray said the evidence linking human activity to climate change was ‘pop science’.”…..
The government has shown support for renewables in other ways and last week it committed to maintaining its Renewable Energy Target (RET) for 2020, a move that was welcomed by the photovoltaic and renewable energy industries…… http://www.pv-magazine.com/news/details/beitrag/political-moves-in-australias-renewable-energy-landscape_100010677/#ixzz2OxVmPPeE
Uranium lobby’s King is Dead: Long Live the King
” I am, and always have been an enthusiast for the uranium industry.”
” if the industry is to be embraced by the Australian public, it must continue to work hard to pursue public 
education.”
“the Australian uranium industry has a positive future ahead of it.”
Christina Macpherson 28 March 13. There was brief jubilation as Prime Minister Julia Gillard sacked
Martin Ferguson from the Resources and Energy Ministry. After all, who could be more dismissive and insensitive to Australia’s Aboriginal people than Ferguson, in his fervour to place a nuclear waste dump on their land?
And perhaps, perhaps, the new Minister, Gary Gray, will be more willing to consider their rights.
However, does the new man sees his portfolio as really about Australia’s energy resources – including solar, wind, tidal? Martin Ferguson certainly didn’t.
Furthermore, Gray has Tourism lumped into his portfolio. Can we hope that he will stick up for the rights of Australia’s tourism industry – say – concerning the Great Barrier Reef – and the plan to export uranium through it?
I don’t think so. Read Gary Gray’s response to the Fukushima nuclear disaster- an all out push for uranium mining!
Gary Gray’s speech to Australian Uranium Conference 2011 Perth 21 July 2011
Introduction
It’s my pleasure to be here today speaking in the place of the Minister for Resources and Energy at this important event for the uranium sector.
Martin and I are staunch supporters of your industry and I know he would have welcomed the opportunity to address this gathering.
Now in its seventh year this conference brings industry together again to engage on the latest business, technical and policy developments.
Unquestionably, it has been a difficult year for uranium.
But despite this we believe in uranium mining and in its future. Continue reading
New minister should bring fresh approach to radioactive waste debacle
New Energy Minister Gary Gray 25 March 2013. The departure of Martin Ferguson from the Cabinet presents a circuit breaker for the Federal Government to progress a real solution for Australia’s radioactive waste problem, the Greens said today.
“If responsibility for the waste site is to remain with Mr Gary Gray’s portfolio, he should immediately move to drop the campaign to dump the waste at Muckaty Station,” said Australian Greens spokesperson on nuclear policy Senator Scott Ludlam.
“Rather than Mr Ferguson’s coercive approach, which is years behind schedule and embroiled in a Federal Court action, Mr Gray should take up the Greens proposal for anindependent commission with the technical expertise to find a world’s best standard solution for Australia’s inventory of radioactive waste.
“The job of building an appropriate facility and finding an appropriate site for dealing with the country’s radioactive waste material clearly belongs in the science portfolio – currently held by Mr Greg Combet. The Government now has a chance to fix that mistake.
“The Greens will work with any minister who is willing to make a clean break with the terrible debacle left behind by Martin
Ferguson.”
New Energy Minister Gary Gray – too close to fossil fuel industries?
WA MP Gary Gray appointed Resources Minister ABC News 25 March 13 WA’s Federal Member for Brand, Gary Gray, has been appointed to the federal cabinet in a reshuffle announced by the Prime Minister, Julia Gillard.
Mr Gray is now the Minister for Resources and Energy, Tourism and Small Business…..
Mr Gray formerly worked for oil and gas company, Woodside.
The Chamber of Minerals and Energy’s Nicole Rooke says having a Resources Minister from WA makes sense as the state’s resources account for over half of Australia’s mining sector…..
The Conservation Council has voiced its concerns.
The council’s Jamie Hanson says Mr Gray, who once declared climate change was pop science, should not be in charge of the nation’s energy sector.
“He has never endorsed the belief that climate change is real, caused by humans and requires swift action,” he said.
“That really worries us given that he is now the minister in charge of development of fossil fuel resources in Australia.”
A spokesman for Mr Gray says he made the comments a decade ago and he has since learned the science behind climate change, and has conceded he was wrong…… http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-03-25/gary-gray-specialises-in-resources/4592546?section=wa
As part of today’s changes, the Department of Climate Change will be merged with the Industry Department and will become the Department of Industry, Innovation, Climate Change, Science, Research and Tertiary Education.
Jason Clare joins Cabinet as a full member while retaining his current responsibilities. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-03-25/gary-gray-specialises-in-resources/4592546?section=wa
Ausltralia’s opposition party still a risk to the country’s renewable energy future
Breaking: Canberra endorses status quo on renewables target REneweconomy By Giles Parkinson on 21 March 2013The “…….Australian Greens, who argue Australia should have no less than 50 per cent renewable energy by 2030, have welcomed the government’s RET endorsement, but warn there is still a “big black cloud of uncertainty hanging over the industry,” which they name as Tony Abbott and Greg Hunt.
“(Abbott and Hunt) must come out and rule out reducing the 41,000 gigawatt hour target for large-scale renewables or accept responsibility for killing off major projects,” Greens leader Christine Milne said today.
“Ducking and weaving and refusing to answer the question by constantly saying that the Coailtion supports the 20 per cent renewable energy target is dishonest. Is it 41,000 gigawatt or not? …They need to be upfront and admit that what they want to do… is cave in to the vested interests in coal and gas and in so doing destroy renewable energy.” Continue reading
Australian government is keeping the Renewable Energy Target unchanged
Breaking: Canberra endorses status quo on renewables target REneweconomy By Giles Parkinson 21 March 2013 The Australian government has announced it endorses the Climate Change Authority’s recommendation that the fixed target of 41,000GWh be retained for the country’s Renewable Energy Target.
The decision was a crucial one for the renewables industry, which said that $18 billion of investment in wind and solar farms would be under threat if the government acceded to a push by some major generators and energy utilities to dilute the target. The generators, and utilities such as Origin Energy and EnergyAustralia, fear reduced earnings from their coal and gas fired generation if more renewables are deployed.
However, federal climate change minister Greg Combet said the CCA review had concluded there would be no benefit to consumers in reducing the target, and had argued that in the interests of investment certainty the target should be retained. Continue reading
GREENS ACT TO SAVE REEF FROM URANIUM AND WORLD HERITAGE IN-DANGER LISTING
Larissa Waters, 19 March 13, The Australian Greens will introduce a bill to Parliament tomorrow to save the Great Barrier Reef from uranium shipping and being added to the World Heritage list of sites in danger.
“Premier Newman is considering shipping uranium through the reef and the World Heritage committee is warning the reef is being overrun with development,” Senator Larissa Waters, the Australian Greens Great Barrier Reef spokesperson, said.
“The government is not acting to save the reef from these threats – it has ticked off on what would be one of the world’s largest coal ports in the reef and hasn’t ruled out giving Campbell Newman its federal responsibilities to protect the reef.
“I am introducing a bill to adopt key recommendations made by the World Heritage committee on the reef’s management, which would prevent uranium shipping through new or expanded ports. Continue reading
Confusion about carbon in Australia’s Liberal Party
Hockey rules out carbon tax compensation, The Age, March 6, 2013 Mark Kenny
Senior political correspondent Shadow treasurer Joe Hockey has again ruled out retaining Labor’s carbon tax compensation package, despite a Coalition source revealing similar measures will be taken to the election.
Mr Hockey said the Coalition remained committed to dumping the carbon tax and any sweeteners connected to it…. Mr Hockey’s comments suggested the Coalition was considering going to the election in September with a plan to increase taxes.
But they came on the same day Mr Abbott told a national newspaper that tax arrangements similar to Labor’s compensation package could continue. Mr Abbott said it should not automatically be assumed that the tax-free threshold, currently set at $18,200 in annual income, would be returned to its pre-carbon price level of $6000.
This raised the prospect of a Coalition government keeping part or all of the tax cut, even though Mr Hockey, who would be treasurer, appeared to rule that out completely. He claimed however that families would be better off though welfare payments and through tax cuts ”based on tax levels without the carbon tax”….
He said the Coalition’s expenditure review committee was working hard to identify savings from which to fund the competing tax cuts and assistance package.
Labor argues that the Coalition has no capacity to fund such measures, which are at present paid for by revenue from the sale of carbon permits.
Robin Chapple and Kado Muir for Western Australian Senate!
A Vote for Robin Chapple is a Vote for Kado Muir http://www.kadomuir.com/post/44538974329/a-vote-for-robin-chapple-is-a-vote-for-kado-muir#disqus_thread In this State election I am running as a number two candidate to Robin Chapple for the vast upper house electorate of Mining and Pastoral. The Mining and Pastoral region encompasses an area of 2,280,730 km2, stretching from the sea cliffs of the Great Australian Bight to the monsoon forests of the Kimberley. The region contains five electoral districts – Eyre, Kalgoorlie , Kimberley, Northwest and Pilbara.Robin has been representing the Greens in the Upper House for the last four years; during that time he has been a strong voice for Aboriginal Heritage and Nuclear Free campaigns. In fact it is largely due to Robin that Aboriginal Heritage Act has not been changed to make it easier for developers to destroy Aboriginal Sites!Robin commented on the processes around Lake Disappointment in his AHA review document, Robin also visited Lake Disappointment via the canning stock route with Glen Cooke, Curtis Taylor and the Martu rangers. Robin also visited the Yantakutji waterhole – where Cameco propose to take water for Kintyre and asked personally 69 sets of questions in the Legislative Council of parliament on how the government was failing to protect Aboriginal Heritage during 2009-2012 Looking after country is important for many Aboriginal people in our Mining and Pastoral electorate. I am running to support Robin in this election campaign, and if enough people *Vote 1 for Robin Chapple* I might also get enough votes to be elected along with him. Robin must be doing something right because he’s been preferenced last by all the major political parties on the How to Vote card. We both need everyone in our electorate to Vote 1 for the Greens, Robin Chapple and Kado Muir.
Tony Abbott out to destroy Australia’s progress in climate change action
Australian climate outlook remains bleak with Tony Abbott out for revenge, Guardian UK by Alexander White 25 February 13 Australian elections on 14 September threaten a rollback of years of climate change progress. The time to act is now In Australia, decades of hard-fought conservation gains are at risk of being wiped out after 14 September. That’s when the incumbent Labor government faces oblivion at the federal election, at the hands of the conservative Liberal Party.
For environment groups and climate campaigners, things have never looked bleaker.
This is despite the introduction of a carbon price, billions of dollars for clean energy projects, a landmark extension of marine national parks, and recent news that carbon emissions from the world’s largest per- capita emitter have actually reduced.
Unfortunately, conservation and climate change have not been a national priority since the controversial introduction of the carbon price. In Australia, the Labor minority government, supported by the Greens , passed historic carbon-pricing legislation that charged polluters for their emissions.
At that time, the five or so largest environment groups, supported by the Australian Council of Trade Unions, ran a public awareness campaign – “Say Yes” – to raise support for the carbon price.
Since then, the conservative opposition, led by climate change denying Tony Abbott and supported by extreme elements in the Murdoch-owned press, has waged a relentless campaign against the carbon price.
The fear is that Abbott’s climate denialism, coupled with a desire to get even with groups who opposed him, will see environment groups targeted……The USA now has a revitalised climate movement. A new generation of activists, many of whom also campaigned alongside Obama 2012 organisers, continues their struggle to stop one of the most dangerous oil projects in the world.
In Australia, environment groups fearing the wrath of Tony Abbott, whose position on climate change matches the likes of Sarah Palin or Rick Santorum, must mobilise rather than remaining a small target.
The posture of this new breed of US climate activist is more assertive and aware of the great risks of doing nothing. And they have finally realised that to win, to have influence in the halls of power, you must have a willing, engaged constituency in the community – who are willing to take action….http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/blog/2013/feb/25/australia-climate-elections-new-strategy?fb=native
Christine Milne explodes Greg Hunt’s Liberal Coalition sham climate change action plan
Treasury has said that: “Direct Action measures alone cannot do the job without imposing significant economic and budget costs…Moreover, many of the direct action measures cannot be scaled up to achieve significant levels of abatement, and for those that can be scaled up, the cost per tonne of abatement would rise rapidly.
The Coalition cannot hide from the fact that Direct Action is a slogan, not a policy. It’s time that they were called out on it.”
Why Greg Hunt’s Direct Action policy is a sham http://reneweconomy.com.au/2013/why-greg-hunts-direct-action-policy-is-a-sham-77552 By Christine Milne on 28 February 2013
“Let’s consider Mr Hunt’s Direct Action Plan. It’s a sham.
“This week the Coalition has been all over the shop. From “we will compensate businesses” from Joe Hockey and “we will not compensate businesses” from Tony Abbott and “we will impose penalties” from Abbott and “we don’t expect to” from Mr Hunt.
The world is on a trajectory of 4 degrees of warming. The fact that Direct Action cannot be scaled up, is only intended to reduce emissions by 5% and cannot effectively achieve more is its overwhelming and fundamental failure. Who in their right mind thinks that such a weak target in any way reflects the science?
At a time when we have IMF boss Christine Lagarde saying, “Unless we take action on climate change future generations will be roasted, toasted fried and grilled” to try to suggest that an Australian target of just -5% by 2020 is acceptable is a lie. As the rest of the world move towards a legally binding global treaty and the second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol, such a lax target will become untenable and indefensible.
To the detail of the plan, it is in essence a massive ‘competitive grant programme’ which seeks to reduce emissions by companies putting in ‘tenders’ for actions that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and the government then paying those companies which submit the lowest bids (per tonne of abatement).
There are numerous fundamental problems, many of which, while widely understood are rarely discussed. For example:
1) The Coalition expects more than 60% of the abatement to come from soil carbon – but the science to back this up is not yet solid, so this abatement would not be recognised in international treaties. That’s a showstopper. Continue reading
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 