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
Australia’s Liberal Coalition not likely to repeal carbon tax – “Abbott proof fence” around it
Libs carbon tax repeal ‘unlikely’
http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/-/wa/16259527/libs-carbon-tax-repeal-unlikely/
Andrew Probyn Federal Political Editor, The West Australian February
28, 2013, International and domestic investors in Australia are being
told there is only a one-in-three chance that Opposition Leader Tony
Abbott will be able to fulfil his “pledge in blood” to dump the carbon
tax.
In a briefing note sent to clients yesterday, Bloomberg Finance said
the Government had built a secure “Abbott-proof fence” around its
carbon tax legislation. Continue reading
A Sustainable Energy Future for Western Australia
Creating a sustainable energy future for Western Australia http://www.infolink.com.au/c/Sustainable-Energy-Association-of-Australia/Creating-a-sustainable-energy-future-for-Western-Australia-n2501656 1 March 2013, The Sustainable Energy Association of Australia promotes the development and adoption of renewable energy, energy efficiency and sustainable energy technologies and services.
SEA released its policy position recently, ahead of the Western Australian State Election on 09 March 2013.
The policy document ‘Creating a sustainable energy future for Western Australia’ draws on the substantive views of SEA members who were surveyed on what they would like to see from the next State Government.
Five key recommendations: Continue reading
Australia’s Liberal Coalition gearing up to fight against wind and solar energy?
Hunt’s remarks confirm the worst fears of the renewable energy industry
The comments by Hunt continue the apparent confusion over the Coalition’s policy position on climate and clean energy – firstly over the mechanics of its “Direct Action”, and its proposed buyback of emissions, and its real position on renewables. Several of its new “star recruits” have strong anti-wind and anti-solar positions.
Coalition may stop wind, solar farms if energy demand stays weak http://reneweconomy.com.au/2013/coalition-may-stop-wind-solar-farms-if-energy-demand-stays-weak-83502#sthash.n6ThufVp.dpuf By Giles Parkinson 28 February 2013 The Federal Opposition has given its clearest hint yet that it is prepared to dilute the 20 per cent renewable energy target – and bring new developments of large scale wind and solar farms to an effective halt – if electricity demand continues to be weak.
The Coalition continues to sell its position for large scale renewables as one of “bipartisan support” for the 20 per cent target. But there is great suspicion that it is prepared to soften the fixed target of 41,000GWh – which would require some 8,000MW of new renewable capacity – and adjust it to a “floating” 20 per cent that reflects revised demand forecasts. This would effectively cut installations by more than half – as demanded by most major generators and electricity utilities and the conservative state governments. Climate Change spokesman Greg Hunt told the Australian Summer Study on Energy Efficiency and Decentralised Energy in Sydney on Wednesday that there were no current plans to change the RET. However, he said “we will want to see where energy consumption is heading in 2014,” when the next RET review is expected to be held. Continue reading
Greens MP Kate Faehrmann invited, but sidelined at Kemps Creek radioactive waste meeting, while ALP dominated
Despite being invited to address the meeting, NSW Greens MLC Cate Faehrmann was told at the last minute that she would not be seated on the stage and would only get to speak at the start of discussion time.
She raised the proposal of shifting the waste to the Lucas Heights nuclear reactor site, and said that if the federal Labor government wanted to, they could step in now to make this a reality through an amendment to national laws.Despite a number of people in the crowd pressing the speakers to address this idea, all preferred to side step it.
Labor MPs hijack local outrage over uranium dump plan http://www.greenleft.org.au/node/53403, February 22, 2013 By Fred Fuentes Angry residents from Kemps Creek and surrounding neighbourhoods packed the local sports and bowling club auditorium on February 18 to protest against the state government’s plan to dump radioactive waste in the area.
The NSW Liberal government is proposing to shift 5800 tonnes of soil from an area in Hunters Hill, where a uranium ore processing plant once stood, to the Kemps Creek SITA dump site.
Cancer clusters have been detected in Hunters Hill, which have been linked to the contamination left behind at the former plant site.
The amount of community concern against the project was shown by the more than 3000 submissions against the proposal over the past two months.
The meeting was addressed by three federal politicians and a councillor from Penrith, all from the ALP. Continue reading
1 This month.
20 September –National Day of Action in Melbourne on the International Day of Peace
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
Antinuclear 