GREENHOUSE GAS MITIGATION – GOVERNMENT POLICY – AUSTRALIA

Business wants more detail on ALP’s emissions reduction policy

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Original article by Mark Ludlow
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 9 : 20-Mar-19

Business Council of Australia CEO Jennifer Westacott has urged both major political parties to reveal details of how their greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets will be achieved. She notes that a report by former bureaucrat Brian Fisher shows that the policies of both Labor and the Coalition will have an impact on the economy. Minerals Council of Australia CEO Tania Constable has called for a measured response to meeting Australia’s emissions reduction target to avoid any negative economic impact.

CORPORATES
BUSINESS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, MINERALS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, THE AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY GROUP, AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL UNIVERSITY. CRAWFORD SCHOOL OF PUBLIC POLICY

Emissions target will cut wages, ACTU told

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Original article by Joe Kelly, Greg Brown
The Australian – Page: 4 : 15-Mar-19

Unions have criticised Energy Minister Angus Taylor after he warned them of the potential impact of Labor’s greenhouse gas policy on wages. Taylor has written to unions claiming that wages could be reduced by $9,000 under Labor’s proposed 45 per cent emissions reduction target. The Electrical Trades Union has accused Taylor of "rank political opportunism" in targeting its members shortly before a federal election. Meanwhile, Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton says taxpayers’ funds should not be used to build new coal-fired power stations. He says this would result in less funding for infrastructure such as roads.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, ELECTRICAL TRADES UNION, ACTU, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HOME AFFAIRS, GETUP LIMITED, BAECONOMICS PTY LTD, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA

Our carbon cut apocalypse

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Original article by Simon Benson
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 21-Feb-19

Former bureaucrat Brian Fisher has undertaken independent modelling of the economic impact of the climate change policies of Labor and the Coalition. The modelling suggests that Labor’s policy would result in cumulative economic losses of $472bn over the 10 years to 2030, compared with $70bn under the Coalition’s policy. Labor’s policy would also result in 336,000 fewer jobs in 2030 and an eight per cent fall in real wages; in contrast, there would be about 78,000 fewer jobs under the Coalition’s policy, while real wages would be two per cent lower. Fisher was the chief adviser on climate policy to both Labor and Coalition governments.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF AGRICULTURAL AND RESOURCE ECONOMICS AND SCIENCES, BAECONOMICS PTY LTD, INTERGOVERNMENTAL PANEL ON CLIMATE CHANGE

Feds slap down NSW over net zero emissions

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Original article by Ben Potter, Simon Evans
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 8 : 20-Dec-18

Tensions between the federal government and its New South Wales counterpart have deepened following the Council of Australian Governments’ Energy Council meeting on 19 December. Federal Energy Minister Angus Taylor used a procedural rule to block a motion to develop a national pathway to net zero emissions by 2050. The motion was put forward by NSW Climate and Energy Minister Don Harwin and had the support of many state and territory energy ministers. Harwin says he will continue to push for his proposal.

CORPORATES
COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENTS, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY, NEW SOUTH WALES. DEPT OF PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENT, SOUTH AUSTRALIA. DEPT FOR TRANSPORT, ENERGY AND INFRASTRUCTURE, AUSTRALIAN ENERGY MARKET OPERATOR LIMITED, AUSTRALIA. ENERGY SECURITY BOARD, QUEENSLAND. DEPT OF ENERGY AND WATER SUPPLY

Paris target in sight eight years early

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Original article by Joe Kelly
The Australian – Page: 5 : 18-Dec-18

Emissions from power generation in the National Electricity Market are tipped to fall to 26 per cent below 2005 levels by 2022. This is according to the Emissions Projections 2018 Report, and would mean Australia will meet its Paris targets eight years ahead of schedule. Energy Minister Angus Taylor says the projections show that there is no need to revive the failed National Energy Guarantee, nor is there a need for a mechanism to reduce emissions, as called for by Labor and business groups.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

The Saltbush Club: skilled and thinking Australians concerned at the huge costs and unproven benefits of the climate, energy and infrastructure policies on both sides of Federal Parliament

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Original article by Viv Forbes
pickeringpost.com – Page: Online : 16-Nov-18

A newly formed lobby group called the Saltbush Club is calling for Australia to withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement. Jerry Ellis, founding chairman of the Club and a former chairman of BHP, contends that Australia’s efforts to reach its Paris targets have led to higher electricity prices and unreliable power supply. Hugh Morgan, a former CEO of Western Mining and director of the Saltbush Club, states that the Climate Agreement is really about the transfer of wealth to less developed nations. Saltbush organiser Viv Forbes claims that the United Nations is seeking to cripple western industry with high and unreliable electricity in a “futile attempt to control global climate”.

To learn more about the Saltbush Club please contact:
Viv Forbes (forbes@carbon-sense.com).

Also read a more detailed article in regards to the Saltbush Club available here: http://pickeringpost.com/story/the-saltbush-club/8689

CORPORATES
THE SALTBUSH CLUB, BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, WESTERN MINING CORPORATION, UNITED NATIONS

Morrison in bid for unity on energy

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Original article by Joe Kelly, Ben Packham
The Australian – Page: 1 & 6 : 23-Oct-18

The federal government will establish a price benchmark for electricity retailers, which was a key recommendation of the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission’s review of electricity prices. The "default market offer" rate will take effect from mid-2019, and is part of the government’s commitment to reducing power bills. Meanwhile, National Party MP Keith Pitt rejects suggestions that the Coalition’s climate change policy was the main cause of its poor performance in the Wentworth by-election.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. OFFICE OF THE CHIEF SCIENTIST, AUSTRALIAN ENERGY REGULATOR, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF INDUSTRY, INNOVATION AND SCIENCE

Labor, Coalition square off in Reef election

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Original article by Ben Potter
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 8 : 9-Oct-18

Labor’s acting energy spokesperson, Penny Wong, has claimed that the federal government has given up on trying to tackle climate change. Wong was commenting on the release of an Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report which warned that coral reefs would be wiped out by global warming of two degrees celsius. Wong said Labor is committed to its 45 per cent emissions reduction target, while Prime Minister Scott Morrison said he is confident Australia can easily meet its Paris emissions reduction target.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, WHITEHAVEN COAL LIMITED – ASX WHC, NEW HOPE CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX NHC, YANCOAL AUSTRALIA LIMITED – ASX YAL, INTERGOVERNMENTAL PANEL ON CLIMATE CHANGE, INTERNATIONAL ENERGY AGENCY, UNITED NATIONS

Previously NEGative, Shorten attacked for reviving dead policy

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Original article by Greg Brown
The Australian – Page: 4 : 17-Sep-18

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has criticised Opposition Leader Bill Shorten for signalling that Labor could potentially implement a policy that is similar to the national ­energy guarantee if it wins the next federal election. Frydenberg says Shorten is merely playing politics with regard to energy policy and is not concerned about reducing electricity prices. The NEG included a carbon emissions reduction target of just 26 per cent, compared with Labor’s proposed target of 45 per cent. Liberal MP Trent Zimmerman says the Labor target is "ridiculous" and would destroy the economy.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

Direct Action back on the agenda

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Original article by Graham Lloyd
The Australian – Page: 1 & 6 : 17-Sep-18

Environment Minister Melissa Price has indicated that the Federal Government will revive key elements of the Direct Action climate change policy of former prime minister Tony Abbott. Price says she supports the Direct Action policy but stresses that the government’s stance does not signal a return to Abbott-era policies. Amongst other things, Price will seek additional funding for the Emissions Reduction Fund, of which around $250m of its original funding has not yet been spent. Price has also proposed reactivating the Green Army program, which ended on 30 June.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, CLIMATEWORKS PTY LTD, GREAT BARRIER REEF FOUNDATION, ADANI MINING PTY LTD