Fed Govt uncertainty over climate-change policy blocking investment in new power gen; combined-cycle gas turbines cheaper than coal for NSW, Owen inquiry finds

The Owen Inquiry was a blunt rebuke for the Federal Government’s 10-year delay in agreeing to a national emissions trading scheme, wrote Marian Wilkinson in The Sydney Morning Herald (12/9/2007, p.4).

By-election snapshot of how ALP will target Greens at national poll: Brisbane Central residents get warning against voting “Extreme Green”

A by-election has given a snapshot of how the ALP would target the Greens at the national poll, with election material warning Brisbane Central residents of the perils of voting “Extreme Green” posted to thousands of homes this week, wrote Mark Ludlow in The Australian Financial Review (12/10/2007, p.15).

National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Bill 2007: all-powerful Commonwealth reporting power could potentially usurp or marginalise state laws and programs

Speaking on the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Bill 2007, on 20 September 2007, Penny Wong, Senator for South Australia, said the bill established a single national framework for reporting greenhouse gas emissions, emission reduction actions, and energy consumption and production by corporations from 1 July 2008.

SA Development (Regulated Trees) Amendment Bill “worse than current Act”, would push more costs on to local government, says Dems MLC

With regard to the Development (Regulated Trees) Amendment Bill, Sandra Kanck MP (Australian Democrats) said she had consulted with a number of groups and what had eventuated out of the meetings was a determination that the bill was far worse than the current Act.

Livestock methane emissions easy target for governments; should not be compared with emissions from coal-fired power stations

Mick Keogh of the Australian Farm Institute said while many media stories automatically align methane emissions from livestock with methane emissions from coal-fired power stations, in reality the two were very different, wrote James Nason in Queensland Country Life (4/10/2007, p. 7).

Fed Govt surrenders to big business: Greenhouse Bill lacks transparency, accountability and urgency, says Senator

One of the real issues that remain with the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Bill 2007 was that the essential elements of a reporting scheme included comprehensive coverage of emitters, data at both corporate and facility level, reporting on a range of relevant activities, transparent and objective processes for calculating emissions and public accountability of the scheme, Tasmania’s Senator Christine Milne said in the Commonwealth Senate on 20 September 2007.

Federal plan: CO2 dumps and nuclear power to dominate future Australia carbon credit market

The project by South Australian company Santos to capture and safely store carbon dioxide deep underground as the Cooper Basin oil and gas reservoirs reached the end of their useful life had the potential to store up to 20 million tonnes of carbon dioxide per annum and up to one billion tones over its lifetime, South Australia’s Senator Simon Birmingham said in the Commonwealth Senate on 20 September 2007.

Outraged Greens opt for open ticket as Labor and Coalition support Gunns

Federal Environmental Minister Malcolm Turnbull said it was not appropriate for the commonwealth to assess the greenhouse gas emissions from individual projects, such as the proposed pulp mill in Tasmania, as this was better dealt with by a national emissions trading regime, reported The Australian Financial Review (5/10/2007, p. 10).

Dry earth worse than dry skin: Greens book ads in fashion maga­zine in bid to lure new voters

The Australian Greens were booking ads in fashion, science and gardening maga­zines in a bid to lure new voters, wrote Simon Canning in The Australian (4/10/2007, p.34).

Greens Party MP Milne says proposed tax legislation will harm farmers, needs appropriate scientific scrutiny

Christine Milne MP (Senator, Greens Party) stated that a whole-of-government approach to climate change was needed, on 20 September 2007.