Improved dam catchments, recycling stormwater, desal problems not addressed properly in WA water-use debate, says Nationals MP

Reducing water use was much more complicated than relatively small initiatives such as more efficient showers and toilets, said Murray Criddle, National Party, in the Legislative Council of Western Australia (4/9/2007).

5 Star Plus scheme: greener house to cost $8,000-$15,000 more than ‘normal house’, says WA Liberal MP

The application of the Building Sustainability Index was fraught with difficulties about who was to pay for and administer it, said Liberal MP Norman Moore, in the Legislative Council of Western Australia (5/9/2007).

Minister says processes being put in place to verify source of logs sold from state forests, FPC share farms and state-owned plantations

In response to questions from Paul Llewellyn MP (Greens Party) in the Western Australian Legislative Council on 5 September 2007 about the Forest Products Commission’s sale of logs from state forests, FPC share farms and state-owned plantations, Kimberley Chance MP (Minister for Forestry, Labor Party) said it was not possible at this time to give an assurance that illegally harvested logs were not finding their way to mill landings.

National Environment Protection Council Amendment Bill 2007 ensures WA’s legislation complies with 1992 Intergovernmental Agreement on the Environment

Endorsing the National Environment Protection Council (Western Australia) Amendment Bill 2007 in the WA Legislative Council on 5 September 2007, Dr Sally Talbot MP (Australian Labor Party) said nationally consistent and effective environmental protection standards were important goals that must be striven for in Australia to address pollution and other environmental issues.

Fledgling Climate Change Coalition runs high-profile candidates from industry and science in WA, NSW

A former BHP Billiton executive would run for the fledgling Climate Change Coalition (CCC) on the West Australian Senate ticket, bolstering the profile of a party aiming to capitalise on growing concern about global warming, reported The Australian Financial Review (10/10/2007, p.4).

WA landowners face charges for alleged illegal land clearing of more than 470ha of bush

Three Western Australian landowners faced charges for alleged illegal land clear­ing of more than 470ha of bush, reported Farm Weekly, (27/9/2007, p.15).

Iluka to close seven of 14 mines, rebuild in Eucla Basin, SA: concerns on zircon market, rising Aus dollar

Embattled mineral sands miner Iluka Resources decided on early closure as part of a sweeping review through which it will rebuild itself around its zircon-rich discoveries in South Australia’s Eucla Basin, reported The Australian Financial Review (24/8/2007).

‘The national interest’: vast WA minerals resources left untouched by global companies

Unlike onshore minerals, where the state has absolute responsibility, Canberra is responsible for managing offshore oil and gas resources, though its powers were delegated to State Governments, wrote Nigel Wilson in The Australian (16/7/2007, p.32).

Federal Environment Minister Malcolm Turnbull sued by Phosphate Resources for ignoring 122 pieces of evidence when rejecting bid to extend phosphate leases on Christmas Island

Federal Environment Minister Malcolm Turnbull faced the possibility of being called to give evidence in Perth’s Federal Court over claims that he ignored 122 pieces of evidence in rejecting a mining company’s bid to extend its phosphate leases on Christmas Island, reported The Australian Financial Review (10/8/2007, p. 32).

Northern Australia – the future food bowl: work on to identify eight to 12 small-scale sustainable precincts to potentially open up to 10,000 to 20,000 hectares across the north outside the Ord

With the non-occurrence of La Nina and the related worsening drought situation across most of Australia, it was high time to focus on the possibilities of Northern Australia and the region west of Ord river with relatively abundant water and the added benefits the north presented in reducing greenhouse gases, as the potential food bowl of the nation said Senator Alan Eggleston, Senator for Western Australia, member of the Government’s Backbench Policy Committee on Health and Ageing, Liberal Party of Australia, in the Commonwealth Senate on 18 September 2007, quoting Mark Lewis of the Western Australia Department of Agriculture, who is the manager of NRM and industry development for rangelands.