Items Tagged With "Climate Change"

In Question Time today the Member for Moncrieff, Steven Ciobo, further demonstrated that the Opposition is more interested in fear than facts when it comes to tackling climate change.

Mr Ciobo confused the wholesale electricity price - which reflects the cost of generating electricity - with the retail price paid for electricity by households and other small consumers such as small to medium enterprises and community organisations. 

Trade Minister Simon Crean today signed a letter of intent with South Africa’s Minister for Water and Environmental Affairs, Buyelwa Sonjica to renew the Australia-South Africa climate change partnership.

The renewed three-year partnership will focus on joint activities including in the priority areas of climate change adaptation in the agriculture sector and greenhouse emissions reporting and monitoring.

New Department of Climate Change analysis of the Opposition’s climate change policy has confirmed that it will not achieve a 5% target by 2020.

The analysis shows that the Opposition policy will actually see emissions increase by 13% from 2000 levels.

The analysis is based on the experience of the Greenhouse Gas Abatement Scheme.

Tony Abbott said at his doorstop on 2 February: "What we are proposing today is modelled quite closely on the New South Wales Labor Government’s GGAS Scheme."

In his first Question Time as Opposition Leader, Tony Abbott has continued his misleading and dishonest scare campaign on climate change.

Tony Abbott said in the House of Representatives today that the Government’s Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme “will increase Australian families’ bills by $1100 a year’’.

As the Government has made clear on more than 10 occasions now, this figure is just plain wrong.

The Minister for Climate Change and Water, Senator Penny Wong, today announced funding of $18 million to support a national research program to boost stormwater harvesting in Australia’s cities.

The Cities as Water Supply Catchments research program, which was announced in Melbourne today in conjunction with the launch of Monash University’s new Centre for Water Sensitive Cities, will encourage greater uptake of stormwater harvesting systems by governments.

*Release with Penny Wong

The 2010 Intergenerational Report, Australia to 2050: Future Challenges, provides yet another stark reminder of the massive environmental and economic costs of failing to act on dangerous climate change.

The report confirms that early action on climate change will allow strong long-term economic growth and rising living standards, whilst steadily transforming Australia to the low-emissions economy of the future.

Today I am proud to launch the 2010 Intergenerational Report Australia to 2050: Future Challenges.

The report provides a comprehensive study of the challenges that Australia will face over the next 40 years, including an ageing population, escalating pressures on the health system, and the environmental and economic challenges of climate change.

These challenges will place substantial pressure on economic growth, living standards and the federal budget over the next 40 years.

As he heads into his first parliamentary sitting week, Tony Abbott has continued his misleading and dishonest scare campaign on climate change.

Tony Abbott has told Australians today that the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme “will slug families an extra $1100 per year’’.

This figure is just plain wrong – it is almost double the actual impact and completely ignores the comprehensive cash assistance the Government will provide to 9 out of 10 Australian households.

Tony Abbott now has 5 days to release his climate change policy.

Today Mr Abbott's shadow minister for climate action, Greg Hunt, offered these guarantees on ABC Radio:

    SABRA LANE: Can you guarantee that the scheme you will unveil next week will lower emissions by 5 per cent, and can you guarantee that it will cost less than what the Government's proposing its scheme will cost?

    GREG HUNT: Yes and yes.

The Rudd Government continues its support of Australia’s primary producers as they adapt to a changing climate, announcing $3 million in funding under the second round of the FarmReady Industry Grants.

Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Tony Burke said the funding would help producers across Australia increase their self-reliance and preparedness for climate variability.

Primary producers, natural resource management groups and Indigenous land managers can apply for grants of up to $80,000 a year under the program.