HOME ABOUT US ADVERTISE SUBSCRIBE SITEMAP HELP CONTACT   Thursday 9 September 2010 Make EMN my HomePage    POLICY/LAW STORIES [ 1013 Results - Showing Results 1 to 30 ] Vic EPA CEO comes clean on environment regulation (Monday, 6 September 2010) No stone will be left unturned in EPA Victoria’s review of its compliance and enforcement framework due to start in September. As part of its journey, the EPA is undertaking a review of its compliance and enforcement framework – the environmental rules and what happens if you break them. Full Story... ACT pulls trigger on environmental red tape (Wednesday, 25 August 2010) Australian Capital Territory (ACT) Planning Minister Andrew Barr has promised he will slash environmental impact statement red tape in the territory's development approval process, according to the Canberra Times. Barr issued an exposure draft he says “would cut down on the number of environmental impact statements (EIS) in the system”. It was cautiously welcomed by the ACT Greens. Full Story... An election climate policy tale of balloons, numbers and stars (Friday, 20 August 2010) Just days away from the election the Australian Conservation Foundation’s (ACF) scorecard of environmental policies shows both major parties have failed to offer credible policy packages on climate change. Meanwhile, policies delivered by the Greens have been well received not only by the ACF but also by The Climate Institute and the Energy Efficiency Council, which also decided to show their own graphs in terms of what they think of the main parties environmental policies. Full Story... Support for two major parties split, while Greens hold balance of govt (Friday, 20 August 2010) The last minute campaigning by Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Opposition leader Tony Abbott has been frenetic in the lead up to the Federal election on Saturday, with both parties travelling around the nation to get a last minute swing in their favour. However, in terms of climate change and environmental policy announcements, the campaigning has been anything but frenetic. Full Story... Business group backs Gillard’s farming scheme (Wednesday, 18 August 2010) Labor’s $46 millionCarbon Farming Initiative announced by Prime Minister Julia Gillard on Saturday has been welcomed by business think tank, Environment Business Australia (EBA). The group also welcomed the news that some of the allocated funding will go to developing science to measure the carbon that is captured. Full Story... Northern Australia to get sustainability boost by Gillard (Monday, 16 August 2010) Parliamentary secretary for Northern Australia Gary Gray has unveiled an election commitment to develop a northern Australian Sustainable Futures Program. A re-elected Gillard Government would provide $6 million. Meanwhile, former PM Kevin Rudd has accepted a part-time role on the UN global panel for sustainability, just months after being ousted for back-flipping on an emissions trading scheme. Full Story... Abbott wary of Greens rise in polls (Monday, 9 August 2010) Opposition leader Tony Abbott put his green foot forward yesterday at the official launch of his election campaign, laying out his commitments and making a pitch to green-leaning voters. ''I share your concerns for the future of our country and fully accept that we have only one planet to live on,” he said. Full Story... Greens launch election campaign (Monday, 2 August 2010) Greens leader Bob Brown officially launched the Greens national election campaign on Sunday and announced two populist commitments – support for a national high speed rail network and a goal to protect more marine parks from offshore oil drilling. Over the weekend they also slammed Federal Labor for de-funding an award-winning NSW solar research centre. Full Story... Echo-Chem and SITA fined by Vic EPA (Wednesday, 7 July 2010) Victorian company Echo-Chem, responsible for stockpiling about 100 tonnes of liquid waste in a Moorabbin factory, was convicted in the Moorabbin Magistrates’ Court yesterday after breaching Victoria EPA licensing. SITA also was fined due to complaints from Brooklyn and Yarraville residents due to heavy odour issues. Full Story... Council body to further streamline coastal erosion bill (Wednesday, 30 June 2010) The Local Government Shire Association (LGSA) in NSW will undertake further consultation with its members regarding Coastal Protection and Other Legislation Amendment Bill, which is aiming to strike a new balance between the rights of council and property owners when it comes to coastal erosion. Meanwhile, a NSW developer has been fined $100,000 for tree clearing near a coastal erosion zone. Full Story... Vic EPA tightens the reigns on Mobil Australia (Friday, 4 June 2010) EPA Victoria has cancelled the special “accredited licence” for oil giant Mobil Refining Australia, citing poor performance at its Altona site. This included the leaking of a 3.5ML tank of unleaded petrol at the plant near local wetlands in February, and flaring from stacks caused by a power outage in May. Mobil held its accredited licence since 2001. Full Story... EU aims for higher emissions cuts despite European crisis (Monday, 24 May 2010) Greenhouse emissions from businesses participating in the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) fell by 11.6% in 2009 on the back of the economic recession. On the back of the emissions drop the European Commission wants to increase its 2020 emissions reduction target from 20% to 30% on 1990 levels. The higher target has until now been dependent on other major industrialised nations following suit. Full Story... UK prime minister promises “the greenest government ever” (Friday, 21 May 2010) New UK Prime Minister David Cameron said he wants the new administration to be "the greenest government ever". It has agreed to sign up to the principles of the 10:10 climate campaign, which calls for UK individuals and organisations to cut carbon emissions by 10% in 2010, and he framed the plan for five-year fixed term parliaments as a benefit in tackling long-term environmental issues. Full Story... Federal budget not so keen on green (Wednesday, 12 May 2010) The Federal Government has unveiled its third national budget, and optimistic environmentalist hoping to be surprised by strong green measures will be left disappointed. After shelving the carbon pollution reduction scheme (CPRS) until at least 2013, there was some pressure for the government to consider an interim tax on carbon polluters. Instead it created a $652 million renewable energy fund, described by critics as a “piecemeal approach” to climate action. Full Story... Henry tax review on road pricing in limbo (Monday, 3 May 2010) The 1000-page Henry Tax Review includes a proposal to replace petrol taxes with congestion charging, but the Federal Government left it and many other recommendations made by the Treasury secretary in limbo for now. Some estimates say $9 billion is wasted each year in avoidable congestion costs and would likely reach $20 billion by 2020. Full Story... Food maker fined, EPA Victoria talks tough (Wednesday, 21 April 2010) One of Australia’s largest food manufacturer’s has been found guilty of two pollution charges in the Castlemaine Magistrates’ Court last Friday and fined $60,000 to fund an environmental project in Mt Alexander Shire. Full Story... Election snapshot: SA and TAS (Friday, 19 March 2010) In SA water and waste have been the big environmental battleground for the upcoming election. Tasmanian Labor leader David Bartlett, meanwhile, has stated his proposals for renewable energy investment if he retains power following tomorrow’s state election. The latest centrepiece of Labor’s plan is “$3 million in low-interest loan facilities towards a new green industry development scheme focusing on reducing Tasmania's and Australia's carbon footprint”. Full Story... Prime Carbon guilty of greenwash (Monday, 15 March 2010) The Federal Court of Australia has declared Prime Carbon made false or misleading representations in relation to its services around the sale of carbon credits. The court ruling, which relates to claims made in promotional brochures and on the company’s website, follows action taken by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) against Prime Carbon and its sole director, Kenneth Bellamy, in December 2009. Full Story... Qantas carbon offset program up in the air (Friday, 26 February 2010) Queensland Liberals have issued Qantas an urgent “please explain” as to why its carbon offsets program is channelling voluntary payments made by passengers to a company called Fieldforce, which has an annual revenue of almost $800 million. Senator Sue Boyce said serious questions needed to be answered about the relationship between the two companies, and exactly what Fieldforce did with the money. Full Story... Abbott’s three CPRS flaws (Tuesday, 9 February 2010) New analysis claims the Coalition’s proposed alternative to the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme is flawed in terms of cost effectiveness, certainty and scalability. Bloomberg New Energy Finance adds the CPRS, while it has its own limitations, performs better against the three criteria. Full Story... Third time round for CPRS bill (Tuesday, 2 February 2010) The Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (CPRS) Bill is set to be re-introduced to Parliament tomorrow in the same form agreed with the Liberals on November 24 last year before their leadership spill. Fiona Melville recaps the legislation. Full Story... Garnaut endorses Greens' interim carbon price (Wednesday, 27 January 2010) Professor Ross Garnaut stepped out yesterday to publicly endorse the Greens' idea of an interim carbon price, which he had proposed in his own Garnaut report in July 2008. The Greens say interest in the proposal is building. Full Story... Victorian Govt clears the decks on regulation (Monday, 25 January 2010) The Victorian Government has overwhelmingly accepted the recommendations of the Victorian Competition and Efficiency Commission (VCEC) to streamline the state’s environmental regulations, measures the commission says could cut red tape costs between $30-48 million per year. Full Story... Clean up notices: act swiftly or pay dearly (Wednesday, 20 January 2010) If you or your company receives a clean up notice from a NSW council or the state EPA, take notice and swing into action because a delay could cost you dearly. A three month delay in taking steps to comply with a clean up notice recently cost one company over $157,000 in fines and legal fees, writes Gadens lawyer Jodie Wauchope. Full Story... Carbon tariff idea resurfaces post-Copenhagen (Monday, 18 January 2010) Some leading lights in the European Union are again flirting with carbon border tariffs after the post-Copenhagen climate talks failed to deliver a robust global framework to tackle climate change. However the border adjustment concept has gained little support from the EU's incoming trade commissioner, smaller EU nations and US business groups. Full Story... Independent reviewer backs overhaul of EPBC Act (Monday, 11 January 2010) The independent reviewer of the federal Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act has made 71 recommendations following an extensive review of the 10-year-old law governing nationally significant developments. Dr Allan Hawke in December found it too repetitive, unnecessarily complex and, in some areas, overly prescriptive, recommending it be re-written. Full Story... US EPA delivers final blow to CO2 emissions (Wednesday, 9 December 2009) The US EPA has determined that greenhouse gases pose a danger to human health and the environment, paving the way for regulation of CO2 emissions from vehicles, power plants, factories refineries and other major sources. EPA chief Lisa Jackson announced the step at a news conference in Washington on Monday. Full Story... Green tax better than soft fines (Monday, 9 November 2009) According to Queensland University of Technology environmental economist Professor Clevo Wilson, “if carbon and nitrogen use was taxed, carbon emissions would go down and less nitrate would leach into waterways and the Great Barrier Reef”. He argues this is a more effective way to encourage behaviour change in the agricultural sector than threatening farmers with large fines, an ineffective approach currently being pursued because it is politically easy. Full Story... Environment meeting an unusual love in (Thursday, 5 November 2009) In a highly unusual display of affection for political leaders, the Boomerang Alliance of green groups and councils has been handing out awards, symbolic gifts and a pile of compliments at today’s Environment Protection and Heritage Council meeting in Perth. Federal leader Peter Garrett came in for the highest praise, although South Australia got a fair dose of love too. Full Story... NSW Govt sets its line on coastal erosion (Tuesday, 20 October 2009) The Local Government and Shires Associations (LGSA) has taken NSW Premier Nathan Rees to task for announcing coastal erosion legislation that will have major financial impacts on councils, without first consulting them. The Premier on Sunday unveiled draft legislation that also opens the way for private landowners to protect their property from sea level rise, sparking concerns it may lead to broader damage. Full Story... 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