Cleaner Environment Plan

The Australian Government's new Cleaner Environment Plan forms an umbrella policy framework for a four pillar approach to National Environmental Management.

·       Clean Air,

·       Clean Water,

·       Clean Land,

·       National Heritage

Clean Air outlines the Australian Government’s aspirations to reach its emissions reduction target (of 5% of Y2000 levels by Y2020) through the Direct Action Plan. 

The new Federal Government has changed Australia's response to climate change from a financial issue (through a liability for a price on carbon emissions) to an Engineering problem.  The Coalition Government seeks to source low cost emissions reductions and improve Australia's environment. This will be done primarily through the Emissions Reduction Fund.

The Emissions Reduction Fund is a central element of the Australian Government's Direct Action Plan. The Fund will provide financial incentives for emissions reduction activities across the Australian economy.

Some of the activities which may receive incentives for abatement activities include:

• re-vegetation and land management
• soil carbon
• forestry
• energy efficiency
• recycling
• cleaning up power stations
• cleaning up waste coal mine gas
• cleaning up landfill.

The Government invites public comment on Terms of Reference on the design of the Emissions Reduction Fund by 5pm (AEDT) Monday 18 November 2013.

The Government is seeking business and community views on the design of the Emissions Reduction Fund including:

·         the likely sources of low cost, large scale abatement to come forward under the Emissions Reduction Fund;

·         how the Emissions Reduction Fund can facilitate the development of abatement projects, including through expanding the Carbon Farming Initiative and drawing on the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Scheme;

·         the details of auction arrangements to deliver cost effective outcomes;

·         the governance arrangements that will support the Emissions Reduction Fund, including the role of key institutions such as the Clean Energy Regulator;

·         the details of the monitoring, verification, compliance and payments arrangements for successful bidders at auction;

·         transitional issues relating to the existing Carbon Farming Initiative; and

·         the design and operation of a mechanism applying to emissions above the business as usual baseline.

Responses to the Murray Darling Plan

The Federal Government announced this week that the Government will deliver an additional 450GL of water to achieve greater environmental outcomes to the Basin through water recovery projects that minimise the impact on communities. The Government said the additional environmental water will benefit major wetlands across the Basin and the lower lakes in South Australia and help ensure the system never again goes into a period of drought lacking the resilience it needs to survive. (Minister Burke)

Responses to the Government announcement on the Basin Plan (via the Australian Water Association):
   • The Victorian Government said they are bitterly disappointed the Commonwealth Government is not pursuing the 2,750GL Plan, with offsets, that was agreed to by Basin State Ministers and the Commonwealth in July this year. (Victorian Government)
   • Shadow Parliamentary Secretary, Simon Birmingham, has said the Government's reported new approach to recovering water for the Murray-Darling should be cautiously welcomed. (Liberal Party)
   • Independent MP, Tony Windsor, has said the fine detail of the Murray Darling Basin Plan will need close scrutiny in determining the impacts of the PM's latest announcement. (Tony Windsor)
   • Shadow Minister, Barnaby Joyce, said that it is an ambit announcement for an ambit claim from an ambit Government. (Senator Joyce)
   • Greens Senator, Sarah Hanson-Young, said the Basin Plan still starts at 2750GL and won't keep the Basin healthy. (Senator Hanson-Young)
   • The Irrigators' Council sceptically welcomed the announcement of additional funding for infrastructure. (Irrigator’s Council)
   • The ACF welcomed funding for more environmental water but urged the Government to bring forward the timelines for returning water. (Australian Conservation Foundation)
   • The NFF called on the Government to rule out any future water buybacks in the Murray-Darling Basin. (National Farmers Federation)
   • Hawker Britton issued an updated briefing on the Basin Plan. (Hawker Britton)

Eff Seeney vs Green Groups

Here is a press release from the Deputy Premier Jeff Seeney.  It is a great example of the current Queensland Government's contempt the Environment movement.

Media Statements

Deputy Premier, Minister for State Development, Infrastructure and Planning
The Honourable Jeff Seeney

Friday, October 12, 2012

Coastal Plan under review

Deputy Premier Jeff Seeney said today the World Wildlife Fund and the Wilderness Society were being deliberately alarmist in their claims about changes to the Queensland Coastal Plan. 

Mr Seeney said Queensland’s coastal planning regime today is the same as it was for more than a decade up to February this year. 

In February, on the eve of the state election, the discredited Bligh Labor Government rushed through changes to the Queensland Coastal Plan. 

A draft State Planning Regulatory Provision (SPRP) introduced by the Newman Government this week removes the hasty policy change which was made without consultation with local government or other property industry parties. 

Mr Seeney said the draft SPRP would be in effect for 12 months while a new Single State Planning Policy was prepared. 

“We gave a clear commitment in our Property and Construction Strategy during the election campaign that we would revisit the Bligh Government’s last minute changes to the coastal plan and that we would reform the entire planning regime in Queensland,” Mr Seeney said. 

“My department is working with the Department of Environment and Heritage Protection and various stakeholders to review the Queensland Coastal Plan. 

“What the government has done in the meantime is to return coastal planning policies back to the regime that existed prior to February this year and was in place under the Beattie and Bligh Governments. 

“By introducing a draft SPRP we are providing a sensible basis for consideration of proposals in the coastal zone while the coastal plan is reviewed. 

“This will allow the Queensland Coastal Plan and State Planning Policy to be debated and consulted upon in a way that should have happened last year. 

“The unravelling of the Bligh Government saw normal consultation processes dispensed with. Instead Labor did a last minute backroom deal to pander to their Greens allies and shore up their support for the looming election. 

“Local government faced chaos and confusion in attempting to interpret and implement the new planning laws. 

“We have removed that uncertainty and will now proceed in a measured and professional manner to reform planning regulation. 

“We have informed local government organisations, property, planning and development industry bodies, the Environmental Defenders Office and the Queensland Conservation Council of this course of action. 

“Claims that the draft SPRP lowers environmental protections are nothing more than the usual baseless, sensational rantings of radical green groups which will do or say anything to further their aims. 

Sustainable Business Weekly QLD Edition [Qld Infrastructure Plan, Green Door, Price On Pollution]

The Qld Infrastructure Plan & Regionalisation Strategy

This week, the Qld infrastructure blueprint for the next 20 years was released by the State Government for consultation.

The Queensland Infrastructure Plan (QIP) released this week is the foundation document to the Queensland Regionalisation Strategy (QRS) includes major documents including a significant masterplan for the Bruce Highway.

The aim of the QIP is to provide a clear outline of short-term infrastructure projects, as well as outlining the longer-term infrastructure priorities to meet the needs of Qld’s growing regions and the rebuilding tasks resulting from the recent natural disasters that have affected Qld.

As the key state-wide infrastructure planning document, the QIP replaces other regional infrastructure plans and programs including the South East Qld Infrastructure Plan and Program and the Far North Qld Infrastructure Plan.

Key projects prioritised in the QIP include:

Transit Networks; Bruce Highway upgrades; Dams, Airports; Ports, Kogan Creek Solar Boost; Rail; Pipelines; Gold Coast Rapid Transit and the Brisbane Cross River Rail.

The State Government now needs feedback from Qld businesses on the plan.

Opening a Green Door?

This week the Qld State Government announced that the Green Door is now open and the Green Door Information Paper is now available.

The Green Door is a Qld State Government initiative, developed in conjunction with local government and industry to accelerate the development assessment of exemplary sustainable 'green' developments in Qld.

Features could include the delivery of planning and economic priorities in a particular region, a significant reduction of water, waste and energy, the creation of permanent jobs or the provision of innovative and effective sustainable transport options.

Green Door aims to encourage leadership and innovation in sustainable developments by offering the 'fast track' opportunity to only the highest achieving projects.

A Price on pollution

On Sunday the Federal Government finally released details of the Price on pollution. At $23 per tonne in 2012 - the price will rise by 2.5% per annum.

It would appear (with the support of the Greens & a few independent, the legislation will pass through the House of Representatives and the Senate.

The Australian Federal Government is proposing a fixed price for the first 3 years commencing 1 July 2012. The plan is to transition to a cap and trade emissions trading scheme with the carbon price to be determined by the market.

The threshold has been set at 25 000 tonnes of CO2-e for assessing whether a facility is subject to the carbon pricing mechanism. Scope 1 emissions (direct emissions), together with legacy waste emissions, will count. The Government suggests around 500 businesses will be required to pay for their pollution under this mechanism.

The following sources will be covered: stationary energy, waste, industrial processes and fugitive emissions.

Transport has been excluded, but a fuel excise will apply. Heavy on-road transportation will not have any changes until 1 July 2014. More than half the revenue generated will go to helping households with tax cuts. Remaining revenue directed to power generators, renewable energy, clean energy, jobs and competitiveness assistance program.

A new Climate Change Authority will be established and headed by Bernie Fraser. This Authority will make independent recommendations to the government on the progress of the scheme, to ensure the longer-term emissions reduction target is met.

The Qld Government’s response to the Carbon Tax (Price on pollution)

This week the Qld Treasurer Andrew Fraser claimed that Qld Government has always supported action on climate change. Mr Fraser believes that putting a price on carbon is the most economically responsible way to take action.

However, the Qld State Government has apparently made it very clear to the Federal Government that the State will not support reforms that are not in the long-term interests of Queensland.

The Qld Government supports putting a price on the pollution emitted by the country's (so-called) biggest polluters, and compensation for the vast bulk of households, for any costs passed on.

The Treasurer said that the Queensland Government has lobbied hard to ensure things like agriculture and fuel were excluded. The Qld Government sought special arrangements to foster the development of the coal seam gas and LNG industries.

The Qld State Government remains reliant on the coal and LNG sectors for royalties. The Qld Government has welcomed the assistance for the coal industry, particularly to develop new technology.

The Qld Government is particularly exposed as the owner of numerous large coal fired power stations. The initial estimates show that the asset value of the State owned generators is likely to decrease by around $1.7 billion.

Governments and business are frantically analysing the detail and the impacts. Stay tuned!