QUEENSLAND CENTRE OF THE WORLD ON CSG TO LNG ISSUES
Over 500 national and international delegates have begun arriving in Brisbane as Queensland becomes the centre of the world for the global gas industry this week.
The Queensland International Gas Symposium will act as a forum to discuss opportunities and challenges as Australia enters a "golden age" of gas development.
Delegates will hear presentations from a selection of global experts on the symposium's key themes: Demand and global market trends; Business and industry innovation; Encouraging investment; Environment and best practice regulation.
"This symposium will host a diverse range of speakers including Ian Cronshaw from the International Energy Agency in Paris to Dr Peter Stone, a CSIRO Director to Western Downs Mayor, Ray Brown," said Premier Anna Bligh.
"Over the next few days Brisbane and Queensland will be the centre of the world for the global gas industry just as we can be a global hub for this industry for decades to come."
Ms Bligh said leading resource companies and Queensland universities had championed cutting-edge research and development on key issues facing the CSG to LNG industry.
"Good environmental management and technological advancement go hand in hand with the best available science and research to underpin them," she said.
"Without these vital ingredients, Queensland's CSG to LNG industry would simply not be where it is today.
"Queensland is now not only leading the nation as an emerging LNG export hub for key markets in the Asia-Pacific region, we are also breaking new ground in research and development so we can develop the industry in a safe and sustainable manner.
"A lot of hard work has taken place to get the industry to where it is today. In a little over 12 months, we have seen three projects worth $45 billion achieve final investment decision.
"These are the largest CSG to LNG projects in the world and Queensland is a major international player as a result. The benefits we are creating from all this investment will be felt for many generations.
"This is a global industry that is creating a multitude of business opportunities, new community infrastructure, services and jobs for all Queenslanders and that is set to continue for many decades to come.
"Labor's Queensland Education Trust, which aims to use 50% of all LNG royalties to create education opportunities for young Queenslanders, is the perfect example of that in action."
The Queensland International Gas Symposium is being held at the Brisbane Exhibition and Convention Centre over the next two days.
Information about the symposium is available at: www.gas.business.qld.gov.au
NOTE: Resource writers and journalists wishing to cover the proceedings can access the media room by emailing:MEmediaunit@deedi.qld.gov.au
LNG industry contributes $13.5M to the Gladstone Foundation
Gladstone's major liquefied natural gas (LNG) players will contribute to a trust fund set up to boost social infrastructure across the booming region.
Three proponents - APLNG, QGC and GLNG - will collectively contribute $13.5 million; while Arrow Energy LNG has committed to provide further funding should its project receive Final Investment Decision approval.
Deputy Premier, Treasurer and Minister for State Development and Trade Andrew Fraser said the significant contribution to the Gladstone Foundation shows the willingness of the LNG industry to give back to the local community.
"The financial contribution from the LNG proponents builds on the already strong partnership between industry and all levels of government to build long-term social infrastructure for the community," Mr Fraser said.
"Already the Bligh Government has announced how it will use the proceeds of the LNG industry to form the Queensland Education Trust - a trust fund that takes the prosperity from this boom and use it to educate generations of Queensland kids into the future.
"The Gladstone Foundation helps the big private sector players based in this region build a legacy of new and improved infrastructure in the area.
"It's a wonderful gesture that will lead to real benefits in the region."
Speaking on behalf of the LNG companies, APLNG Chief Executive Officer Page Maxson said:
"Through the Gladstone Foundation, the benefits of the CSG-LNG industry will flow into the community and make an ongoing significant difference to the development of social infrastructure in and around Gladstone."
"We are pleased to be providing this funding in addition to the investment already made by the industry in the local community."
The Gladstone Foundation is a perpetual trust which will operate as a mechanism for managing and allocating industry contributions to benefit the community. An independent board of advice oversees the Foundation's operations.
Media contact: 3224 5982
CSG Senate Enquiry
A Senate committee has released an Interim report: the impact of mining coal seam gas on the management of the Murray Darling Basin. The report calls for a moratorium on future coal seam gas (CSG) projects in key parts of Qld, NSW & in the parts of the Murray-Darling Basin that lie over the Great Artesian Basin, pending Qld Government & scientific investigations into the impact on groundwater.
The report contains recommended measures that should be in place before any further production is approved including:
· a national regulatory framework should be established;
· comprehensive water management plans;
· gas production should be excluded from highly productive agricultural land;
· where the industries do co-exist, agricultural productivity should be given priority in any dispute between land holders & CSG companies.
The Australian Petroleum Production & Exploration Association believes many of the recommendations are already being addressed.
The Federal Government has 3 months to respond to the recommendations. The committee's final report is due in June 2012.
Oil Recycling
A new $30m Southern Oil Refineries (oil recycling) plant is to be built in Gladstone.
The plant will process waste lubricant oil from mining & agricultural machinery, transport vehicles & cars into usable lubricants. Construction of the refinery will commence in early 2012, with plans to be operational in 2013.
PV
A $6.76 Cloncurry Solar Farm project has been given a green light & $5.7m by the Qld State Government.
The Qld Government has named Ingenero Pty Ltd as preferred tender to design, build and operate a 2.128 MW solar farm at Cloncurry.
The Qld Government is progressing contractual negotiations with Ingenero to build & operate the solar farm on land close to the Cloncurry North electricity substation. The solar farm will comprise 7,600 polycrystalline silicon photovoltaic panels mounted on multiple rows at an angle of 25o & facing due north.
These panels will generate approximately 3,700 MWhrs of electricity per year.
Weather permitting, the Cloncurry Solar farm should be completed in October 2012. The Cloncurry Solar Farm project is part of the Qld Government's commitment to make Qld the 'Solar State' & its ClimateQ strategy to address climate change.
Further information about Qld Government solar initiatives is available at: www.cleanenergy.qld.gov.au
ALP National Conference
The Australian Labor Party (ALP) met for the 46th National Conference over the weekend to attempt to shape a new National Platform and to consider important reforms to the Party.
Former Senator John Faulkner told the conference: "Labor has had the courage to change Australia. Today we must find the courage to change ourselves."
The Liberal Party, the National Party & the Greens all have their own conferences, but no one tends to notice them. It is a little strange that Labor's biannual national get-together attracts so much attention.
The ALP National Conference ran from 2-4 December 2011. Each day there was policy forums covering policy issues from workplace relations in the iPhone age through to marine sanctuaries, new voices for social democracy and everything in between.
Emotions ran high during the debate over whether Labor should change its platform to support selling uranium to India.
Labor's Left faction has vowed not to give up its fight against uranium exports to India after the conference endorsed the Prime Minister's plan to lift the ban.
Several protesters were ejected from the conference for chanting anti-uranium mining slogans during Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Anthony Albanese's address. Former lead singer of Midnight Oil Peter Garrett was not amongst them. The Member for Kingsford Smith made a passionate speech about Nuclear disarmament & the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty but he was ignored.
The Federal Government is now preparing negotiate an agreement with India to export Australian uranium
The Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act is one of the most fundamental tools for biodiversity protection available to the Federal Government.
Late last year, Federal Labor received the final report of Dr Allan Hawke’s review of the EPBC Act. Amongst other
things, this report recommends linking bioregional planning & strategic assessment to broader environment policy objectives, using environmental markets and offsets arrangements to achieve the desired level of conservation of our precious biodiversity.
The Federal Labor Government will consider the recommendations of the Hawke review carefully, to ensure that our national environmental laws are supporting efficient and effective environment protection and to facilitate sustainable development, while at the same time cutting red tape and increasing certainty for business. Labor will introduce new legislation into Parliament during their second term to implement any reforms identified to better achieve these objectives.
The Waste Levy
As previously discussed, the Waste Reduction and Recycling Act 2011 including a land fill levy was passed by the Qld State Parliament in August.
ASBG have reviewed the regulations & are preparing a response.
After delays due to flooding & Cyclone Yasi, the commencement of the levy has been postponed until this Thursday, 1 December 2011. The Qld Government aims to reduce waste & promote improved resource recovery. The stated aims of the legislation to the waste disposal levy are to:
· create a price signal to encourage waste generators to focus on waste avoidance & resource recovery, and to discourage unnecessary landfill disposal;
· ensure a level of consistency with waste disposal costs in other states to deter unnecessary disposal of interstate waste in Qld;
· provide funding for programs that help establish better waste avoidance, resource recovery practices & overall waste management initiatives;
· reduce the impact upon Qld’s carbon footprint caused by waste disposed to landfill.
The levy is a price paid by waste disposal site operators in relation to commercial, industrial, construction, demolition & regulated wastes delivered to a waste disposal facility.
A Regulatory Assessment Statement for Queensland’s waste disposal levy proposal has been prepared that includes a cost-benefit analysis. The Qld Government has commissioned the cost-benefit analysis from Synergies Economic Consulting to assess the impacts of the levy to business, government & the community over a 10-year period. The cost-benefit analysis & the regulatory assessment statement have been prepared as part of the Qld Government's commitment to regulatory best practice.
Since the last election, there has been a protracted process of industry consultation by the Department of Environment & Resource Management (DERM). The State Opposition has had the opportunity to participate in the drafting of the policy but appear to have waited until now to raise any objections. Public consultation on the regulatory assessment process closed on 28 February 2011.
Campbell Newman (Candidate for the seat of Ashgrove) claims that the Waste Levy is another blatant broken election promise from the Labor Qld Government. He reminds the electorate that before the last election Labor promised it would not introduce a Waste Levy. He now claims that this $35 a tonne tax on commercial, industrial, construction and demolition waste will destroy jobs & hit small businesses hard with additional costs.
If Mr Newman wins the seat of Ashgrove AND the Liberal National Party win enough seats to form a Government, Mr Newman has promised to repeal the current Labor's recently enacted Waste Levy.
The LNP have estimated that the Waste Levy will add more than $3000 a year to the cost of running a medium-sized restaurant, for example. The LNP claim it will be am impost on hospitality & tourism in Qld at a time when both sectors are struggling & many operators are going to the wall.
The Chamber of Commerce & Industry believe that most businesses are willing to support recycling & sound environmental practices, however most businesses believe they have little to no opportunity to increase their recycling & recovery capacity.
The Federal Government has released a Draft Murray Darling Basin Plan.
If one would like to play a part in the conversation go to “have your say” & let one’s views be known.
One can view the four major publications.
· The proposed Basin Plan – a draft for consultation
· Plain English summary of the proposed Basin Plan–including explanatory notes
· Delivering a healthy working Basin
· The draft Basin Plan -catchment by catchment.
Mining Resource Rent Tax
The Federal Labor Government has secured support of the Independents (& the Greens) for the Minerals Resource Rent Tax (MRRT).
This reform was originally proposed by Ken Henry to address the issues of a two speed economy. In its current form it may distribute the benefits of the mining boom to a select few. In short, the MRRT will only deliver an unfair, short term return from the development of the nation's resource wealth at the expense of traditional owners, future generations & the other species who we share the biome.
The MRRT appears to be more about pork barrelling, ensuring some Australians share in the benefits of the mining boom before the next election.
The MRRT:
· Delivers a major new tax break for Australia's 2.7m small businesses as well as a cut to the company tax rate for all businesses, with small businesses getting a one year head-start;
· Boosts the superannuation for 8.4m workers. This will increase the nation’s savings pool by $500b by 2035;
· Provides extra superannuation contribution for 3.6 million low-income-earners worth a total of $900 million each year.
· Invests in roads, bridges & other infrastructure, particularly in mining regions.
There is little or no respite for ASBG members in Manufacturing industries
