Thank you Bob Carr

Senator Bob Carr
Australian Government
Canberra

Dear Bob,

Thank you for joining the global Sanitation and Water for All (SWA) Partnership.

Australia does not have a great record for dealing with our own poo & wee. Most of it ends up directly or indirectly in our rivers & oceans.

I trust Australians can help build supply chains for the 2.6b people around the world (1b in our region) who lack a sustainable, designated place to poo.

By participating in the SWA, perhaps Australian can learn about nutrient recovery and reuse & emerging technologies like urine separating toilets.

regards,

Rowan Barber
Engineer without a border

one-stop environmental approval process

The following Media Statement scares the willies out of me........

Queensland Government supports one-stop environmental approval process

Queensland’s Deputy Premier and Minister for State Development Jeff Seeney today welcomed the Federal Coalition’s commitment to enable states to implement a one-stop-shop environmental process.

Mr Seeney said the LNP Government would take up a future Federal Coalition Government’s offer to simplify and speed up the approvals process.

“Some development projects are strangled in a tangled web of green tape as they navigate their way through a myriad of federal, state and local rules and regulations.

“Currently 135 development proposals from Queensland are awaiting decisions at the federal level. It is a costly and time consuming process that can deter investment.

“Tony Abbott’s proposal to have a one-stop-shop with a single lodgement and documentation process handled by the states is an eminently sensible policy approach.

“This is exactly what Premier Campbell Newman proposed to the current Prime Minister at the last Council of Australian Governments meeting.”

Mr Seeney said having a one-stop process at the state level would provide an effective and efficient environmental assessment and approval process.

“Australia’s high environmental standards would be maintained, but the decision making process would be shorter with firm outcomes.”

Media Contact: John Wiseman – 0409 791 281

McArdle's Charter [Water & Energy]

10 April 2012


The Honourable Mark McArdle MP
Minister for Energy and Water Supply
Level 13, Mineral House
41 George Street
BRISBANE QLD 4000



Dear Minister

Ministerial Deliverables

Congratulations on your success in the electorate of Caloundra and thank you for accepting my invitation to serve Queensland as the Minister for Energy and Water Supply.

Our electoral success was achieved with a strong cohesive CanDo team committed to real change, and your contribution to the team played a significant part. Queenslanders have voted for change, and it is critical that we respect the trust bestowed on us by delivering on our commitments to grow a four pillar economy, lower the cost of living by cutting waste, deliver better infrastructure and better planning, revitalise front line services for families, restore accountability in Government and work towards our goal of achieving 4% unemployment in six years.

For this reason, I am writing to each Minister outlining my expectations of the priority tasks to be achieved to deliver on our election commitments. You and your Department have a vital role to play in the reform program, as reflected in the following tasks for which I am requesting you to take responsibility.

I expect that at all times Ministers will demonstrate to the public the capabilities and behaviours that will define us as the Government we undertook to be – united, energetic, disciplined and ethical. I refer you to the Queensland Cabinet Handbook, the Queensland Ministerial Handbook, the Queensland Executive Council Handbook, the Queensland Parliamentary Procedures Handbook and the Queensland Legislation Handbook.

Contribution to the 100 Day Plan
The following are the specific tasks relevant to your portfolio which you need to achieve in the first 100 days of Government.
• Freeze or lower the standard domestic tariff (Tariff 11) to address soaring electricity bills as part of cost of living relief (to take effect from 1 July 2012) in consultation with the Treasurer (First 30 days).
• Act to put the cost of the carbon tax on electricity bills.
• Start the process to amalgamate bulk water entities as part of our Four Point Plan to Reduce Water Prices.


First Term Tasks
In addition to these early milestones, the following tasks within your area of ministerial responsibility are to be achieved within the first term of Government.
• Implement all LNP election policy commitments relevant to your portfolio.
• Identify wasteful expenditure that could be redirected to front line services.
• Work to create a strong future for Energy in Queensland with a stable, clear legislative framework for industry.
• Investigate and identify infrastructure requirements to ensure the further growth of the Energy and Water sector, and the continued provision of these services to Queenslanders.
• Alongside key stakeholders and the Department, work to develop and foster the creation of clean energy alternatives.
• Undertake discussions with the Federal Government and Federal Opposition about the negative impact that the Carbon Tax will have upon Queensland jobs and industry.
• Ensure the Department leads the way in ensuring the world’s best social and environmental performance.
• Develop and implement policies and initiatives that ensure departmental resources are principally engaged for frontline service delivery and to remove unnecessary red tape.
• Work with the electricity industry to deliver initiatives that incentivise customers to reduce electricity consumption and thereby lower their cost of living.
• Commence proper planning for Queensland’s future water needs and work to create a sustainable water supply that will cater for Queensland’s population increases and ensure this planning meets the needs of households, industry and agriculture.
• Hand back control of water distribution and retailing to local councils.
• Write off any non-performing water grid assets to reduce sharp price rises.
• Adopt a 40 year price path to repay the former Bligh Labor Government’s $7 billion water grid debt over the economic life of the assets.
• Rigorously ensure your Department is aware of our overarching plan to cut Government waste and inefficiency.
• Implement the LNP’s election commitment for sustainable public sector growth.
• Implement the LNP’s election commitment to reduce red tape.
• Continue to establish effective working relationships with stakeholders and other interest groups relevant to your portfolio areas.
• Deliver consolidation of bulk water entities.

Could you please consult with your Director-General to ensure these goals are understood by the Department and that systems are in place to monitor and report on progress towards their achievement, so that you are able to update Cabinet regularly. In this regard, the Department of Premier and Cabinet will be responsible for coordinating reports to Cabinet on progress, and will assist your Department with proposed reporting formats.

I intend to review this charter and your efforts to implement it regularly.





Finally, I congratulate you again on your appointment and I look forward to working closely with you as a Ministerial colleague as we implement our policies and achieve the goal of providing a CanDo Government to get Queensland back on track.

Yours sincerely





CAMPBELL NEWMAN
PREMIER OF QUEENSLAND

Powell's Charter [Open Season on the Environment]

10 April 2012


The Honourable Andrew Powell MP
Minister for Environment and Heritage Protection
Level 13, 400 George Street
BRISBANE QLD 4000


Dear Minister

Ministerial Deliverables

Congratulations on your success in the electorate of Glass House and thank you for accepting my invitation to serve Queensland as the Minister for Environment and Heritage Protection.

Our electoral success was achieved with a strong cohesive CanDo team committed to real change, and your contribution to the team played a significant part. Queenslanders have voted for change, and it is critical that we respect the trust bestowed on us by delivering on our commitments to grow a four pillar economy, lower the cost of living by cutting waste, deliver better infrastructure and better planning, revitalise front line services for families, restore accountability in Government and work towards our goal of achieving 4% unemployment in six years.

For this reason, I am writing to each Minister outlining my expectations of the priority tasks to be achieved to deliver on our election commitments. You and your Department have a vital role to play in the reform program, as reflected in the following tasks for which I am requesting you to take responsibility.

I expect that at all times Ministers will demonstrate to the public the capabilities and behaviours that will define us as the Government we undertook to be – united, energetic, disciplined and ethical. I refer you to the Queensland Cabinet Handbook, the Queensland Ministerial Handbook, the Queensland Executive Council Handbook, the Queensland Parliamentary Procedures Handbook and the Queensland Legislation Handbook.

Key issues
As Minister for the Environment, your key responsibility will be to address issues pertaining to the health of the environment in Queensland, including protection of its flora and fauna, landscapes, pristine waterways and biodiversity.

In considering the division of responsibilities between the Environment, National Parks and the Natural Resources management, other Ministers will be responsible for managing sustainable access to, and use of, our natural resources and protected areas (eg – water allocations for irrigation, and access to National Parks).



Contribution to the 100 Day Plan
The following are the specific tasks relevant to your portfolio which you need to achieve in the first 100 days of Government.
• Commence work to deliver the LNP’s election commitment to develop a Cape York Bioregion Management Plan

In cooperation with the Minister for National Parks, Recreation, Sport and Racing:
• Initiate recruitment of Indigenous Rangers who will have a particular focus on the protection of our pristine waterways, protected species and National Park management.
• Commission an immediate independent scientific peer review of the Fraser Island Dingo Management Strategy.

Contribute as required to:
• Begin Statutory Regional Planning process for the Darling Downs and Golden Triangle, and act to protect the Scenic Rim from inappropriate resource development including CSG.
• Amend the Animal Care and Protection Act 2001 to bring Queensland in line with other States and protect Queensland’s iconic dugong and turtle populations.
• Commence a structural adjustment package for the net fishing industry.

First Term Tasks
In addition to these early milestones, the following tasks within your area of Ministerial responsibility are to be achieved within the first term of Government.
• Implement all LNP election policy commitments relevant to your portfolio.
• Identify wasteful expenditure that could be redirected to front line services.
• Deliver the LNP’s election commitment for a $12 million Everyone’s Environment grants program to help clean up, fix up and conserve the Queensland environment.
• Deliver the LNP’s $26.5 million koala protection election commitment to address disease prevention and vaccination, habitat protection, community education, and the recovery and rehabilitation of sick or injured animals.
• Deliver the LNP’s election commitment to employ 40 additional Indigenous rangers, who will have a particular focus on the protection of our pristine waterways, protected species and National Park management.
• Deliver the LNP’s election commitment to develop a Cape York Bioregion Management Plan and repeal the Wild Rivers Declarations on Cape York - to safeguard the iconic areas of Cape York, balanced with appropriate development opportunities for locals.
• Deliver the LNP’s election commitment for improved crocodile management with an increased focus on public safety.
• Deliver the LNP’s election commitment of support for World Heritage listing of suitable areas of Cape York.
• Deliver the LNP’s election commitment to maintain current funding for Healthy Waterways and NRM Groups.
• Deliver the LNP’s election commitment to abolish the previous Government’s redundant, state-based carbon schemes as they relate to your portfolio.
• Instruct the Department for Environment and Heritage Protection to immediately cease activity on initiatives that do not conform with LNP election commitments, including activities that aim to further progress Wild Rivers legislation, and refocus those staff resources on the delivery of frontline services.
• Implement the LNP’s election commitment to cut waste by reducing travel, advertising and consultancy expenditure.
• Implement the LNP’s election commitment for sustainable public sector growth.
• Implement the LNP’s election commitment to reduce red tape.
• Continue to establish effective working relationships with stakeholders and other interest groups relevant to your portfolio areas.

Your leadership particularly in advocating for a balance between environmental sustainability, and the growth of our industries will be vital in this term of government. We need to grow all our industries, build vital infrastructure, and at the same time continue to protect Queensland’s environment for the future.

Could you please consult with your Director-General to ensure these goals are understood by the Department and that systems are in place to monitor and report on progress towards their achievement, so that you are able to update Cabinet regularly. In this regard, the Department of Premier and Cabinet will be responsible for coordinating reports to Cabinet on progress, and will assist your Department with proposed reporting formats.

I intend to review this charter and your efforts to implement it regularly.

Finally, I congratulate you again on your appointment and I look forward to working closely with you as a Ministerial colleague as we implement our policies and achieve the goal of providing a CanDo Government to get Queensland back on track.

Yours sincerely





CAMPBELL NEWMAN
PREMIER OF QUEENSLAND

Interstate Waste, DERM, Vegetation (VMA), Water

What a Waste!

ASBG in its submission notes that when the Queensland Government repeals the $35/t waste levy, it will make it economic sense for NSW businesses to avoid Sydney landfill levies by sending their waste north over the state border. This will occur for back filled loads this year and for one-way trips probably next year. The question is does Qld want NSW’s wastes under it competitive approach between states?

ASBG is calling for collaboration between jurisdictions on waste levies across State borders. It also recommends support for steel and paper recycling.

DERM is Dead

On 30 March 2012 the Queensland Government announced machinery-of-government changes for departments. The functions of the former Department of Environment and Resource Management will now be delivered by the following departments:

Department of Environment and Heritage Protection
Minister: Andrew Powell
Director-General: Andrew Chesterman

Department of Natural Resources and Mines
Minister: Andrew Cripps, Assistant Minister: Lisa France
Acting Director-General: Dan Hunt

Department of National Parks, Recreation, Sport and Racing
Minister: Steve Dickson
Acting Director-General: John Glaister

Department of Energy and Water Supply
Minister: Mark McArdle
Acting Director-General: Tim Spencer


Vegetation Clearing

Those of you with responsibilities for vegetation management should note that the new Queensland Government is reviewing current investigation & enforcement processes for alleged illegal vegetation clearing.
The Qld Government is undertaking a thorough review of the way that the penalty provisions of the Vegetation Management Act 1999 (VMA) have been applied to alleged breaches of the Act.

There will be a comprehensive review of the application of the provisions of the VMA to alleged breaches over the next six to eight weeks. The review will initially be undertaken independently of the Department by Crown Law, to determine whether or not a wider external review is required.

Approximately 100 cases of unlawful clearing have been prosecuted in Queensland since the commencement of the VMA in 1999.

A review of Water Licensing

The Acting Director-General of the Department of Natural Resources and Mines: Dan Hunt, has referred to the Crime and Misconduct Commission findings by the Land Court on inconsistencies in the way water licences have been awarded by the department formerly known as the Department of Environment & Resource Management (DERM).

The new Minister for Natural Resources and Mines: Andrew Cripps wants to ensure the new department uses robust, peer-reviewed science and that it follows proper process. Minister Crisp has instructed the new department to commission an investigation into the integrity of the implementation of water resource plans, which oversee water licensing to ensure there is transparency and accountability in the process.


The Case for Water Efficiency

One can be proud of the fact that we (as a society) made some wholesale behavioural changes and achieved a permanent reduction in water consumption (and wastewater generation). The Qld Government is reviewing red tape and promising to reduce the cost of water for consumers.

Within the next 76 days the LNP Government proposes to appoint the Gasfields land and water Commissioner to better oversee the relationship between rural landholders and the CSG industry. At the same time, the Qld Government shall start processes to amalgamate bulk water entities as part of their Four point plan to reduce water prices.

The future of the Queensland Water Commission (QWC) is under a shadow. The regulation and legislation for home and business water efficiency may be revoked by the new Qld Government in an attempt to be seen to be cutting Red Tape. The QWC is an independent, statutory authority established by the previous Qld Government. The QWC is (or was) responsible for achieving safe, secure and sustainable water supplies in South East Queensland and other designated regions.

The draft Position Paper – The Case for Water Efficiency - has been developed by members of the Australian Water Association (AWA) Water Efficiency Specialist Network Committee to advocate for the continued role of water efficient policies and practices in Australia’s future urban water supply and demand management.

The Position Paper makes the argument that water efficiency is a necessary and effective way of maintaining a secure water supply into the future and should be a high priority in a suite of measures to achieve water security.

The case for water efficiency, will be presented and discussed at the AWA’s Ozwater'12 Water Efficiency workshop The Future Role of Water Efficiency in Australia: Developing and Promoting a Common Approach.

The Qld Government is making plans to write down or write off (so-called) non-performing water grid assets. There does not appear to be any appetite in the Qld for commissioning the Western Corridor water purification scheme for the purpose it was designed and constructed.

DERM is dead

On 30 March 2012 the Queensland Government announced machinery-of-government changes for departments. The functions of the former Department of Environment and Resource Management will now be delivered by the following departments:

Department of Environment and Heritage Protection
Minister: Andrew Powell
Director-General: Andrew Chesterman

Department of Natural Resources and Mines
Minister: Andrew Cripps, Assistant Minister: Lisa France
Acting Director-General: Dan Hunt

Department of National Parks, Recreation, Sport and Racing
Minister: Steve Dickson
Acting Director-General: John Glaister

Department of Energy and Water Supply
Minister: Mark McArdle
Acting Director-General: Tim Spencer

A number of reviews are underway including:
* a review to change the way water licences are issued and enforced;
* an investigation and enforcement processes for alleged illegal vegetation clearing is underway.

water efficiency

One can be proud of the fact that we (as a society) made some wholesale behavioural changes and achieved a permanent reduction in water consumption (and wastewater generation).

The newly elected Qld Government is reviewing red tape and promising to reduce the cost of water for consumers.

Within the next 76 days the LNP Government proposes to appoint the Gasfields land and water Commissioner to better oversee the relationship between rural landholders and the CSG industry. At the same time, the Qld Government shall start processes to amalgamate bulk water entities as part of their Four point plan to reduce water prices.

The future of the Queensland Water Commission (QWC) is under a shadow. The regulation and legislation for home and business water efficiency may be revoked by the new Qld Government in an attempt to be seen to be cutting Red Tape. The QWC is an independent, statutory authority established by the previous Qld Government. The QWC is (or was) responsible for achieving safe, secure and sustainable water supplies in South East Queensland and other designated regions.

The draft Position Paper – The Case for Water Efficiency - has been developed by members of the Australian Water Association (AWA) Water Efficiency Specialist Network Committee to advocate for the continued role of water efficient policies and practices in Australia’s future urban water supply and demand management.

The Position Paper makes the argument that water efficiency is a necessary and effective way of maintaining a secure water supply into the future and should be a high priority in a suite of measures to achieve water security.

The case for water efficiency, will be presented and discussed at the AWA’s Ozwater'12 Water Efficiency workshop The Future Role of Water Efficiency in Australia: Developing and Promoting a Common Approach.

The LNP Government is making plans to write down or write off (so-called) non-performing water grid assets.

There does not appear to be any appetite in the LNP for commissioning the Western Corridor water purification scheme for the purpose it was designed and constructed.