Unions have given further indications they expect to get their way if a Rudd Labor Government is elected, Senator Simon Birmingham said today. It follows Kevin Rudd failing to stand up to the unions, allowing Right faction powerbroker and union heavyweight Don Farrell to be pre-selected on Thursday at first spot on the…
Using the State Budget as a media shield, the South Australian Branch of the Labor Party will today execute one of their own, Liberal Senator Simon Birmingham said today. First-term Senator Linda Kirk is set to lose her endorsement in favour of factional and union boss Don Farrell at a preselection being cynically…
Thousands of megalitres of water are being wasted in South Australia because the Rann Labor Government’s commitment to valuable water conservation projects had all but evaporated, Senator Simon Birmingham said today. It follows confirmation overnight, under questioning from Senator Birmingham in Senate Estimates hearings, that major water projects earmarked for South Australia had…
Kevin Rudd has the opportunity to pass strengthened and improved legislation rescuing the Murray-Darling Basin after its passage through the Senate today, Senator Simon Birmingham said today. The Senate has this afternoon passed the Rudd Government’s Water Amendment Bill 2008, with the blockage of Melbourne’s controversial pipeline and a $50 million emergency package…
The Senate’s decision to block the controversial Melbourne pipeline has been enthusiastically welcomed by Senator Simon Birmingham as an historic opportunity for the Rudd Government. The Senate has this evening voted 33-20 in favour of an amendment to the Government’s Water Amendment Bill 2008 blocking the construction and operation of the heavily criticised…
The Rudd Government today has a key opportunity to take a meaningful stand in support of the Murray-Darling Basin, Senator Simon Birmingham said today. Debate in the Senate commences on the Water Amendment Bill 2008 today, with Coalition Senators to move key amendments to further protect the river and achieve greater water savings…
Senator Simon Birmingham today asked why a River Murray infrastructure project that saves no water can be built in months, while others that could save billions of litres are years away from starting. “I welcome the start of construction of pipelines providing greater water security for Lower Lakes communities,” Senator Birmingham said today. ”This…
A timeline of events linked to the appointment of new whaling envoy Sandy Hollway has become only more puzzling after a Parliamentary committee hearing overnight, Senator Simon Birmingham said today. Despite reports in early May denied by the Government at the time that Mr Hollway had been selected as Australia’s first…
The Rudd Government must guarantee the future of the solar rebate program, after refusing even to commit to it still being available by the New Year. A failure to commit more funding means the program is surviving only on a week-by-week basis. Under questioning in Senate Estimates, Senator Penny Wong has dodged…
The Rudd Labor Government has revealed it can’t yet say how much water is likely to be returned to environmental flows as a result of almost $4 billion in infrastructure funding already allocated in principle, Senator Simon Birmingham said today. Under questioning in Senate Supplementary Budget Estimates, Water Minister Penny Wong today revealed…