Doorstop interview, Parliament House, Canberra – Coal seam gas; environmental regulation; Liberal Party; same-sex marriage

  SIMON BIRMINGHAM: Last night in the Senate, the Government rejected Coalition attempts to provide an option to streamline environmental laws as they relate to coal seam gas. Important new laws are passing the Parliament* as it relates to coal seam gas but the Coalition wants to make sure that we eliminate duplication between the…

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AM Agenda, Sky News – Labor’s soap opera; federal election; the Government’s failed border protection policies

  KIERAN GILBERT: This morning, Labor leadership ‘take 20′ – in the face of dire polling around the country and immense pressure from Parliamentary and now union colleagues, powerbroker Bill Shorten’s understood to be reconsidering his support for Julia Gillard. His close ally Paul Howes from the Australian Workers’ Union this morning did express his…

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Basin reform questions unanswered

  Today’s announcement that Victoria has signed up to the intergovernmental agreement (IGA) on implementing the Murray-Darling Basin Plan leaves many questions unanswered, Coalition Basin spokesman Simon Birmingham said today.   “While any progress on strategic implementation of the Basin Plan is welcome, the signing of just one state in a piecemeal step risks the…

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Doorstop interview, Parliament House, Canberra – Labor waste; National Broadband Network; Newspoll; federal election

  SIMON BIRMINGHAM: Evidence tendered in Senate Estimates has demonstrated that Australians are still paying the price from some of this Government’s major schemes in its early days. More than $28 million of bad debts have been incurred as a result of the Government’s disastrous green programs, in particular the disastrous ‘Pink Batts’ program [Home…

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Multi-million dollar ‘green tape’ bill

  The high costs of environmental regulation – and of Labor’s rejection of potential savings through streamlining – have been highlighted in Senate Estimates hearings, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for the Environment Simon Birmingham said today.   Under questioning from Senator Birmingham, officials at the Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities have detailed that:…

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Labor’s budgeting chaos abandons Antarctica

  Labor’s chaotic budget fails to provide for the transport needed to maintain Australia’s Antarctic program, officials have confirmed in Senate Budget Estimates hearings.   Under questioning from Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for the Environment Simon Birmingham, officials in the Australian Antarctic Division of the Environment department confirmed that: They will need a new ship by…

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Basin reform stagnating under Labor

  Murray-Darling Basin reform has slowed to a snail’s pace under Labor, according to evidence given in Senate Estimates today under questioning from Coalition Basin spokesman Simon Birmingham.   Officials have today confirmed that the Gillard Government: ·         still hasn’t signed off on an Intergovernmental Agreement with Basin states, despite more than 25 drafts having…

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