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…
DetailsSIMON 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…
DetailsThe 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:…
DetailsLabor’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…
DetailsMurray-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…
DetailsLUKE GRANT: Now, I want to follow up on these green schemes and, in particular, solar panel installations because I was astounded to learn that at Senate Estimates on Monday, the head* of the Clean Energy Regulator, Andrew Livingston, told the inquiry that, after random checks of 7000 solar units, 19 per cent were…
DetailsThe enormous cost of Labor’s green waste now includes empty desks with a million dollar price tag and many millions of dollars in bad debts, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for the Environment Simon Birmingham said today. Department officials have revealed through Senate Estimates hearings the gross underutilisation of hugely costly office space, while further…
DetailsKIERAN GILBERT: It was meant to be the most secure building ever to be built in Canberra and it’s not off to a great start the new ASIO [Australian Security Intelligence Organisation] headquarters has been, well, the victim of a cyber hit… the reports last night on the ABC suggesting that Chinese hackers…
DetailsSenator BIRMINGHAM: (South Australia) (12:43): I rise to speak on the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Amendment Bill 2013, which the government has just rushed into the Senate chamber. It is noteworthy that the Senate committee report on this bill was only concluded and tabled this morning, but this of course is symptomatic of a…
DetailsSenator BIRMINGHAM: (South Australia) (16:25): I thank the Greens for the opportunity to speak to this matter of public importance and note the fact that in doing so the Greens have highlighted another Labor broken promise. I am pleased that the Greens have done so. There are a number of ways in which they and their…
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