Damning evidence today has sheeted home blame for the bungled $223 million Australia Network tender process to the Gillard Government, Liberal Senator Simon Birmingham said today. Australian Federal Police (AFP) officers today revealed in Senate Estimates, under questioning from Senator Birmingham, that confidential material was leaked to media sources from within the Government.…
The Gillard Government approved a $20 million grant in this year’s budget without any application or analysis into its merits, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for the Environment Simon Birmingham said today. The absence of any rationale for the funding was revealed by departmental officials under questioning from Senator Birmingham in a Senate Estimates hearing…
Ratepayers in more than 100 council areas around Australia stand to suffer yet another hit from the carbon tax, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for the Environment Simon Birmingham said today. Clean Energy Regulator or ‘Carbon Cop’ officials have told a Senate Estimates hearing that, on top of those ten councils* recently named on a…
The switchover to digital TV in regional South Australia will cost many hotels, motels and caravan parks thousands of dollars in areas where terrestrial TV transmission towers aren’t being upgraded, Liberal Senator Simon Birmingham said today. It could cost tourism operators up to $750 to convert each TV to digital satellite under the…
“Julia Gillard must today reveal why the Federal Labor Government’s smoke and mirrors funding con will leave South Australians paying higher water bills,” Coalition Murray-Darling Basin spokesman Simon Birmingham said today. Labor promised $328 million to South Australia for the desalination plant at Port Stanvac. The Australian Government will commit a further…
The Gillard Government is set to waste millions more of taxpayers’ dollars on a ‘phase 2’ carbon tax advertising campaign assault on the very same taxpayers, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for the Environment Simon Birmingham said today The Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency has revealed in response to a question asked…
Labor’s carbon tax will be a disincentive for efficient irrigation water use and penalise some of Australia’s most efficient water users, Coalition Murray-Darling Basin spokesman Simon Birmingham said today. Irrigation water suppliers are warning that rising electricity bills will see an average irrigator’s water bill jump by $282, on top of the increased…
The ABC’s reports today that Water Minister Tony Burke won’t support a bad Murray-Darling Basin Plan expose his hypocrisy and political game playing, Coalition Basin spokesman Simon Birmingham said. ?On 4 April this year Minister Burke wrote to the Leader of the Opposition stating: ? ?”I have been concerned with recent statements you…
Tony Burke’s call for the Coalition to decide on the draft Murray-Darling Basin Plan treats the notion of consultation with contempt, the Coalition says today. “Dear Tony, I hear that you want to know our position on the draft basin plan? I didn’t know you had made up your mind. I didn’t realise…
A $190 hike in electricity prices is only the first such hit Canberra households will face under the carbon price and is an example of what all Australians will pay, Acting Shadow Minister for Climate Action, Environment and HeritageSimon Birmingham warned today. The ACT Independent Competition and Regulatory Commission has release its draft…