Sue Boyce is a good friend and wonderful colleague who I will miss greatly when she retires as a Senator for Queensland in 2014. I have always enjoyed a special connection with Sue, the two of us having been sworn in at the same time on 8 May 2007 to fill casual vacancies.…
Taxpayers deserve explanations from Federal and SA Labor about the spending of both federal and state taxpayer dollars on a mothballed desalination plant, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for the Murray-Darling Basin Simon Birmingham said today. It follows SA Water’s shock announcement today that intends to ‘mothball’ the $1.8 billion Adelaide Desalination Plant until at…
Electricity prices would be lower under a Coalition Government and without Labor’s carbon tax, an independent state regulator has confirmed today. Paul Kerin, Chief Executive Officer of the Essential Services Commission of South Australia, was commenting this morning in the wake of this week’s draft determination by the Commission on standing contract prices…
Liberal Senator Simon Birmingham is urging South Australians to photograph their favourite river location as part of a competition coinciding with World Rivers Day this month. Senator Birmingham, the Coalition’s spokesman on the Murray-Darling Basin, is proudly supporting the “Rivers Matter” initiative, created by Australian not-for-profit group the International RiverFoundation. People are…
Decisions made in the European Union will now have a direct impact on the rate of Australia’s carbon tax, as a result of the linkage announced by the Gillard Government this week. Business and economic leaders have today confirmed that the linkage means decisions made in Europe will impact how much more households…
Australians should brace for a higher carbon tax and higher electricity prices following comments from Greens Leader Christine Milne, Acting Shadow Minister for Climate Action, Environment and Heritage Simon Birmingham said today. Senator Milne yesterday flagged a significantly higher carbon tax in the near future following the Government’s announcement of European linkage with…
Less than two months into Labor’s carbon tax, the Gillard Government has announced a major backflip and redesign that only adds to the uncertainty and confusion surrounding its hugely expensive dud policy. The Government’s scramble to sort out international deals and abandon altogether its floor price confirms a carbon tax in chaos, Acting…
Reports today that Water Minister Tony Burke and Finance Minister Senator Wong have attacked those playing politics with the Murray-Darling Basin Plan provide a sharp rebuke of South Australian Labor Premier Jay Weatherill. Water Minister Tony Burke has warned that any MPs who vote against his plan for the Murray-Darling Basin will be…
Threatened cutbacks to community development programs by the SANFL and member footy clubs highlight the real and unwanted impacts of Julia Gillard’s carbon tax, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for the Environment Simon Birmingham said today. The South Australian National Football League (SANFL) is reportedly facing a $100,000 increase in electricity bills, while member clubs…
Water Minister Tony Burke should provide certainty to all Murray-Darling stakeholders by indicating quickly whether he is happy with the latest iteration of the Proposed Basin Plan released by the Murray-Darling Basin Authority today. With just three weeks left for the States to provide further comment on the plan, Coalition Murray-Darling Basin spokesman…