The Auditor-General should investigate the provision of hundreds of millions of dollars in Commonwealth grants for a mothballed desalination plant, Coalition Murray-Darling Basin spokesman Simon Birmingham said today. Senator Birmingham’s letter* to Auditor-General Ian McPhee follows the decision last week to place the $1.8 billion Adelaide Desalination Plant ‘in standby mode’ until at…
DetailsElectricity 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…
DetailsTaxpayers 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…
DetailsLiberal 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…
DetailsLYNDAL CURTIS: The Federal Opposition Leader outlined some of his plans for defence should he win the next election. There are some concrete plans, such as buying unmanned aircraft to patrol northern Australia, but there are also some aspirations or decisions yet to be taken. The Federal Government has announced some plans of its…
DetailsJAMES CARLETON: Nationals Senator Barnaby Joyce has been ‘slapped down’ twice this week for his comments on the pending sale of Cubbie Station, in south-east Queensland, to Chinese interests. First up was the Opposition Treasury spokesman, Joe Hockey, and then yesterday former Foreign Minister Alexander Downer joined in. Now Barnaby Joyce’s junior colleague, the…
DetailsDecisions 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…
DetailsAustralians 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…
DetailsNICK GRIMM: Australia and the European Union will be linked in what will become the world’s largest carbon market under a deal announced by Climate Change Minister Greg Combet today. Mr Combet said Australia was ditching its earlier plans to impose a floor price on carbon when the current fixed price carbon tax moves…
DetailsSTEVE PRICE: Listening to that interview with Greg Combet is the acting Environment spokesman for the Coalition, Simon Birmingham Greg Hunt is on location in East Timor. Simon, thanks for your time. SIMON BIRMINGHAM: Good evening, Steve. Good evening to your listeners. STEVE PRICE: A $29 price where we’re going to…
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