DAVID SPEERS: Well, for some Opposition reaction to this [release of the proposed Basin Plan] we’re joined by the Coalition’s Murray-Darling Basin spokesman, Senator Simon Birmingham. Senator, welcome. SIMON BIRMINGHAM: Morning, David. DAVID SPEERS: 2750 gigalitres is that about right in, your view? SIMON BIRMINGHAM: Well, David, the issue with…
DetailsSIMON BIRMINGHAM: Australians have spent more than 120 years arguing over how the Murray is managed. Now’s the time for a plan to fix it, to get it right and to provide for sustainable management into the future. Tomorrow’s Plan must deliver. It must deliver some certainty for everyone throughout the Basin and this Plan…
DetailsASHLEIGH GILLON: Joining me this afternoon on our panel of politicians, the Labor MP Amanda Rishworth and the Liberal Senator Simon Birmingham. Good afternoon to both of you. Amanda, keeping the details of this deal with the Greens [to secure passage of the Government’s Minerals Resource Rent Tax legislation] did seem all very…
DetailsLEON BYNER: Since our electricity was privatised about ten years ago, prices went up so we could have competition that would put them down again. Building in renewable energy targets for so called ‘green energy’ was expensive compared to coal. It forced the price up. The subsidising of solar panels hasn’t really been the…
DetailsSIMON BIRMINGHAM: I’ll just make two quick points on two important issues. Firstly, we read today that the Government is planning an advertising campaign to sell their carbon tax. Well, quite frankly, Australians are going to end up paying more than enough for this carbon tax, Australians are going to have to work harder…
DetailsLUKE GRANT: One of the Opposition Senators who tried to stop this going through today is Senator Simon Birmingham who joins us on the line. Afternoon, Senator. SIMON BIRMINGHAM: Good afternoon, Luke, and good afternoon to your listeners. LUKE GRANT: Now, give us a sense of where things were this morning. It’s…
DetailsSIMON BIRMINGHAM: Thanks, Eric [Abetz], and thanks, Greg [Hunt]. There is nothing to celebrate today; there is much to condemn today. There is, of course, the broken promise of the past to condemn today but, more importantly for Australians, there are the outcomes for the future to condemn today. Those outcomes will see…
DetailsLEON BYNER: Simon Birmingham, the deal’s done; the Greens are cracking the Champagne. SIMON BIRMINGHAM: Indeed they are, Leon. The Greens were in the Chamber just a few minutes ago when the carbon tax passed. They are like the cat that got the cream and of course they have done so at the expense…
DetailsGRANT GOLDMAN: … Now, the Coalition has moved to limit electricity price rises in the face of this new legislation. If the carbon tax passes today they say the Prime Minister should do the honourable thing and not gazette the legislation and immediately call an election so that Australians can actually finally have their…
DetailsSIMON BIRMINGHAM: During last year’s election, Wayne Swan described claims that there would be a carbon tax under a re-elected Labor Government as hysteria. Well, today that hysteria comes to reality. Those hysterical claims will actually see the Labor Government legislate a carbon tax a carbon tax that will have profound impacts across…
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