Labor chaos reflected in climate change staffing

  Staffing at the Rudd/Gillard Government’s Climate Change department reflect Labor’s chaos and dysfunction over climate policies, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for the Environment Simon Birmingham said today.   Questioning through Senate Estimates has revealed* that: ·         at least 190 left the Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency prior to its abolition in March, with…

Details

Rudd should detail insulation debts, recovery efforts

  Kevin Rudd should provide a clear statement to taxpayers regarding millions of dollars of debts owed to them as a result of his disastrous $2 billion Home Insulation Program, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for the Environment Simon Birmingham said today.   Senator Birmingham has written to Prime Minister Rudd* regarding nearly $10 million in outstanding…

Details

Wong: carbon tax here to stay

  A senior Rudd Government minister has today confirmed the carbon tax is here to stay under Labor, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for the Environment Simon Birmingham said today.   Contrary to suggestions that Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and his new Minister for Climate Change, Mark Butler, are considering abandoning their carbon tax, Labor’s third most…

Details

Basin reform questions unanswered

  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…

Details

Multi-million dollar ‘green tape’ bill

  The 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:…

Details

Basin reform stagnating under Labor

  Murray-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…

Details

Labor’s budgeting chaos abandons Antarctica

  Labor’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…

Details