The Gillard Government’s Leader in the Senate has today refused to confirm its commitment to budget neutrality for its planned carbon tax, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for the Environment Simon Birmingham said today. “The Government’s shelved ‘Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme’ (CPRS) was forecast to run at an annual deficit of up to $1.6 billion[1],”…
DetailsSenator Joyce and Senator Birmingham called on the Government to refocus its efforts on the Murray-Darling following the resignation of Rob Freeman, CEO of the Murray-Darling Basin Authority. “We all know that the Government has completely mishandled this process from day one,” said Senator Joyce today. “It is extremely distressing for all…
DetailsLast night’s budget confirms that the Government’s commitment to real change in the Murray-Darling Basin is lukewarm at best said Senator Barnaby Joyce and Senator Simon Birmingham today. “It’s now almost 3 years since Labor launched its Water for the Future reform. Since then its record has been nothing but delay and disaster. “Last…
DetailsLabor is making so many promises about its carbon tax that there is almost no alternative but for petrol prices to skyrocket, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for the Environment Simon Birmingham said today. It follows commitments made about the carbon tax, including assistance based on Labor’s shelved 2009 ‘Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme’ (CPRS) package.…
DetailsThe Gillard Government is doing its best to divert attention from parliamentary scrutiny of its carbon tax plans, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for the Environment Simon Birmingham said today. The Government’s Climate Commission has scheduled a public forum at Parliament House in Canberra on Tuesday 24 May* coinciding with a Senate Budget Estimates hearing…
DetailsThe Coalition’s Dams and Water Management Task Group today completed a two-day visit to the Gulf catchment in North Queensland. Task group members Barnaby Joyce, Ian Macdonald and Simon Birmingham inspected potential sites on the Flinders and Gilbert rivers. “Water is wealth and if we want to grow some of the disparate…
DetailsLabor’s carbon tax chaos has continued with delays announced to tax incentives for energy efficiency measures that would have helped to reduce the impact of the carbon tax on many businesses. The Tax Breaks for Green Buildings program has become another of Labor’s election promises to be broken in some way. By delaying…
DetailsLabor’s home insulation scheme leaves a sorry tale of destruction and a million homeowners still in the dark. Four installers working on the program died, around 200 house fires are known to have occurred, many businesses have been destroyed, significant numbers of jobs lost and approaching $1.7 billion in taxpayer funds have been…
DetailsLabor’s reported commitment to yesterday’s meeting of the carbon tax Industry Transitional Assistance Working Group that the 2009 Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (CPRS) assistance package is “now back on the table” means petrol is on the way up or other promises are set to be broken. Labor has now: · stated the carbon…
DetailsToday’s meeting of the Multi-Party Climate Change Committee should end the uncertainty surrounding Labor’s carbon tax by revealing its true cost, according to Acting Shadow Minister for Climate Action Simon Birmingham. “After months of uncertainty this committee should bring some clarity to the debate by today naming the starting rate of the carbon tax…
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