Environment, Climate Change and Water
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7th September, 2013 Labor axed the previous governments NHT and landcare programs and replaced them with Caring for our Country spending $1 billion less. Labor travelled the world attending Climate Change Conferences but went it alone to announce a CPRS. When this was abandoned Labor implemented the world’s biggest carbon tax despite promising they would not. Their environmental initiatives were littered with failed schemes, like roof insulation, cash for clunkers, renewable energy subsidy schemes, green car plan and green loans among others. Meanwhile Labor created green tape which stifled investment and closed productive industry mostly in regional areas. |
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4th July, 2013 Queensland Coronor condemns Rudd Government's handling of the $2.7 billion Home Insulation Program following the inquest into the deaths of three Queensland men installing insulation Coalition calld for the Government to release the ten warnings it received, including four letters from Minister Peter Garrett about the Home Insulation Program implementation |
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14th May, 2013 2013 BUDGET • $3.4 billion cut from carbon programs and renewable energy projects • Carbon tax revenue down by $5 billion |
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18th April, 2013 EU carbon proces collapses to less than $AU4 after European Parliament votes narrowly not to bail out the scheme. Collapse of EU trading scheme leaves $11 billion gap in Australian Budget for 2015-16 and 2016-17 (based on $5/tonne price) The Australian |
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2nd April, 2013 Victorian hospitals hit by an extra $6.7 million in energy costs because of the carbon tax in the first six months - bills up an average of 15 per cent (Herald Sun) |
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11th February, 2013 The Government confirms it has locked in a 15 year $158 million lease for its new building in Canberra, even though the Coalition has committed to abolishing the department. Fitting out costs continue to blow out and will cost at least $21 million (Senate Estimates) |
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24th January, 2013 European carbon market plunged into crisis as price falls below 5 euro ($6.30AUD). Australia's carbon price is already $23 per tonne and rises every year (The Australian) |
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20th December, 2012 Taxpayers have been locked into a 15 year lease for new offices for the Department of Climate Change costing $158 million, even thought the Department is to be abolished by a Coalition Government (Daily Telegraph) |
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15th October, 2012 The Clean Energy Regulator has spent $20,175 to buy 8 coffee macgines and the Climate Change Department has collected tenders for a stainless steel wine fridge cabinet for its executive dining room (Senate Estimates) |
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15th October, 2012 The Home Insulation Program clean up has cost $2.156 billion over four years. The program has left behind 2,494 bad debts totalling $34.5 million. The Industry Assistance Package has left 58 bad debts totalling $5.45 million (Senate Estimates) |
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11th July, 2012 Expert panel gave $10 million (out of $47 million available) in climate change grants to Primary Industries Climate Change Challenges Centre, which is run by one of its members, Dr Richard Eckerd |
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10th July, 2012 NSW Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal says green schemes will add $316 a year to average household power bills. The carbon tax contributes $168 and the rest is attributed to Renewable Energy Target schemes. The Greens advocate 100% green power (The Australian) |
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17th June, 2012 Global Carbon Capture and Storage Institute says the $100 million a year it is receiving is too much, "it is actually impossible to spend that amount of money responsibly" (Sun Herald) |
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8th June, 2012 The cost of carbon emissions achieved under Labor's Solar Schools program is running at $284 per tonne, many times the $23 tonne carbon price. The Government has broken its promise to provide $50,000 to every school (9500) for solar panels and similar equipment ata cost of $480 million. Now only 4600 schools will be funded at a cost of $215 million (The Australian) |
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5th June, 2012 Labor negotiates with The Greens just days after the carbon tax begins to drop the $15 tonne floor price when ETS begins in 2015 (The Australian) |
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4th June, 2012 Labor's Clean Energy Regulator is paying $25.2 for a five year lease for its Canberra office and is spending and extra $4.4 million to spruce up its offices |
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28th February, 2012 Government axes its solar hot water rebate scheme 4 months early putting at risk hundreds of jobs at manufacturers like GWA and Rheem. The scheme had delivered CO2 reductions at the relatively low cost of $30 per tonne |
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6th February, 2012 The Government's two biggest renewable energy flagship projects, Solar Dawn project at Chinchilla and the Moree Solar Farm (scheduled to receive $750 million in federal funding) fail to find a financial backer by the December deadline. Solar Dawn project also has lost its operator and power purchaser, CS Energy. BP (one of the partners in the Moree project) has announced it is exiting its global solar business after 40 years (The Australian) |
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23rd November, 2011 Swiss Bank UBS says EU Emissions Trading Scheme has cost $287 billion but has had 'almost zero impact' on emissions. EU carbon pricing market is on the verge of collapse as the carbon price falls (expected to average EU5 in 2012-13) flooded by permits from Russia, Ukraine, EU banks and Governments (The Australian) |
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18th October, 2011 To achieve the Government's 20% renewable energy target, $30 billion will need to be spent on wind farms to deliver a six fold increase in just 10 years (on top of $12 billion in Federal and State subsidies for renewables) (Energy Users Assoc report) |
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15th September, 2011 National Water Commission reports there is no evidence to prove that $3 billion spent buying water from farmers in the Murray Darling Basin has delivered any ecological benefits |
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19th August, 2011 Consumers will face a $1.5 billion increase in power bills as a flood of cheap Chinese household solar panels will force energy retailers to soak up 20 million small scale technology certificates next year (The Australian) |
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6th August, 2011 NSW Principal Coastal Specialist Phil Watson, says record from Auckland, Sydney, Newcastle and Fremantle show sea levels have risen by just 1.7mm a year between 1940-2000 On this basis seal levels will rose by just 10cm (4") by 2100. The Tidal Reference Frame for Queensland published by Maritime Services Queensland shows sea level rises along the Queensland coast are increasing at just 0.3cm per year. If this trend continues, sea level rises will be just 3cm by 2100. This compares with ICC modelling claiming 50cm-80cm rises + CSIRO modelling which predicted a 90 cm rise by 2100 (News Weekly) |
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18th July, 2011 An ACIC Tasman study says the Government's $10 billion Clean Energy Finance Corportation is "unnecessary" and is "unlikely to lead to any greater investmentn in renewable energy" |
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16th July, 2011 The number of public servants working on environmental programs and green schemes has increased from 19621 to 23466 since 2007. The number of federal bureaucrats assigned to green schemes has increased from 2254 to 3930 and this is before the Gillard Government creates six new carbon tax agencies to administer 20 new programs. Queensland has the largest number of green bureaucrats - 5630 up from 5319 |
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7th July, 2011 Sun farm project at Umuwa in South Australia collapses as Government determines that the solar power project "does not appear economically viable" |
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30th June, 2011 China's emissions reach 8.33 billion tonnes - up 10% from last year making a nonsense of Labor's claims that China is reducing emissions US emissions increased by 4% last year throwing into doubt Obama administration claims that US will reduce emissions by 17% between 2005 and 2020 Japan defers indefinitely any attempt to price carbon It will only take China 7 months to increase its emissions by the 30 million tonnes (5%) that Australia aims to reduce its emissions by - currently 560 million tonnes - by 2020 (Greg Sheridan, The Australian) |
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10th June, 2011 Productivity Commission report on international responses to climate change says Australia is already mid-range on proportion of GDP spent on Co2 abatement. Australia has been subsidising reduction in emissions at rates of up to $1000 per tonne through programs such as rooftop solar panels Australia has 237 climate change Government policies and programs, second in the world to the US with 307 |
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24th May, 2011 The Government's key climate change adviser, Prof Will Steffen says the future of the Great Barrier Reef depends on a global agreement to tackle climate change and slashing Australia's emissions will not on its own save the reef (The Australian) |
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10th May, 2011 BUDGET 2011-12 Green Car Innovation Fund axed, saving $432 million Carbon Capture and Storage Flagship Program axed, saving $671 million National Solar Schools Program to close on 31-6-2013, saving $156 million $64 million to be spent to administer $15 million of programs to influence international climate change National Rainwater and Greywater Initiative terminated saving $15 million $9.7 million provided for marine mark planning but nothing for the victims of the plans Promised tax breaks for green buildings deferred saving Government $295 million Funding for the National Urban Water and Desalination Plan reduced by $85.5 million Budget announces fuel excise will be imposed on LPG (0-12.5 cents per litre over five years) encouraging increased emissions |
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21st April, 2011 Housing Industry Association report says that a $26 a tonne carbon tax will add at least $6240 to the cost of an average home Access Economics says that a $26 per tonne carbon tax would cost 126,000 jobs in regional Australia including the closure of 16 mines costing 10,000 jobs. 45,000 jobs will be lost in energy intensive sectors such as steel |
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21st April, 2011 Un Environment Program backs away from its 2005 prediction (developed by UN University in Bonn) that there will be "fifty million climate refugees by 2010" and withdraws its map of affected countries (The Australian) |
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21st April, 2011 One in four of inspected houses that recieved insulation under the Government's botched $1.45 billion roof batts scheme did not comply with the Australian Building Code (The Australian) |
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18th April, 2011 19 leading food and grocery manufacturers write to Ms Gillard saying "a carbon pricing scheme that fails to include measures to fully preserve the international competitiveness of Australia's export and import competing industries... could lead to a peverse outcome whereby global greenhouse gas emissions actually increase as market share or new investment shifts to nations using less efficient production methods" (Australian Food and Grocery Council) |
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16th April, 2011 AWU leader Paul Howes demands that steel production be exempt from carbon tax. One Steel CEO Geoff Plummer says there would be "no global environmental benefit" in imposing a carbon tax. "To tax Australian industry is to also tax Australian jobs." Blue Scope Managing Director Paul O'Malley said a carbon tax "would do irreparable damage to the Australian steel industry." Paul Howes says the unions will not accept a carbon tax if a single job is lost |
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18th March, 2011 Manufacturers mock claim by PM that "low carbon" goods will cost less. Toyota say carbon tax of $25/tonne would add $210 to the cost of a hybrid Camry. "Countries that don't have a carbon Tax can potentially land their cars here for a lower cost while we have to introduce green technologies" (The Australian) Food and Grocery Council says grocery prices will rise between 3% - 9% (average 5%) based on carbon price rising to $25/tonne |
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17th March, 2011 Labor's Chief Climate Commissioner, Professor Tim Flannery admits that "if the world as a whole cut all emissions tomorrow, the average temperature of the planet's not going to drop for several hundred years, perhaps over 1000 years (Macquarie Radio) Professor Flannery says Ms Gillard was wrong to claim that her side of the climate change argument was "backed by every reputable climate scientist in the world." He agreed that some reputable scientists did not necessarily believe the science of climate change (Macquarie Radio) |
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14th March, 2011 Federal Labor Government appoints environmental activist, Tim Flannery, to head its Climate Commission on a salary of $180,000 a year for a three day a week job |
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2nd March, 2011 10% of funds collected form a carbon tax would be paid to the UN Green Climate Fund under agreement signed by Climate Change Minister Combet at Cancun Climate Change meeting in 2010. The fund will receive $100 billion a year by 2020 (West Australian) |
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25th February, 2011 Repu Tex research says a $25/tonne carbon tax would cost Australia's top 200 companies $3.3 billion a year ERM Power chairman Trevor St Baker says a carbon tax would hit all businesses "All of industry is trade exposed one way or another, not just the big boys who export" (The Australian) |
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22nd February, 2011 AIG says small scale solar systems are increasing electricity costs to consumers by $1.2 billion in 2011. The same investment would generate four times as much energy from wind farms |
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22nd February, 2011 ANAO criticizes the Government's $3.1 billion Murray Darling Basin water buyback saying it did not have a strategy, was piecemeal, and spent millions buying water above market rates ($303 million was paid to Twynam Agricultural Group - at least $25 million too much). The Federal Labor Government contributed 80% of the $23.75 million cost of purchasing Toolara Station in August 2008 but there is still no water saving plan in place |
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22nd February, 2011 Labor grants $1.2 million to subsidize renewable energy costs for Cate Blanchett's Sydney Theatre Company at a cost of $2162/tonne (this compares with a proposed carbon tax price of $26/tonne Australians who have installed solar hot water systems are waiting up to 8 months to receive their promised $1000 rebate from the Federal Government (Senate Estimates) |
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27th January, 2011 Labor axes its Green Start program for the second time claiming it is a saving to meet flood restoration costs. However, on 21-12-10 Minister Combet had already announced the axing of the program claiming the ANAO had identified risks which could not be satisfactorily mitigated. Axing of solar homes plan is also re-announced Government abandons its Cleaner Car Rebate Scheme, one of its key election promises , but which had been universally ridiculed as "Cash for Clunkers", which was to pay a cash bonus to people who traded in old cars. Government cuts or abolishes major carbon abatement programs including Green Car Innovation Fund and Cleaner Car Rebate Scheme ($663 million) , Carbon Capture and Storage Flagships, Solar Flagships, Solar Hot Water Rebates, Solar Homes and Communities Plan, Green Start Program ($624 million), LPG Conversion Scheme ($96 million), Global Carbon Capture and Storage Institute. PM Gillard says the programs are not required because of her planned new carbon tax |
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17th January, 2011 Greens Leader Bob Brown blames the coal industry for Queensland floods and says "coal barons" should pay for the damage |
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23rd December, 2010 AGL and Origin Energy announce a $60 average increase in Queensland household power bills to meet part of the cost of the Federal Government's Mandatory Renewable Energy Target (Courier Mail) |
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22nd December, 2010 Government adds Green Start to its list of axed environmental programs including the Home Insulation Scheme, $8,000 Solar Rebate, Solar rebate for Remote Areas, Solar Schools Program, Citizens Assembly, CPRS, promise of no carbon tax |
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12th November, 2010 Government solar panels program for households is costing the equivalent of $500 per tonne of carbon emissions saved (The Australian) Energy Supply Association of Australia says Government's new MRRT and PRRT will increase the cost of 93% of electricity produced in Australia. The PRRT will apply at 40% on coal seam gas projects and the MRRT at 30% on coal |
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8th November, 2010 US President Obama drops any hope of a carbon price in USA. Ex President Clinton suggests other countries should proceed with ETS |
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27th October, 2010 NSW drops its Solar Bonus Scheme feed-in tariff from 60 cents (KWh) to 20 cents amidst concerns that the scheme would add $4 billion to electricity bills by 2016. Business reports 80%-90% drop in business for solar system installation (ecogeneration Feb 11 edition) |
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26th October, 2010 Murray Darling Basin Authority announces plans to strip up to 47% of water entitlements away from irrigators in the Murray Darling Basin Adelaide announces an end to water restrictions |
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25th October, 2010 Minister Burke releases Solicitor General's legal advice that the Government's Murray Darling Basin Water Plan should take economic and social factors into account - not just the environment. Authority Chair Mike Taylor had told community meetings he had told the Minister of the problem before the plan was released but the Minister did nothing |
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20th October, 2010 MDBA reveals it only received the socio-economic analysis on the morning the Basin Plan was released (Senate Estimates) Government announces a new economic study and seeks legal advice on whether the Act allows proper consideration of economic impact in developing the Basin Plan |
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19th October, 2010 Government backs away and says stripping 3,000gl of water entitlements from irrigators is 'not Government policy' (House of Representatives, Tony Burke) MDBA informs Senate Committee that it proposes to take the water for the environment irrespective of the results of its economic impact assessment announced yesterday NFF says water cuts could be as high as 89% in some areas (Canberra Times) |
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19th October, 2010 Department of Climate Change staff flew first class to 64 global climate change meetings in just 12 months at a cost of $4 million. 93 staff went to destinations including Greenland, Maldives, Bolivia and USA (Herald Sun) |
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19th October, 2010 Government is investigating 2,444 cases where more than one installer is claiming to have insulated the same house. Total value of the fraud has been estimated at $3.3 million. KPMG have already been paid $839,000 to investigate fraud in the insulation program (Senator Mary Jo Fisher, The Australian) |
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18th October, 2010 Auditor General reports that 347,789 payments were made to 5,484 insulation installers for higher amounts than the cost of installation - costing taxpayers at least $82 million - one third of all installations (Courier Mail) Auditor General says Price Waterhouse Coopers found 150 cases where a rebate was claimed but no insulation was installed 631 applications for compensation for the sudden axing of the insulation program have been paid compensation of $21.7 million 86% of houses inspected with foil insulation have had to undertake remedial work with 46% removing the foil altogether |
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7th October, 2010 Hundreds of millions of dollars will be added to NSW electricity bills to pay for the cost blow out on the states solar power subsidy scheme which has been shown to be up to 25 times more expensive than other carbon emission reduction methods |
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20th September, 2010 Gillard Government appoints a series of committees to report on how to implement a Carbon Tax |
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10th July, 2010 Labor’s green car scheme becomes another political embarrassment. Despite receiving a surprise $35 million subsidy from the Federal Government (and up to a similar amount from the Victorian Labor Government) only 657 Toyota Hybrid Camrys have been sold to private buyers. Taxi and rental operators bought 333 and governments 755. Only 2960 hybrid Camrys have been registered at 30.6.10 (571 to dealers) out of an expected 10,000 in 2010 |
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10th July, 2010 Government refuses to commit to compensation for thousands of Green Loans Assessors who paid for training and accreditation but did not receive any work with the scheme now axed. |
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9th July, 2010 Government reviews find governments green loans scheme was grossly mismanaged, departmental staff deliberately avoided financial controls (96% of contracts were issued without proper tendering), long delays and possible kickbacks to public servants. One contract blew out from $77,000 to $1.476 million. |
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1st July, 2010 The Labor Government axes the Greenhouse Friendly Scheme which has been accrediting carbon credits since 2001. Credits will now have to be purchased from overseas |
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30th June, 2010 KPMG report says the Labor Government was warned in September 2009 that its home insulation program was unsafe and wasteful |
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24th June, 2010 Kevin Rudd deposed as Prime Minister and replaced by Ms Julia Gillard |
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21st June, 2010 Labor's home insulation program now blamed for 174 house fires |
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4th June, 2010 Labor's subsidised solar panels held responsible for two house fires |
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1st June, 2010 3500 insulation industry workers have been sacked since the demise of the Government's insulation scheme debacle |
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27th May, 2010 Letters released today reveal twelve warnings to the Prime Minister regarding the risks of the Government's roof insulation scheme |
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26th May, 2010 Labor's planned $150 million spend over five years for solar panel rebates has blown out to $1 billion in just 18 months |
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12th May, 2010 Government's 20% renewable energy target could increase household power bills by 200% - 300% according to Origin Energy - not $4 as claimed by Penny Wong |
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11th May, 2010 Government predicts it will cost $2,200 per house to check ceilings fitted with non foil insulation, $600 more than the original subsidy of $1,600 and $1,000 more than the reduced $1,200 subsidy Labor's Budget 2010-11 cuts $179.7 million from the rainwater tank rebate program Landcare cut for 3rd budget in a row — down another $10.9 million Labor's Budget brings forward $330 million for water buybacks in Murray Darling Basin Labor's Budget contains $1 billion to undo the roof insulation program debacle |
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8th May, 2010 Risk assessments conducted by the Prime Minister's Department and other Departments on July 31, September 17 and October 1 concluded that the risks of fire, injury and death from the Government's roof insulation scheme were 'extreme'. In spite of these warnings, the first of four deaths attributed to the scheme occured on October 14 |
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29th April, 2010 It is revealed that 400 employees working on Labor's CPRS will keep their jobs even though Labor has said the scheme will not proceed. More than 60 of these 400 are classified as senior executives and are paid between $168,000 and $298,000 per year. $8 million will be paid for plush new office space until 2012 and 500 new computers will be delivered this week. Union says the staff should not lose their jobs just because there is nothing for them to do |
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27th April, 2010 Labor defers its Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme until at least 2014; months after declaring that climate change is 'the greatest moral and economic challenge of our time' and demanding that the scheme's legislation be passed before the Copenhagen Climate Change Summit |
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23rd April, 2010 Tax payers face $1 billion bill to clean up the Rudd Government's botched home insulation scheme 50% of houses with insulation installed under the program have been found to have compliance problems. Most will need to have the insulation removed Report on the scheme commissioned by the Rudd Government (Hawke Report) says the scheme failed because of 'weak oversight by ministers', rushed timeframe and poor communication with regulators Dr Hawke questions whether any of the scheme's aims had been achieved including energy efficiency, greenhousegas abatement and job creation |
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22nd April, 2010 Rudd Government abandons its bungled $2.4 billion home insulation program amid concerns that all the remaining money, $1 billion, will be needed to repair or remove existing installations |
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9th April, 2010 Author of FAO report claiming that livestock are responsible for 18% of global greenhouse emissions has admitted that his methodology was flawed. IPCC said livestock contribute just 4% |
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4th April, 2010 US National Snow and Ice Data Centre say Arctic ice sheet is largest in 10 years casting doubts on predictions that the Arctic would be ice free by 2013 |
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31st March, 2010 The number of house fires attributed to Labor's bungled home insulation scheme reaches 120 (240,000 homes are thought to have sub-standard insulation) |
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30th March, 2010 The Rudd Labor Government paid $40 million too much to the Argentinian owners of Twynam for their water licenses |
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29th March, 2010 The Rudd Labor Government is unable to obtain any international backers for its $100 million clean coal initiative |
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24th March, 2010 Contractors demand compensation for lost work as deadline for zero interest green loans passes with more than 100,000 householders waiting for government reports on their individual household assessments |
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24th March, 2010 National Farmers Federation accuse the Government of receiving a $4 billion carbon credit windfall by stripping landowner property rights without compensation |
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18th March, 2010 Labor's new rebate scheme for heat pump hot water systems will cost $4.9 million for every job it saves and provide little or no environmental benefits (Gas Industry Alliance) |
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18th March, 2010 Labor gives up the fight to stop the spread of cane toads (Peter Garrett) |
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11th March, 2010 Claims by the Rudd Government that its insulation program would reduce emissions by an average 1.65 tonnes per house per year are dishonest. The real savings would be 0.4 tonnes (Associate Professor T Williamson, University of Adelaide) |
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11th March, 2010 Removing insulation from houses likely to cost taxpayers $1,000 per house |
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10th March, 2010 The Rudd Government's bungled home insulation scheme likely to cost $450 million to repair and compensation claims could reach $1 billion |
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23rd February, 2010 Labor's renewable energy legislation has not sparked a single major new renewable energy project in its first 6 months |
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19th February, 2010 Labor promised at the election to provide 200,000 households with interest free loans of up to $10,000 each under its Green Loans scheme. The scheme has now been scrapped after providing loans to only 1,008 households |
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16th February, 2010 Minister Peter Garrett ignored at least 18 warnings that his home insulation program was leading to unsafe installations |
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12th February, 2010 The Government admits that about 1,000 roofs could be electrified as a result of faulty installation of foil insulation. 4 people have died and at least 80 home fires have also been attributed to the program |
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10th February, 2010 The Rudd Government continues to employ 150 staff to implement its CPRS even though its legislation has been defeated in Parliament twice Rudd Government provides $20 million for office space for staff to administer the CPRS even though the scheme has been rejected by Parliament |
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9th February, 2010 Labor suspends its foil home insulation subsidy program after 80 house fires, an estimated 1,000 electrified roofs and four deaths |
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5th February, 2010 Increasing calls for the resignation of UN Panel on Climate Change head over the fasification of climate change science |
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4th February, 2010 US President Obama discusses abandoning a cap and trade ETS and considers implementing a direct action plan (like that proposed by the Coalition) |
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3rd February, 2010 After training 11,000 people to assess applicants for Labor's green loans scheme only 1,000 of an expected 200,000 loans have been provided |
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1st February, 2010 Labor planned to spend $150 million over 5 years on solar rebates but instead splurged $1 billion in 18 months - then axed the program creating chaos in the industry |
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14th January, 2010 Government buisiness adviser Dick Warburton calls on the Rudd Government to rethink its CPRS tax |
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13th January, 2010 Labor's Whale Envoy, former Labor staffer Sandy Hollway, has already cost more than $500,000 including $342,000 on international travel. His costs are expected to total $800,000 by the time his contract expires on 30-6-2010. He has not saved a single whale |
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18th December, 2009 Copenhagen Climate Change breaks up in disarray. No country shows any interest in Labor's CPRS. The final communique was drafted by a small group of leaders which excluded Kevin Rudd |
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7th December, 2009 Australia sends a delegation of 114 to the Copenhagen Climate Change Conference, (including 10 from the Prime Minister's office) compared with 24 from New Zealand and 71 from the United Kingdom |
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7th December, 2009 The National Tertiary Education Union condemns Labor's CPRS |
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3rd December, 2009 Professor Phil Jones steps aside as director of the University of East Anglia's climate research unit following allegations of manipulation of global warming statistics |
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2nd December, 2009 The Rudd Labor Government's $120 billion Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme tax is defeated. Labor says it will bring the legislation back to Parliament for a third time |
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2nd November, 2009 The Rudd Labor Government slashes the rebate for its home insulation scheme from $1600 to $1200 |
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20th August, 2009 The Rudd Government's proposed Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme has been cited as one of the reasons for Cement Australia closing its Rockhampton plant |
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11th June, 2009 The Rudd Labor Government caused chaos and uncertainty for thousands of families and the solar industry by scrapping two solar rebate programs, after using the solar industry for political gain prior to the election |
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9th June, 2009 The Rudd Government spent $309,106.36 on fees and travel costs for the Government's whaling envoy in just 44 days and then decided to leave him at home for the primary annual meeting on whaling issues |
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10th December, 2008 Kevin Rudd's official residences, The Lodge in Canberra and Kirribilli House in Sydney emitted 272 tonnes of carbon in nine months, 21 times more than an average household. Mr Rudd would have to plant 2205 trees to offset his annual household emissions Kevin Rudd emitted 11,700 tonnes of carbon by using the Government's Boeing 737 for his travel. The same travel on a commercial carrier would have emitted 90 tonnes |
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30th October, 2008 The Government's own modelling shows that Queensland's gross state product will be slashed by 7% under its planned Emmissions Trading Scheme even if other countries introduce similar schemes Household power and gas bills are to rise by $350 per year as a result of Labor's Emissions Trading Scheme |
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22nd October, 2008 It is revealed in Budget Estimates that the Rudd Labor Government has set aside $14 million for its climate change advertising campaign |
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21st October, 2008 In Senate Estimates Penny Wong is unable to say how much water will be saved as a result of a $3.985 billion allocation for water conservation projects Penny Wong has spent $50 million on buying water entitlements that will return virtually nothing to the environment Bureau of Meterology downgrades 23 weather observation stations including many in the cyclone belt |
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15th July, 2008 A means test attached to the Rudd Government's Farming Future Climate Change Adjustment program has meant that thousands of farmers who need assistance in adapting to climate change are automatically denied any help |
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8th July, 2008 Labor guts the highly successful Green Corps program which provided 18,000 places for young volunteers to work on community environment programs |
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2nd June, 2008 Labor cuts $20 million from the Energy Innovation Fund, to be used for research on photovoltaic and hydrogen energy |
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2nd June, 2008 The photovoltaic rebate scheme will be denied to 70% of applicants |
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30th May, 2008 The $530,000 bill for the Government's Bali Climate Change junket in December included a $26,000 cocktail party |
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30th May, 2008 Labor admits there was no consultation with industry, or modeling of the impact, when a means test was applied on solar rebates |
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13th May, 2008 BUDGET Labor places an income test on the solar panel rebate scheme Labor cuts maximum grants to schools for rainwater tanks and solar systems by 40% |
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4th April, 2008 The Rudd Labor Government threatens the future of the LPG conversion subsidy scheme |
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14th March, 2008 Labor cuts funding to the Natural Heritage Trust (NHT) and National Action Plan for Salinity and Water Quality by $1 billion over 5 years. Regional Catchment Management Groups have a funding cut of 40% |
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12th March, 2008 Labor cuts $6 million from the Biodiversity Hotspot component of NHT |
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3rd March, 2008 Climate Change Minister Penny Wong breaches the Murray Darling Basin Act 2007 by failing to appoint a Murray Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) Labor cuts $45 million from Murray Darling Basin Authority's budget |
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22nd February, 2008 Labor reduces spending on the National Plan for Water Security by $35 million |
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6th February, 2008 Labor cuts: $42 million from the Renewable Remote Power Generation Program slashing support for renewable energy in remote communities $5 million from the Asia-Pacific Network for Energy Technology $2.2 million from the Low Emissions Technology and Abatement fund $26.9 million from The Climate Change Strategy to develop low emission technology $15 million from the FutureGen Alliance to generate zero emission coal fuelled power |
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6th February, 2008 Labor cuts $5 million from the Bureau of Meterology |
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3rd December, 2007 Labor appoints Tony Burke from Sydney who represents less farmers, fishers and foresters than any other Member of Parliament, as new Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry |
