New research shows that besides using the right species for the local environment, their social acceptability, economic use and Indigenous significance need to be carefully considered. “There are many benefits of bringing nature back into urban areas,” says Dr Luis Mata from RMIT’s Interdisciplinary Conservation Science Research Group. “Nature in all its forms provides a […]
3 December, 2017
The unedifying battle between the Tasmanian State Government and TasWater over who will control the state’s water and sewerage services has been shunted out beyond the next state election, due to be held by May 2018. Premier Will Hodgman’s Liberal Government (there are no Nationals in the Tasmanian Parliament) has tried to take control from […]
3 December, 2017
The City of Sydney, City of Darwin and Brisbane City Council have all joined the Cities Power Partnership, and initiative of the Climate Council to encourage Local Government Authorities to promote the use of clean energy. There are now 58 councils in the Partnership, representing 7 million people. “With almost 30 percent of the population […]
30 November, 2017
South Australia will launch its own Royal Commission into the allocation of water under the Murray-Darling Basin Agreement. The moves follows a number of damning reports on allegations of water theft and mismanagement, and what the South Australian Government regards as a coverup by the Federal and NSW Government. The issue has been brewing for […]
26 November, 2017
Australia faces at least six more months without a national energy policy. The meeting of the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) Energy Council deferred until April 2018 any decision on whether to adopt the Federal Government’s National Energy Guarantee (NEG) plan. The states did not sign up for the NEG, but asked for more modelling, […]
26 November, 2017
It is five years ago today (22 November) since the announcement of the Murray-Darling Basin Plan. But not everybody is happy. The Basin Plan is the latest attempt to reconcile the many demands on water from the extensive river system. It was agreed to at the time by the six governments with jurisdiction over the […]
22 November, 2017
The Council of Australian Government Energy Council meets in Hobart this Friday (24 November) to try to bring some order to Australia’s fractious energy policy. It will be the first meeting held since the announcement of the Federal Government’s National Electricity Guarantee (NEG). The Government is promoting the NEG as an alternative to the Chief […]
20 November, 2017
South Australia’s Department of Primary Industries and Regions (PIRSA) has won the top prize at this year’s Prime Minister’s Awards for Excellence in Public Sector Management. The Gold award was given for PIRSA’s South Australian River Murray Sustainability (SARMS), a $265 million program funded by the Australian Government under a National Partnership Agreement, which is […]
15 November, 2017
Australia is a laggard compared to other countries when it comes to encouraging the use of electric vehicles (EVs). The ACT is the only jurisdiction in Australia which offers any sort of incentive to motorists to go electric. This is in stark contrast to most of the rest of the developed world. Most countries in […]
5 November, 2017
Influential energy and climate economist Professor Ross Garnaut says Western Australia should adopt a state based emissions intensity scheme. He is recommending and Emissions Intensity Scheme (EIS) for the state. Professor Garnaut said WA could lead the world as a clean energy superpower. He believes its vast resources of renewable energy, and its isolation from […]
4 November, 2017
They didn’t make a big deal of it, but the Productivity Commission’s new five-year overview report, commissioned by the Federal Government, has recommended the introduction of a carbon price. The productivity commission is of course an advisory body, and the Government has explicitly ruled out a price on carbon or anything that can even remotely […]
24 October, 2017
The Productivity Commission has released its first ever five-year productivity review, called ‘Shifting the Dial’. It was released in conjunction with the Commission’s annual report. It is “a look out across the landscape of factors and influences that may affect Australia’s economic performance over the medium term, in order to offer advice on where our […]
24 October, 2017
Australia is blessed – and cursed – with a federal system of government. It allows greater diversity, and also causes problems when it comes to the coordination of service delivery.
20 October, 2017
The Federal Government’s refusal to adopt the Chief Scientist’s recommendation for a Clean Energy Target has been roundly criticised by its political opponents. As you would expect. But what does it mean for the relationships between Australia’s different levels of government? The Government’s new policy sees the end of any subsidy for renewable energy after […]
17 October, 2017End of content
No more pages to load
Sue Phillips on: 15 councils participate in SA emissions reduction trial
Garth Daddy on: War memorial contracts fudged, audit finds
Roger Buhlert on: New VLGA appointment vows to lift governance standards