Tag: federal policy

China’s constant criticism amid Taiwan tensions cannot be avoided, acting PM says

Post author By mangakiko
Post date August 10, 2022
No Comments on China’s constant criticism amid Taiwan tensions cannot be avoided, acting PM says

The acting Prime Minister insists there is little the federal government can do to ward off constant Chinese criticism of Australia, as Beijing lashes out against international condemnation of its military drills in the Taiwan Strait.

Australia has joined with other nations to condemn Beijing’s decision to extend military drills around Taiwan, triggered by a visit to the island from United States House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

Chinese officials said condemnation by Australia was undermining regional peace and stability, and amounted to meddling in its affairs.

Acting Prime Minister Richard Marles dismissed that accusation and said it was up to China whether relations with Australia thawed or deteriorated again.

“If engaging in a more respectful, diplomatic way takes us some way down a path, it does — and if it doesn’t, it doesn’t,” Mr Marles said.

“We can only control our end of this equation. But we will always be speaking up for the national interest.”

Taiwan has been preparing air raid shelters and conducting drills as Chinese military air and naval combat exercises have increased around the island.

Taiwan thanks ‘courageous’ nations stepping up to China

In a briefing to media yesterday, Taiwan’s Foreign Minister, Joseph Wu, expressed his gratitude to the nations that had supported his country.

“Taiwan is grateful to all of its friends around the world who have stood up courageously to condemn China’s actions and to support Taiwan,” Mr Wu said.

“It also sends a clear message to the world that democracy will not bow to the intimidation of authoritarianism.”

The People’s Republic of China has threatened to continue regular drills as it seeks its decades-long goal of bringing Taiwan under Beijing’s rule.

Mr Marles called on China to end his combat exercises and maintain the status quo.

“I think there would be a sigh of relief around the world if we were to see a de-escalation of tensions in the Taiwan Strait,” he said.

“It is critical that we return to a much more peaceful and normal set of behaviours.

“What we are seeing there is very concerning.”

Mr Wu warned China was testing agreements that had been in place for decades.

“The median line of the Taiwan Strait has been there for decades, safeguarding peace and stability as well as the status quo across the Taiwan Strait,” he warned.

“And China is trying to wreck that.”‘

Chinese ambassador Xiao Qian is set to deliver an address at the National Press Club later today.

Tags China, Defense, federal policy, foreign affairs, military, Nancy Pelosi, taiwan, war

Australia

Government’s 43 per cent emissions target set to become law, as Greens offer votes needed to pass climate bill

Post author By mangakiko
Post date August 3, 2022
No Comments on Government’s 43 per cent emissions target set to become law, as Greens offer votes needed to pass climate bill

The Greens will offer critical support to a climate bill that will legislate the government’s 2030 emissions reduction target, giving it the numbers it needs to pass in the Senate.

Labor has introduced a bill to enshrine its 43 per cent emissions reduction target into law and tighten up reporting schemes to track progress towards the target.

Greens leader Adam Bandt has told the National Press Club that his party will back the bill, giving it the votes needed to pass.

Mr Bandt said he remained “bitterly disappointed” the government would not ban new coal and gas projects, and that the party would vote to send the bill for inquiry, where they hope to prove Labor’s climate policies would fail to meet a legislated 43 per cent target.

“Labor might be holding out now, but their position is ultimately untenable, and they can’t go to upcoming climate summits, vowing to open new coal and gas projects and expect to be taken seriously,” he said.

Mr Bandt said the party will now push to shut down future projects by amending the safeguard mechanism, which penalizes big polluting companies that go over a set carbon emissions ceiling.

Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen shut down any prospect of a coal and gas moratorium being introduced through the safeguard mechanism, saying the government would implement its election plan “without alteration”.

Mr Bowen said it will begin consulting on the emissions lever later this month.

The government did not have the numbers in the Senate to pass its climate target bill without support from either the Coalition or the crossbench.

The Coalition determined it would oppose the bill yesterday, although some of its MPs and at least one senator are considering crossing the floor to support it.

Without the Coalition’s support, the government needed the Greens’ backing to have any chance of legislating its target.

The government will also need the support of at least one other senator — independent senator David Pocock has already indicated he will give it his support.

Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry boss Andrew McKellar said passing the bill would send a clear and welcome signal to the market in its transition to clean energy.

“This is a missed opportunity for the Opposition. The announcement today demonstrates that the climate wars are over. This must act as a moment for unity of purpose,” Mr McKellar said.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese challenged the Coalition to “end the climate wars” and give its support to the bill.

“The parliament is about to, after a decade of inaction and denial and delay, to move forward,” Mr Albanese said.

“This is an opportunity for the whole of the parliament to be on the right side of history.”

Adam Bandt said Labor would be rewarded by voters if it adopted more ambitious climate policies.(ABC News: Nick Haggarty)

Greens say Labor will have to shift on coal and gas moratorium

Mr Bandt said his party would continue to fight new coal and gas projects, despite agreeing to give Labor’s bill passage.

“This is round one, there is three years of this parliament,” Mr Bandt said.

“Labor’s position is ultimately untenable… this is increasingly becoming a deal breaker around the world.”

For a decade, Labor and the Greens have held bitter memories over the Greens decision not to back Labor’s Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme in 2009, which was ultimately defeated in parliament.

Labor has argued that the Greens share some of the blame for a so-called decade of climate inaction that followed because of their decision to oppose the CPRS.

The Greens had long held that the policy wasn’t going to work, and would have locked the government into insufficient emissions targets that would not have seen any improvement for 25 years.

The climate target bill, while largely symbolic because the government does not require the laws to achieve its 43 per cent target, was seen as a litmus test for how the two parties would likely interact on climate change in the term to come.

Tags 43, Bill, climate change, emissions reduction target, federal policy, greens, law

Australia

Water promised to the Murray-Darling Basin won’t be delivered, despite PM doubling down on commitment

Post author By mangakiko
Post date August 2, 2022
No Comments on Water promised to the Murray-Darling Basin won’t be delivered, despite PM doubling down on commitment

Almost a Sydney Harbour’s worth of water committed to Australia’s largest river system can’t be delivered by a 2024 deadline, a new report has been found, despite a promise from the now-Prime Minister his government would deliver the water.

It could cost taxpayers almost $11 billion to deliver 450 gigalitres (GL) of water for the environment across the Murray-Darling system, according to the latest statutory review required under the Water Act.

“Putting aside program and timing limitations, the estimated cost to recover the full 450 GL through efficiency measures is between $3.4 billion and $10.8 billion,” the second review of the Water for the Environment Special Account (WESA) found.

“It is not possible to reach the 450 GL target through the current efficiency measures program … even if the WESA’s time and budget limits were removed.”

Less than $60 million of the $1.7 billion WESA fund for water-saving projects had been spent as of June last year.

WESA reviewers said not enough water had been recovered to date, and requirements for where water savings could be found were too limiting.

A 2018 agreement between the Commonwealth and basin state ministers set strict criteria about how the 450 GL could be recovered, to ensure no negative social or economic impact on basin communities.

It was to be recovered for the environment by what’s known as efficiency projects – those that save water by changing the way it is used.

By June 2021, just 2 GL of water had been recovered toward the 450 GL target.

Despite several warnings the 450 GL target would not be met, Anthony Albanese doubled down on the water promise during the election campaign.

“Labor will deliver on the final 450 gigalitres of water for the environment that Scott Morrison and Barnaby Joyce failed to deliver,” Mr Albanese announced in April, in Adelaide.

Earlier this month, Water Minister Tanya Plibersek said it would be “next to impossible” to deliver the 450 GL.

In Question Time last week, she also taunted the Opposition for delivering just 2 GL while in office.

Tanya Plibersek took aim at the Coalition’s management of the Murray-Darling in Question Time on Tuesday. (ABC News: Nick Haggarty)

Plibersek says former government ‘ran down the clock’ on water promise

The second WESA review was delivered to the former Water Minister Keith Pitt late last year, but not tabled in federal parliament until today.

“It’s disappointing this report was never released – but not surprising,” Ms Plibersek said.

“The previous government had no intention of delivering on the Murray-Darling Basin Plan, they just didn’t have the guts to admit that before the election.

“The failure to deliver on the plan wasn’t due to a lack of money, it was a lack of will.”

Ms Plibersek accused the Coalition of “running down the clock” on the fund for water-saving projects.

“They were deliberately hoping to leave it unspent… the report shows that under the current policy settings, there’s virtually no way that the money can be spent in the remaining time frame,” she said.

Promised water for the Murray Darling Basin won’t be delivered by its 2024 deadline.(Supplied: Madman)

Last year some Nationals senators and MPs unsuccessfully attempted to change the law, to scrap the 450 GL commitment, which was made in return for South Australia’s support for the 2012 Murray-Darling Basin Plan.

Earlier this week the Victorian Farmers’ Federation issued a statement calling on the federal government to “come clean on how it expects to recover the 450 GL and avoid negative impacts on our communities.”

“Where is the openness and integrity the new government promised us?” Victorian Farmers Federation spokesman Andrew Leahy said.

The 450 GL target is one component of the Murray-Darling Basin Plan.

Over the past decade, more than 2,100 gigalitres has been re-allocated towards a 2,750 gigalitre environmental water target.

That water has mostly come from infrastructure upgrades and farming.

Tags agriculture, environment, farming, federal policy, irrigation, murray darling basin, toilet

Australia

In pictures: The first sitting week of federal parliament under new Labor government

Post author By mangakiko
Post date July 31, 2022
No Comments on In pictures: The first sitting week of federal parliament under new Labor government

The start of a new parliament with a new government brings many changes: new faces, new policies, and new offices that even veteran politicians can have trouble finding.

The first sitting week under the new Labor government was marked with ceremonies, celebrations and signs of what may be to come in the next term.

Take a look at the first week in action for the 47th Parliament.