Politics latest: Inquiry recommends ban on carbon storage in Great Artesian Basin

A parliamentary committee has recommended a legislated ban on carbon capture and storage activities across the Great Artesian Basin.

Queensland Premier Steven Miles pledged to protect the environmental significance of the Great Artesian Basin in May.

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7:48 pm July 11, 2024

Joyce: Turnbull is now a 'parody'

Staff writers

Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce says former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull is turning himself into a "parody" and has advised him to think about how he wants to be remembered.

The comments follow Mr Turnbull's appearance on Network 10’s The Project on Sunday during which he called Peter Dutton a “thug” and said that a government led by the Coalition leader should be “contemplated with dread”
Mr Joyce offered Mr Turnbull some advice through a horse riding analogy.

"Malcolm, it's not so much in politics how you rode the horse, it's how you get off it," Mr Joyce said on Sky News on Thursday.

"Some people get sweetly out of the saddle, they take their right foot out of the stirrup and they swing sweetly off the horse and walk to the rails to the applause and adulation of the waiting crowd.

"And some people can't help themselves, they've got to keep that left foot stuck halfway in the stirrup as the horse runs around the yard, dragging them through the horse manure."

Mr Joyce advised Mr Turnbull to move on.

"Get out of the saddle mate, walk to the rails and enjoy the post-political life," Mr Joyce said.

"Get your foot out of the stirrup Malcolm.

"You're a smarter bloke than that, Malcolm, you know that.

"Don't be a madman in the park."

Lily McCaffrey

7:03 pm July 11, 2024

Taylor: Energy plan will cost 'significantly less' than Labor's

Staff writers

Opposition Treasury spokesperson Angus Taylor has refused to confirm whether the Coalition has the numbers for the cost of its nuclear proposal, but says it will cost "substantially less" than Labor's energy plan.

"I'm not going to make that announcement today, but we will," Mr Taylor said when asked about the nuclear cost figures on 2GB on Thursday afternoon.

"You can be very confident that they will be substantially less than Labor."

Mr Taylor also criticised the government for failing to take inflation seriously and said the upcoming election would be a referendum on "the collapse in the Australian standard of living".

"That's not being dealt with as it should be, and Australians are paying a high price," Mr Taylor said.

"We've had inflation rising since December in Australia and that is not true of any of the other major 10 countries in the world."

Lily McCaffrey

6:20 pm July 11, 2024

Taylor backs Dutton's divestiture powers plan

Staff writers

Opposition Treasury spokesperson Angus Taylor has backed Opposition Leader Peter Dutton's plan to introduce divestiture powers in supermarket and hardware sectors, saying he wants to see more competition in Australia's grocery sector.

"It is one of the most concentrated in the world," Mr Taylor said on 2GB.

"We have seen retailers in this country make the call that they are going to lock up land in the local town, particularly country towns… we think that's anti-competitive.

"If a company wants to do that, we think the government should be able to act to force them to sell a piece of land, so that a competitor can get into the marketplace.

"That's just common sense."

Mr Taylor said that as a Liberal, he "believed firmly" in competition.

"If a government can make a sensible intervention to make sure we have a competitive market, they should," he added.

Lily McCaffrey

5:37 pm July 11, 2024

Ending curfew 'right decision': McCarthy

Staff writers

Assistant Minister for Indigenous Australians Malarndirri McCarthy says the decision against extending the three day snap curfew in Alice Springs will bring "a lot of relief to the residents of the region".

"Clearly the Police Commissioner is confident that this is the right decision," Senator McCarthy said on ABC's Afternoon Briefing program on Thursday.

When asked about the large brawl which broke out in the centre of Alice Springs on Wednesday afternoon, and whether she was still concerned about tension in the community, Senator McCarthy said: "Any kind of violence is totally unacceptable… whether it's in Alice Springs or any other part of the country.

"Those people involved will certainly feel the full force of the law, as they should.

"But let's also point out that this is not isolated to Alice Springs, we do see issues across towns in Australia, right across the country, and I do commend the police for the work they are doing there in central Australia."

When asked about a solution to the unrest, Senator McCarthy said the ability for police to impose curfews was important but that they were a "last resort" and a "short-term solution", and that it was important to get on top of issues surrounding alcohol and homelessness.

"We are investing in housing, clearly not quick enough, we know we have to keep investing in housing," she said.

"We have to invest in jobs, and we have to make sure our kids are getting to school and we have provided substantial funding to schools in central Australia in particular to ensure we can have those areas resourced."

Lily McCaffrey

5:04 pm July 11, 2024 Highlight

Inquiry recommends ban on carbon storage in Great Artesian Basin

Charlie Peel

States and territories should consider a legislated ban on carbon capture and storage activities across the Great Artesian Basin, a parliamentary committee has recommended following an inquiry.

In a major setback for the fledgling Australian CCS sector’s plans to use the underground water reservoir as a repository, the committee also recommended federal legislation be amended to force consideration of similar proposals under national environmental regulations.

A report released by the committee on Thursday afternoon said the “water trigger” provisions within the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act should be updated to include onshore CCS projects.

The senate inquiry was called in March to consider a proposal by Swiss mining giant Glencore to store carbon dioxide waste from a coal-fired power station in the aquifers of the Great Artesian Basin.

Glencore’s project was opposed by farmers, environmentalists and rural communities over fears it would damage the massive underground water reservoir, which lies below 22 per cent of the continent and is an essential water source for rural towns and industries.

“The committee is of the view that CCS activities are not consistent with the long-term interests of the GAB and other critical water resources and that legislation is accordingly required to preserve water supply and quality for current and future generations,” the committee report said.

CCS technology has been touted as a solution to reduce emissions from hard-to-abate industries, and the federal government has invested more than $300m on a range of CCS projects.

There is only one operational facility in Australia.

The committee’s recommendations were criticised by industry groups, including Low Emission Technology Australia, which urged the government to reject the recommendations of the inquiry.

“Today’s report provided an opportunity for the Senate Committee to do what governments around the world have already done by recognising the crucial role that CCS technology will play in a global net zero future,” LETA chief executive officer Mark McCallum said.

“Unfortunately, the Committee missed that opportunity and instead allowed ideology and emotion to stand in the way of a crucial conversation about Australia’s pathway to net zero.”

In May, Queensland’s environmental regulator rejected Glencore’s proposal and the Queensland government announced a “blanket ban” on any carbon capture proposal for the state’s component of the basin.

Premier Steven Miles said he would “welcome the support of the Australian government” to ensure other parts of the basin were protected.

The recommendation for the water trigger in the EPBC Act to be updated would essentially validate a view shared by farming groups who have called for Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek to reconsider a 2022 Morrison government decision that the Glencore project did not require assessment under the legislation.

Queensland-based farming advocacy group AgForce is continuing with its legal action in the Federal Court against the federal government, arguing the water trigger should have applied to the 2022 decision.

AgForce fears the state moratorium could be lifted at the whim of future governments and has insisted such proposals present a risk to the environment and should be considered under the EPBC Act.

The committee was chaired by Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young and included two Labor senators, two from each of the Liberal Party and One Nation and one Nationals senator.

Glencore has said the Queensland decision was based on a “damaging misinformation campaign and political opportunism” and that it would effectively ban CCS projects in the state.

4:52 pm July 11, 2024

Vape stores closing in response to ban

Staff writers

Health Minister Mark Butler says vape stores are closing their doors, a week and a half after a ban on vapes being sold outside pharmacies came into effect.

"We're receiving direct communication from vape store owners that they're winding up their lease and they're closing their doors," Mr Butler said on ABC's Afternoon Briefing on Thursday.

"We've also received direct communication from broader convenience stores that stock obviously a range of products that they are taking vapes off their shelves as well."

Mr Butler said the TGA and NSW authorities had started visiting stores to enforce the ban, and the enforcement activity would be ramped up including across other states.

Mr Butler said that even before the new laws came into effect on 1 July, he was hearing reports that vape and convenience stores were facing supply challenges, which he attributed to new restrictions on the import of vapes which came into place at the start of this year.

"We've seized more than 3 million vapes, for example, on the border," Mr Butler said.

Lily McCaffrey

3:00 pm July 11, 2024

Inquiry into greyhound racing in NSW confirmed

Staff writers

NSW Minister for Gaming and Racing David Harris has announced an inquiry into greyhound racing in the state.

"I've written to the Greyhound Welfare and Integrity Commission (GWIC) to require it to conduct an inquiry into matters relating to various complaints concerning Greyhound Racing NSW," Mr Harris said.

Mr Harris has appointed Lea Drake, who he said was an experienced mediator and investigator, as an acting commissioner of GWIC to oversee the inquiry.

"Ms Drake has more than two decades' experience as a member of the Fair Work Commission and served a five year term as inaugural commissioner of the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission, as well as sitting on civil and administrative and sports misconduct related tribunals," Mr Harris said.

"The inquiry will examine complaints about Greyhound Racing NSW's governance and operations, track safety and animal welfare issues, including claims made by whistleblowers."

This follows the resignation of Greyhound Racing NSW chief executive Robert Macauley amid reports the organisation's former chief veterinarian had alleged "important issues" in the industry in a handover report.

The allegations included that greyhounds were raced too frequently at a "barbaric… level", that the industry was inflating rehoming figures and that greyhounds were being housed in "industrial kennels" to live out their post-racing lives.

Lily McCaffrey

1:45 pm July 11, 2024 Highlight

Albanese refuses to say whether gas is a sustainable investment

Jack Quail

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. Labor’s proposed green-rating system for institutional investors would not include gas as sustainable. Picture: NewsWire

Anthony Albanese has refused to say whether he will categorise gas as a sustainable investment in his promised green-rating framework for institutional investors, but insists Labor backed the energy source.

Revealed by this masthead on Thursday, Labor’s proposed green-rating system for institutional investors would not include gas as sustainable.

The energy source was instead listed as a “phase down” sector according to the draft "sustainable finance taxonomy" framework.

But speaking in Brisbane, the Prime Minister would not be drawn on the report.

“Well, if you've heard of that framework before today, I'd be surprised,” Mr Albanese said, dodging a question over the system’s design.

“I would be surprised, perhaps I'm wrong and you have.”

Mr Albanese instead talked about the government’s separate Future Gas Strategy, and criticised the Coalition’s planned tilt toward nuclear power generation.

“We think that gas has an important role to play in the firming of renewables.”

1:36 pm July 11, 2024 Highlight

PM tells of 'extremely productive' relationship with Biden

Jack Quail

Anthony Albanese says he has always had an “extremely productive” relationship with US President Joe Biden.

Mr Biden is currently struggling to fend off calls among members of his own party for him to stand aside over concerns for his mental acuity in his advanced age, with the Democrats Senate leader Chuck Schumer privately open to dumping Biden according to reports.

While the Prime Minister would not be drawn on Mr Biden’s deteriorating chances of securing a second term in the White House, arguing it was a matter for the US electorate, Mr Albanese praised Mr Biden.

“My interaction with Joe Biden has been extremely productive,” Mr Albanese told reporters in Brisbane.

“I have a great deal of respect for the President and for his achievements, frankly, in navigating what is a very difficult economic time.

“The work that we've done together on AUKUS and on cooperation on international issues through the Quad and others has been extremely productive.”

12:56 pm July 11, 2024 Highlight

'Stand-by allowance' in new right to disconnect rules

Ewin Hannan

Details of a new workplace right allowing employees to disconnect from work outside of their usual work hours have been published by the Fair Work Commission.

The draft right to disconnect term to be inserted into awards by August 26 was outlined in a statement released on Thursday by commission president Adam Hatcher.

Under the draft term, an employee, unless it is unreasonable to do so, may refuse to monitor, read or respond to contact, or attempted contact, from their employer outside of the employee’s working hours.

The employee may also refuse to respond to contact from a third party if the contact or attempted contact relates to their work and is outside of the employee's working hours.

The employer can require the employee to monitor, read or respond to contact outside of working hours where the employee is being paid a stand-by allowance; the employer’s contact is to notify the employee they are required to attend or perform work; or the employer’s contact is in accordance with the usual arrangements for such notification.

The employee can be contacted over an emergency roster change but the employer would need to give either 24 or 48 hours notice depending on the award.

Employees can also be contacted when the employer wants to call them back after leaving work. Under the call back provision, the employee would be paid a minimum of 4 hours overtime.

The changes start for non small business employers on August 26 and for small business employers a year later.

Justice Hatcher said it was not currently the commission’s intention to make guidelines concerning the right to disconnect prior to August 26.

“The commission considers that it will be in a better position to make guidelines once it has dealt with at least some disputes concerning the operation of the right since this will allow it to have some understanding of the practical issues for which guidance may be required,” he said.