Greg Combet
Greg Combet has more policy hounds on his tail than any other minister. He is in charge of the introduction of a “carbon tax”, and the arguments against him have been outnumbering those for.
So the Climate Change Minister went to the National Press Club to highlight—and he hoped erase—some of those policy problems which are dogging this attempt to get up a pricing mechanism for carbon pollution.
He all but ticked them off, one by one, in front of the audience.
Continue reading "Combet on carbon: What he said and what he meant" »
It’s easy to attack politicians.
No better evidence perhaps than the bitchy list we compiled yesterday of MPs we think disappointed or just disappeared. But we’re not just a bunch of naysayers here at The Punch. Indeed we appreciate politics and politicians are great deal, otherwise we wouldn’t bother writing about it.
So here’s a list, in no particular order, of MPs who have tried and triumphed in 2010.
Well it’s been one hell of an effort by Tony Abbott:
Continue reading "10 of the best performing MPs of the year" »
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jf says:
Not a bad list until I got to Shorten (please) and then Brown. One is a snide, sly bully with an ambition so strong that, if left unchecked, is sure to cause another 10 year + conservative reign. This man cares about no-one other than himself. As for Brown, so… Read more »
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jeffb says:
I’m not sure you understand what an agenda is MarK because what you just outlined is not even close to acceptable for any major political party in Australia. You list some of Abbott’s achievements, none of his plans for the future. I say again, the only person with a positive… Read more »
Twelve months ago today I released a video blog warning of the dangers of the Home Insulation Program.
Back then, Peter Garrett’s office had been denying a link between his program and house fires. Astonishing to believe, given the some 200 fires we have now. It was when there had been only one tragic loss of a young installer. Three more would follow.
But by then, the avalanche of problems of safety hazards, rorting and waste were being made very clear to my office. Which is why, 12 months ago, I warned in the video: “You also have a risk of fires … Pink batts on down-lights equal fires …you have the risk of electrocution for people who aren’t trained … There are risks of further tragedies.”
Continue reading "Looking back on 12 months of fatal inaction" »
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Trumpet says:
What a crock; Unions don’t give a stuff about workers except to ensure they pay their dues. Parasitic unions are the cause of more workplace issues than any employers- by simply making workplaces so uncompetitive that employers cannot afford the ridiculous measures demanded by Unions…..which we know will not stop… Read more »
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Lisa H. says:
No, actotrel, the government ENCOURAGED new players into the industry because the roll out needed to happen yesterday, remember? And in doing so, the government showed an incredible arrogance. What of the established players in the industry, normal people and families, that have invested their lives, homes, livelihoods in ithe… Read more »
Mark Dreyfus must have been a wonderful lawyer. The 54-year-old Victorian QC is now the Parliamentary Secretary for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency - the man who answers questions on the Federal Government’s bungling of its multi-billion dollar home insulation program.
At a press conference this morning journalists quizzing Mr Dreyfus over the latest scathing report into the $2.45 billion scheme were privileged to an impressive display of Mr Dreyfus’s lawyer skills, as we were delivered so many non-answers to questions.
Not only that, but journalists weren’t able to get their hands on a copy of the full report until 11am - the exact time Mr Dreyfus did his press conference.
Continue reading "Government still insulating itself from blame" »
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Aitch B says:
@acotrel Jeez, you’re really out of control on this one, mate! How is the Liberal Party protecting your so-called ‘criminal’ contractors?? It’s the governments (state/federal) who have the power to institute proceedings for workplace negligence and last time I looked, apart from WA the entire country is governed by the… Read more »
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Carl Palmer says:
When the rebate was $1600 I got 3 quotes (from reputable & recommended suppliers) and all came in at – you guessed it $1600. When it went to $1200 I got another 3 quotes (from reputable & recommended suppliers) and all came in at – you guessed it $1200. Even… Read more »
The Government’s new climate change committee has made a definitive decision after its first meeting: dump Julia Gillard’s proposed Citizens Assembly on climate change.
Think of it as a bureaucratic take on scissors, paper, rock: multi-party climate change committee beats citizens assembly everytime. So while the Gillard Government may have no climate change policy, it has managed to kill off the last one with the help of its brand new committee.
This is no surprise given the Citizens Assembly was a dog from day one and was treated as such by the media and the public. It was possibly the worst policy bungle of the Gillard’s in the entire election campaign (although the Indonesian judge awarded that honour to the East Timor solution).
Continue reading "The Assembly is dead. Long live the Committee" »
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Peter M says:
So in the Grand Conspiracy we have morally corrupt politicians, scientists and now “computer modelling”. Which of these is running which, and why? Plotting extends via the IFCC and the United Nations to thousands of climate scientists, hundreds of nations, and almost every single scientific association or organisation throughout the… Read more »
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Peter M says:
Don’t look now, but Gillard’s party didn’t get elected. What was elected was a government consisting of the ALP and some others of different persuasion. Didn’t you follow that bit? Abbott said Gillard didn’t have a mandate—so how can he turn around and whinge about broken promises? He doesn’t have… Read more »
Big retailers are scared, it was reported this morning, to say what they think about the checkout-counter effects of the Federal Government’s plan to help save the planet with its emissions trading scheme.
The supermarkets are worried they will enrage environmentally-conscious customers if they dare to so much as suggest there might be some unpleasant side-effects to the ETS.
In case you’ve missed it, The Australian reported retailers are worried the cost of groceries will go up, by about 5 per cent, under the Rudd Government’s plan.
Continue reading "Food for thought - will the ETS hit us at the checkout?" »
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James Flinders says:
In December, the New York Times recently ran an article claiming that “carbon will be the world’s biggest commodity market, and it could become the world’s biggest market overall. Currently valued at over $30 billion, the carbon trading market is set to skyrocket to over $1 trillion as the price… Read more »
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watto says:
Who believes big retailers for starters - they are taking us for a ride. (The average overweight Australian eating 5% less would be a good thing and save billions in health?) Noone complained when the GST took 10 billion plus, out of the economy and was used as a middle… Read more »
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@GreenJ how dare you even suggest such a thing. I'd love to blog from their traning session though about what a pack of toffs they are
RT @kellieconnolly: @penbo @antsharwood Not judging Hackett but to set the record straight again I had been asking 9 for a redundancy and left on good terms
Feisty piece by @antsharwood leading http://t.co/5WsLF5Pf on how ch 9 can punt spiteri connolly rowe but not the delightful grant hackett
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