The Australian Government is today pleased to announce the appointment of two new members to the Independent Expert Scientific Committee on Coal Seam Gas and Large Coal Mining Development (IESC). The IESC provides vital independent, expert scientific advice to all levels of government and the community on the potential impacts of coal seam gas and…
The Australian Government is providing $4.86m for five organisations to work with landholders to address the vast issue of gully erosion in the Great Barrier Reef catchments. These gullies are located in some of the highest risk areas of sediment erosion for the Great Barrier Reef. Under the Reef Trust Gully Erosion Control Programme, five…
On World Wildlife Day, the Australian Government is proud to announce that funding for projects to protect our threatened species has now topped $190 million. “We are honouring our commitment to the world’s wildlife with a large and growing investment to conserve Australia’s native animals and plants, as well as strict requirements to protect listed…
This Sunday marks the 26th Clean Up Australia Day where individuals, families and volunteer groups come together to tackle waste and litter in our local communities. Protecting the natural environment, particularly our waterways and marine environment, is an important priority for the Australian Government. In the same way that communities come together every year for…
Dr Rob Vertessy has today announced that he will retire as Director of the Bureau of Meteorology on 29 April 2016. Dr Vertessy has been an outstanding Director of the Bureau – one of the most respected and valuable public institutions in Australia. Dr Vertessy has enjoyed a long and distinguished public service career in…
The Australian Government will commit an immediate $60,000 to kick-start urgent research into the best way to reduce plastic pollution in our oceans, reefs and waterways. The funding, under the National Environmental Science Programme’s (NESP) emerging priorities stream, will investigate the major sources of marine plastic waste around Australia and determine the most cost-effective options…
The Australian Government is taking further steps to tackle the detrimental impact of plastics on our environment. Last December, Commonwealth, state and territory Environment Ministers announced plans to achieve a voluntary phase out of microbeads by no later than July 2018. “Today I am pleased to announce that the Federal Government is taking a stronger…
E&OE…. Topics: Ministerial Roundtable, plastic shopping bags, microbeads, election timing TOM ELLIOTT: Mr Hunt, good afternoon. GREG HUNT: And good afternoon Tom. TOM ELLIOTT: Okay, so you've just been talking to your state counterparts about this very issue. Have you banned plastic bags? GREG HUNT: No. What has happened… TOM ELLIOTT: Are you about to…
E&OE…. Topics: Ministerial Roundtable, plastic shopping bags, microbeads GREG HUNT: Let me start in welcoming everybody here, by thanking Nadia – she talked about Cam Kerr as one of the big bosses, and I always agree with that – but she talked about the custodianship of Indigenous leaders for land and country, and being out…
On behalf of the Australian Government I would like to thank all those involved in the successful operation to refloat the Aurora Australis late last night (Friday, Hobart time). This has been an exceptionally difficult operation in a dangerous and hostile environment. After breaking mooring lines during a blizzard on Wednesday, I am pleased to…