Safeguard paper released for consultation: government to achieve targets

The Australian Government is seeking public feedback on options for the planned Emissions Reduction Fund safeguard mechanism. The safeguard mechanism will ensure that abatement achieved under the Emissions Reduction Fund (ERF) is not offset by rises in emissions elsewhere in the economy. Implementation of the crediting and purchasing components of the ERF are already underway,…

Release of Dredge Synthesis Report

I welcome the release of the Dredge Synthesis Report today by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA) and the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS), and I thank the scientists involved for their work. The Report was compiled by an independent panel of 19 experts with a range of relevant skills, experience and…

Roads to Recovery funding flows in for Bass Coast Shire Council

Bass Coast Shire Council has received $390,000 in the latest round of the Australian Government’s Roads to Recovery Program to assist with local road construction and maintenance. Quarterly payments through the $2.1 billion Roads to Recovery Program allow councils to direct local road funding to where it is needed most. This latest installation of Roads…

Roads to Recovery funding flows in for Cardinia Shire Council

Cardinia Shire Council has received $1.17 million in the latest round of the Australian Government’s Roads to Recovery Program to assist with local road construction and maintenance. Quarterly payments through the $2.1 billion Roads to Recovery Program allow councils to direct local road funding to where it is needed most. This latest installation of Roads…

Australia is on track to meet or beat our emissions targets

Australia’s abatement challenge has shrunk significantly in recent years, as highlighted in figures released by the Department of the Environment today. We will easily meet our commitment to reduce Australia’s emissions by five per cent from 2000 levels by 2020. Under Labor, Australia’s abatement challenge to achieve the five per cent target was forecast to…

Consultation invited on review of the National Carbon Offset Standard

The Australian Government has released a consultation paper on the review of the National Carbon Offset Standard (NCOS) and the Carbon Neutral Program. The NCOS provides companies the opportunity to voluntarily offset their carbon emissions and gain Government approved carbon neutral certification under the Carbon Neutral Program. The NCOS helps businesses to calculate their carbon…

Additional $100 million to protect the Great Barrier Reef

JOINT MEDIA RELEASE WITH HON TONY ABBOTT MP, PRIME MINISTER The Commonwealth Government will commit an additional $100 million in new funding for the Reef Trust to support the implementation of the historic Reef 2050 Long Term Sustainability Plan for the protection and management of the Great Barrier Reef.   Last year, the Coalition delivered…

Long Term Sustainability Plan for Australia’s Iconic Great Barrier Reef

JOINT MEDIA RELEASE WITH HON TONY ABBOTT, PRIME MINISTER, HON ANNASTACIA PALASZCZUK MP, PREMIER OF QUEENSLAND & HON DR STEVEN MILES MP, QUEENSLAND MINISTER FOR THE ENVIRONMENT The Commonwealth and Queensland governments today released the most comprehensive plan ever developed to secure the health and resilience of the Great Barrier Reef for generations to come.…

Death of Malcolm Fraser

I am saddened to hear the news of Malcolm Fraser’s passing. I had the privilege of knowing him both as a former Prime Minister and a local constituent. We worked together on various matters and he was unfailingly decent and gracious in all of our meetings. Malcolm was a man of deep courage, conviction and…

Five distinguished Australians appointed to Australian Heritage Council

The Australian Government today announced the appointment of five eminent Australians to its premier advisory body on heritage – the Australian Heritage Council. The new appointees come from a broad cross section of Australian society including the arts, academia, cultural heritage management and politics. I am delighted to announce the appointment to the Australian Heritage…