Australians should be offended by the cheap politics being played by Labor on the protection of the Great Barrier Reef. It was the previous Labor Governments at a Federal and State level which were touting the development of mega ports along the reef. It was under Labor in 2011 that the World Heritage Committee first…
Australia is proud to have co-hosted such a successful IUCN World Parks Congress and equally proud of our own commitments in its major outcome – the Promise of Sydney. Our promises range from banning capital dredge disposal in the Great Barrier Reef and a historic agreement with China to ban mining in Antarctica, to new…
I am pleased that we are able to provide greater assistance to local councils though the Government’s Financial Assistance Grant programme. Residents across the Mornington Peninsula, Bass Coast, Cardinia and Casey councils will benefit from the $9.65 million in Financial Assistance Grants for the Flinders electorate. Councils will be able to spend this untied grant…
The Reef 2050 Partnership Group has met at the World Parks Congress in Sydney as part of the Government’s ongoing commitment to work with industry, community and conservation groups on protecting the iconic Great Barrier Reef I was pleased to chair this latest meeting with Queensland Environment Minister Andrew Powell and to extend a…
JOINT MEDIA RELEASE WITH HON TONY ABBOTT MP, PRIME MINISTER Australia and China have reaffirmed a long tradition of collaboration in Antarctic diplomacy, science, logistics and operations during a visit from Chinese President Xi Jinping. Prime Minister Abbott and President Xi witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding in Hobart today, which recognises the…
The Australian Government is committing an extra $2 million to boost the recovery of threatened species in its national park estate. Speaking at the World Parks Congress in Sydney, Federal Environment Minister Greg Hunt and Threatened Species Commissioner Gregory Andrews said the funding meant 10 innovative projects targeting key species, habitat and threats across the…
Today I am pleased to announce the membership of the newly reconstituted Indigenous Advisory Committee. This committee is an important advisory group that will provide both myself and my Department with sound and ongoing advice on cultural and natural resource management under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act). When it comes…
Last night Bill Shorten again confirmed Labor wants to push up electricity prices for Australian families and businesses with a carbon tax. “Labor is committed to an Emissions Trading Scheme” “In 2014, the world’s emissions trading schemes have a collective value of more than $30 billion.” Australia accounts for less than two per cent of…
The Australian Government is investing $100,000 to help build and develop the capacity of our rangers across the Asia Pacific and Oceania regions. The funding will help build new training courses in our universities to help rangers build their skills in finance, administration and modern technologies. Our rangers, whether they work in national parks, Indigenous…
The Australian Government has released four additional draft Emissions Reduction Fund methods for public consultation – for household energy efficiency, industrial energy efficiency, soil carbon and improving the efficiency of fertiliser use in irrigated cotton. The draft household energy efficiency method covers projects that improve energy efficiency for households and small businesses. Project proponents, such…