6 November 2008
- The Australian Government is providing $161,000 to the
Australian Building Codes Board to help ensure building
codes take potential future effects of climate change
into account.
Minister for Climate Change and Water,
Senator Penny Wong, announced the funding today at the
launch of an Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering
(ATSE) study: Assessment of Impacts of Climate Change
on Australia's Physical Infrastructure.
The Australian Building Codes Board
develops and implements national standards for new buildings
relating to health, safety, amenity and sustainability.
The funding will be used to outline
the major risks from climate change on Australia's building
stock, to investigate where nationally consistent or state-specific
responses are required, and to identify areas for further
research.
"The Rudd Government's strategy
for tackling climate change has three pillars: reducing
carbon pollution, helping find a global solution, and
adapting to the unavoidable effects of climate change,"
Senator Wong said.
"This funding will help include
more robust measures in building codes to better ensure
our homes, workplaces and public buildings are designed
to withstand the effects of climate change.
"With more extreme weather events
resulting from climate change, the potential impact on
our buildings is a significant concern.
"Many buildings erected today will
still be in use in 40 to 60 years. So it's important to
consider the likely effect of climate changes expected
over this period on buildings being constructed now."
Senator Wong said the ATSE study released
today underlined the need to be prepared for the effect
of climate change on Australia's buildings. The study
showed:
Significant challenges are expected
to arise from the effects of climate change for the security
and operation of some physical infrastructure.
There are major potential impacts on infrastructure from
combinations of climatic events, for example sea level
rise, storm surge and extreme rainfall, particularly in
low-lying coastal areas.
There is a lack of information covering extreme events
and many professionals lack the skills and expertise to
assess the impacts of climate change on infrastructure.
+ More
$1.2 million for renewable energy in
Cape Barren
6 November 2008 - An Indigenous community
on remote Cape Barren Island will soon be able to use
the sun and Bass Strait wind to generate much of its electricity.
Ministers for Families, Housing, Community
Services and Indigenous Affairs, Jenny Macklin, and Environment,
Heritage and the Arts, Peter Garrett, today announced
the funding to benefit the 30 residences on the Island
which is around 50 kilometres from the north-east tip
of the Tasmanian mainland.
The $1.26 million in funding will help
install two 20 kilowatt wind turbines and three kilowatts
of solar panels to generate electricity on the island.
Ms Macklin said providing reliable,
24-hour power in remote areas was an important step towards
closing the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous
Australians.
"This funding will ensure the community
has reliable power which is essential for the health of
the entire community," Ms Macklin said.
"As well as delivering a significant
environmental benefit, this project will greatly assist
the Cape Barren community," Mr Garrett said.
"The solar panels and wind turbines
will generate around 76 megawatt hours of electricity
each year, saving more than 34,000 litres of diesel –
not to mention the pollution reductions this will help
bring about.
"A new efficient diesel generator
will be installed as a back-up for the renewable energy
supply, and sophisticated equipment will allow a seamless
switch from one energy source to the other when needed."
The project is funded by the Renewable
Remote Power Generation Program in the Department of the
Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts and the Department
of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous
Affairs.
+ More
$440,000 to preserve our nation's historic
shipwreck sites
06 November 2008 - Minister for the
Environment, Heritage and the Arts, Peter Garrett today
announced $440,000 in funding from the Australian Government's
Historic Shipwrecks Program to protect the nation's underwater
cultural heritage.
The Minister made the announcement on
a visit to the Queen Victoria Museum in Launceston, Tasmania,
where three of the 29 funded projects will be carried
out.
"The Historic Shipwrecks Program
provides valuable financial assistance to state and territory
agencies who manage, protect, identify and raise awareness
of historic shipwrecks on behalf of the Commonwealth,"
Mr Garrett said.
"Shipwrecks are virtual underwater
libraries of information from our past, and the secrets
and insights our shipwrecks hold tell a story about our
nation, revealing information about the people that traveled
to our shores and the times in which they lived.
"With a vast maritime heritage,
it is vital that we act to preserve Australia's historic
shipwrecks and their artefacts for future generations.
"Through this year's funding experts
here in Tasmania will visit new sites and re-inspect known
wreck sites, as well as continue detailed recording of
relics held in state museums so the information can go
into the Australian National Shipwrecks Database."
Other projects to be undertaken by state
and territory agencies include:
Western Australia- conservation of shipwrecks
artefacts including specialist analytical techniques to
identify and develop appropriate treatment strategies
to better preserve them, provision of information to the
public on the archaeological information from the recent
finding of the HMAS Sydney and HSK Kormoran.
Queensland- developing local shipwreck
trails in Southeast Queensland in collaboration with cultural
tourism operators and community organisations. Undertaking
shipwreck survey and database development aimed at improving
the state's historic shipwreck information.
New South Wales- continued archaeological
documentation of Japanese midget submarine M24 including
side scan survey, video recording and still photography,
these products will be able to be used in a new online
exhibition.
Victoria- of the 15 known shipwrecks
in Apollo Bay only three have been found. A project will
work with local community groups to find 12 lost shipwrecks
through oral history and remote sensing searches.
South Australia- locating and protecting
three whaling shipwrecks and their associated survivor
camps and improving public knowledge of this aspect of
maritime heritage.
Northern Territory- administration of
the Historic Shipwrecks Act to assist in site inspections,
undertaking wreck and artefact reports, enforcement of
the Act and responding to public enquiries.
Norfolk Island- development of the HMS
Sirius website to enhance public knowledge and awareness
of the shipwreck of our 1788 first fleet flagship.
Mr Garrett said each wreck was a precious
record of our past, serving as a marker of some of the
most significant events of our time.
"One example of significant national
interest is this year's discovery off the Western Australian
coast of the HMAS Sydney II and the HSK Kormoran. HMAS
Sydney II sank after a fierce battle with the HSK Kormoran
on 19 November 1941. This site, along with thousands of
others, is now protected under the Historic Shipwrecks
Act 1976 to ensure they remain for future generations
to understand and enjoy," Mr Garrett said.
For more information about the program and funded projects
visit http://www.environment.gov.au/heritage/shipwrecks/program/index.html
