20 December 2013 - The
Government has today released the Emissions
Reduction Fund Green Paper, setting out
a cost-effective, practical and simple approach
to reduce our national emissions without
a multi-billion dollar carbon tax.
The Emissions Reduction
Fund is the centre piece of the Australian
Government’s Direct Action Plan to cut emissions
to five per cent below 2000 levels by 2020.
This will be achieved while at the same
time protecting jobs and Australia’s international
competiveness.
The Green Paper reflects
the Government’s detailed and widespread
consultation with business and the community,
incorporating views from across the economy,
including mining, manufacturing, transport,
power and agricultural businesses, local
councils and environment groups.
Almost 300 submissions
were received on the Terms of Reference
for the Emissions Reduction Fund and these
have been important in shaping the Government’s
Green Paper.
The Emissions Reduction
Fund will commence on 1 July 2014 to coincide
with the scrapping of the carbon tax.
Through the Emissions
Reduction Fund the Government wants to encourage
low-cost, effective emissions reduction
opportunities – unlike the carbon tax which
is a high-cost, ineffective approach that
does not cut emissions over the long-term.
The sources of low-cost
emissions reductions can come from a wide
range of projects and measures. It might
be projects to clean up power stations or
capture landfill gas. It could be energy
efficiency improvements in commercial buildings
or improvements in agricultural soils.
The Clean Energy Regulator
will issue credits for emissions reductions
that are measured and verified using approved
methods. The Government will purchase the
lowest cost abatement through a reverse
auction, secured by a forward contract.
Businesses can propose
the quantity and price of emissions reductions
they are willing to offer. The Clean Energy
Regulator will rank offers and select the
lowest-cost bids.
The Emissions Reduction
Fund will help drive private sector investment
to achieve emissions reductions.
The important thing
is that emissions reductions are real, measurable
and additional to business as usual. Funding
will not be provided for activities that
are already occurring as part of normal
business practice.
We have listened to
industry and taken care to develop a streamlined
approach to achieving emissions reductions
that will help Australia meet its 2020 emissions
target.
Achieving Australia’s
domestic emissions reduction target through
the Emissions Reduction Fund will cost $300m,
$500m and $1000m over the forward estimates,
with funding out to 2020.
The Government has established
an Expert Reference Group to provide advice
on the design of the Emissions Reduction
Fund. The Group consists of leading industry
and academic experts.
The Government invites
comment on the Green Paper until 21 February
2014. Submissions will inform the development
of a White Paper, to be released shortly
after submissions have been assessed.
+ More
Supporting recreational
fishing while protecting our marine parks
14 December 2013 - The
Coalition Government is delivering a key
election promise by scrapping Labor's plan
to lock out recreational fishers from key
coastal areas around the country. We are
protecting the marine reserves but rejecting
the flawed plans.
The Government has acted
to prevent Labor's flawed marine management
plans from locking out fishers. All Commonwealth
marine reserves and parks will remain, as
will their boundaries but the management
plans will be redeveloped.
The Governor-General
has reproclaimed the new Commonwealth marine
reserves. This invalidates the management
plans signed off by Labor and stops the
exclusion zones that would have come into
effect next July, while keeping the parks
and their boundaries - exactly as we committed.
The Government will
create new management plans to protect the
marine environment, based on science and
in consultation with stakeholders and local
communities.
The Government does
not support locking out large areas of oceans
to prevent fishers from taking out a boat
and casting a line.
"Labor's proposed
changes would have meant it would be against
the law for recreational fishers to cast
a line at some of their favourite fishing
spots across the country," said Minister
Hunt.
"The Coalition
is adopting a balanced approach that will
protect the marine environment while still
ensuring a sustainable seafood resource
and access for recreational anglers,"
said Senator Colbeck.
"Labor's plan was
going to hurt tourism and commercial fishing
operations."
"The Government
remains committed to marine parks and the
external boundaries of the new marine reserves
remain unchanged," said Minister Hunt.
"I have asked my
department to begin work on a Marine Reserves
Review to consider what management arrangements
will best protect marine ecosystems and
accommodate the many industries and recreational
fishers that use our oceans."
The review has two components:
the appointment of an
expert scientific panel to look closely
at the science supporting the current marine
reserves
the establishment of Bioregional Advisory
Panels to facilitate and improve consultation
with stakeholders
The make-up of the panels and their terms
of reference will be announced in early
2014.
Until the new management
plans come into effect, there will be no
"on the water" changes. The 25
reserves that predated last year's extension
of the Commonwealth marine reserve network
will continue to operate under their current
arrangements.
