Joint
media release - 9 February 2009 - Minister
for Climate Change and Water, Senator Penny
Wong, and Minister for Foreign Affairs,
Stephen Smith, today announced that Ms Louise
Hand has been appointed to be Australia’s
Ambassador for Climate Change.
The Ambassador for Climate
Change is the lead Australian negotiator
within the United Nations Framework Convention
on Climate Change and the head of the International
Division of the Department of Climate Change.
Ms Hand will commence
her appointment later this month. Outgoing
Ambassador for Climate Change, Jan Adams,
will return to the Department of Foreign
Affairs and Trade (DFAT) to handle crucial
trade negotiations.
Most recently Minister
and Deputy Chief of Mission at the Australian
Embassy in Jakarta, Ms Hand has previously
served in senior positions in DFAT in Canberra
and overseas, including as Australian Ambassador
to Cambodia.
“I am pleased that we
have someone of Ms Hand’s ability and experience
joining us in this important role,” Senator
Wong said.
“I look forward to working
with Ms Hand as we help shape a global agreement
to tackle climate change and reduce emissions.”
Ms Hand’s contribution was recognised in
the most recent Australia Day Honours list
with a Public Service Medal for her outstanding
public service.
Senator Wong and Minister
Smith also paid tribute to Ms Adams’s significant
contribution as Ambassador for Climate Change.
“A key priority in the
Rudd Government’s plan to tackle climate
change is helping to shape a global solution,
and Ms Adams has played an important role
in efforts so far,” Senator Wong said.
“Jan Adams has been
an outstanding Ambassador for Climate Change.
“On a personal note,
I would like to thank Ms Adams for her support
in these challenging international negotiations.”
Minister Smith welcomed
Ms Adams’s return to DFAT.
“She is highly regarded
amongst her international counterparts for
her professionalism, integrity, knowledge
and great skill,” Minister Smith said.
+ More
New Murray-Darling water
market and termination fee rules
Media release - 11 February
2009 - Minister for Climate Change and Water,
Senator Penny Wong, today announced her
decision to adopt the water market rules
and rules for termination fees recommended
by the Australian Competition and Consumer
Commission (ACCC).
“I have carefully considered
the advice provided to me by the ACCC on
the water market rules and rules for termination
fees in the Murray-Darling Basin,” Senator
Wong said.
“In developing its advice,
the ACCC has undertaken extensive consultations,
and has adapted its proposed approach in
response to stakeholder submissions.”
The rules are broadly
consistent with the draft rules released
by the ACCC in October 2008.
“The rules will promote
fairer and more efficient water trade in
the Murray-Darling Basin. This will benefit
irrigators by giving them greater flexibility
to manage their business risks, particularly
during drought.
“It will also help increase
overall income, production and employment
as water trades to more productive enterprises.
“The introduction of
these rules brings into effect key COAG
water market reforms that were agreed in
July last year.”
The water market rules
give irrigators the right to request irrigation
infrastructure operators transform their
water shares into individual, tradeable
entitlements. This arrangement will ensure
that irrigators in regulated systems cannot
be unfairly prevented from trading water
entitlements out of their irrigation districts.
The termination fee
rules permit irrigation infrastructure operators
to levy termination fees when irrigators
opt to terminate their access to the operator's
irrigation network. The rules cap the termination
fee at 10 times the annual infrastructure
access charge.
Both sets of rules contain
transitional periods to allow businesses
time to adjust to the new requirements.
Under the Water Act
2007 and Water Regulations 2008, the Minister
is required to obtain and have regard to
advice from the ACCC on water market rules
and water charge rules (which include termination
fee rules).
Further information
regarding the water market rules and termination
fee rules including both sets of rules,
a summary of the rules, and the ACCC's advice
can be found at www.environment.gov.au.
