Media release
09 February 2010
In Question Time today the Member for Moncrieff,
Steven Ciobo, further demonstrated that
the Opposition is more interested in fear
than facts when it comes to tackling climate
change.
Mr Ciobo confused the
wholesale electricity price - which reflects
the cost of generating electricity - with
the retail price paid for electricity by
households and other small consumers such
as small to medium enterprises and community
organisations.
To quote the wholesale
price is misleading and shows a complete
lack of understanding of how electricity
prices work.
Further to this, community
groups like the Nottinghill Pinewood Tennis
Club will be eligible for support from the
Government’s $1.97 billion Climate Change
Action Fund.
The Government is providing
up to $200 million in 2009/10 through the
Climate Change Action Fund to help industries,
small businesses, community groups, workers
and communities prepare for the introduction
of the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme.
These early action activities
include:
Up to $20m for a business
information package;
Up to $100m on energy efficiency strategies,
including energy audits, investment and
information programs;
Up to $80m on capital investment grants
for businesses and community organisations.
Mr Abbott’s climate con job contains no
such plan to assist community groups.
Mr Abbott thinks climate
change is ‘absolute crap’ and his climate
con job reflects that view.
Mr Abbott’s climate
con job costs more, does less and is unfunded.
+ More
Visit to Yanga National
Park reveals birds breeding in wake of watering
Media release
Joint media release with NSW Minister for
Climate Change and the Environment Frank
Sartor
10 February 2010
A recent survey of Yanga National Park wetlands
in southern NSW has found that more than
400 waterbirds, including internationally
protected Great Egrets, are breeding successfully
as a direct result of environmental watering
by the Australian and NSW governments.
Commonwealth Minister
for Climate Change and Water, Senator Penny
Wong, and NSW Minister for Climate Change
and the Environment, Frank Sartor, today
said the bird breeding was particularly
significant given the continuing, record
drought across the southern Murray Darling
Basin.
Working together, the
Australian and NSW governments have provided
almost 37 billion litres of water to Lower
Murrumbidgee wetlands over the past 18 months.
That’s the equivalent of nearly 20,000 Olympic
swimming pools.
This includes 2 billion
litres of Commonwealth water delivered to
the wetlands in December to ensure the successful
fledging of all chicks.
“Water purchased by
the Australian Government is being returned
to the Basin’s rivers, and benefits important
environmental assets such as Yanga National
Park,” Senator Wong said.
“This environmental
water has provided welcome relief to the
Park’s River Red Gums and has also resulted
in successful breeding of the endangered
Southern Bell Frog.
Mr Sartor said today’s
visit of Yanga National Park, follows on
from his inspection of Riverina Red Gums
in January.
“In January I visited
the Riverina Red Gum forests to listen to
the local community and look at the health
of the trees in the face of the drought.
“I’m advised that since
purchasing Yanga the NSW Government has
managed 14 environmental watering events,
delivering more than 100 billion litres
of environmental water to the wetlands.
“Today’s visit highlights
the renewed health of the forests and the
waterbirds who rely on this habitat,” Mr
Sartor said.
Waterbirds, primarily
Great Egrets and Little Black and Pied Cormorants,
started nesting in Yanga National Park just
before Christmas and most now have young
chicks in the nest.
Great Egrets are protected
by migratory bird treaties between Australia
and both Japan and China.
“The Australian and
NSW governments are investing $1.6 million
to improve water management at Yanga National
Park through the Rivers Environmental Restoration
Program which aims to arrest the decline
of wetlands,” Mr Sartor said.
“Infrastructure works
on Yanga involve upgrading and constructing
10 flow regulators within the park to enable
more effective water management and delivery
to key wetland areas.”
The NSW Government’s
State Plan includes meeting 14 targets set
by the Natural Resources Commission to improve
biodiversity, water, land and community
capacity. This will improve the condition
of key wetlands and ensure maintenance to
2015.
View video footage of
the watered sites at Yanga National Park.
