Combet warns of price gouging on refrigerant gases
16 July, 2012The Minister for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency, Greg Combet, is concerned that prices being circulated by wholesale refrigerant gas suppliers show significant price hikes unrelated to carbon pricing. In many cases, these price rises have been similar in quantum across different wholesalers.
ACCC accepts informal undertaking for alleged misleading carbon price claims
06 July, 2012The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has accepted informal undertakings from Polaris Solar and ACT Renewable Energy for claims regarding the impact of the carbon price on household electricity prices that the ACCC considered were likely to mislead.
Withholding Tax ‘carrot’ for new green buildings welcomed but the ‘stick’ hurts existing green leaders
04 July, 2012The Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) has applauded the Gillard government for its commitment to Australia’s green building future, with the announcement that a smaller increase to the rate of Withholding Tax (WHT) will be applied to new building projects achieving 5 Star or 6 Star Green Star ratings.
Companies breach water-efficiency and labelling laws
28 June, 2012Eight companies from Victoria and Western Australia have agreed to improve their business practices and provide awareness training to staff after failing to comply with national water-efficiency labelling and standards legislation at their business premises.
Price gouging, due to carbon price, could lead to class action litigations
26 June, 2012Businesses that try to price gouge - or improperly inflate prices - following the introduction of the carbon price in July could be opening the door to a new wave of consumer class actions.
Financial services licensing for emissions units
18 June, 2012From 1 July 2012, various types of emissions units will be financial products under the Corporations Act. Financial services in these products will be regulated by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC).
Advisory report tabled on clean energy bills
07 June, 2012The House Economics Committee has recommended that Parliament pass the bills that establish a Clean Energy Finance Corporation, bring gaseous fuels under the carbon pricing mechanism and make other changes to improve the mechanism’s operation.
GEMS legislation introduced into parliament
07 June, 2012The Australian Government has introduced the Greenhouse and Energy Minimum Standards (GEMS) legislation to parliament. The GEMS legislation is an important initiative that implements a 2009 commitment by the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) to introduce national legislation to regulate equipment energy efficiency and to expand energy-efficiency regulation into new product areas.
$5.2 billion saving to households and businesses under new national energy efficiency framework
31 May, 2012The Federal Parliamentary Secretary for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency, Mark Dreyfus, yesterday introduced the Greenhouse and Energy Minimum Standards (GEMS) legislation to Parliament following agreement between the Gillard government, the New Zealand government and states and territories.
Six tips for businesses to prepare for the carbon tax
15 May, 2012Accounting firm RSM Bird Cameron is urging businesses to start preparing now for the introduction of the carbon tax on 1 July 2012.
Budget bails on green buildings but not irrigators
15 May, 2012The Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) speculated last week that the Tax Breaks for Green Buildings program would be scrapped in the 2012-13 Budget and, sure enough, their fears were confirmed. The program was noticeably absent from the Budget announcement, indicating a withdrawal of the funding allocated to the scheme in last year’s Forward Estimates.
Korea legislates for emissions trading by 2015
04 May, 2012The Republic of Korea, the world’s 15th largest economy and one of Australia’s top trading partners, has passed legislation for a national emissions trading scheme (ETS).
Exposure draft of Product Stewardship (Televisions and Computers) Amendment Regulation 2012 released
01 May, 2012An exposure draft of the Product Stewardship (Televisions and Computers) Amendment Regulation 2012 and associated commentary is now available for public comment.
Local government vital for climate change reduction, says energy expert
27 April, 2012A Massey University energy expert says proposed local government reforms would be a step backwards for sustainability.
Comments invited on CFI regulations
11 April, 2012Draft regulations to support the Carbon Farming Initiative (CFI) were released for consultation yesterday by the government.
