Are we planning away Victoria’s renewable energy future?
30 August, 2012Australia’s clean energy goals could be thwarted by recent amendments to the Victorian Planning Framework in 2011 for wind farm developments, a study by the University of Melbourne Law School has found.
Australia and European Commission agree on pathway towards fully linking emissions trading systems
29 August, 2012The Australian Minister for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency, the Hon Greg Combet MP, and the European Commissioner for Climate Action, Connie Hedegaard, announced yesterday that Australia and Europe will be linking their emissions trading systems.
Queensland Government rejects drink container tax
23 August, 2012Queensland Government Environment Minister Andrew Powell has announced that the state has rejected the proposed national drink container deposit tax.
Solaris Paper welcomes Asia Pulp & Paper’s latest SVLK certification
07 August, 2012Australian tissue and paper supplier Solaris Paper and Paper Force has welcomed the latest announcement by its affiliate, Asia Pulp and Paper (APP), of a 4th SVLK certification. It has been awarded to APP’s PT Indah Kiat Pulp and Paper Mill in Serang, Java.
Review of Renewable Energy Target a threat to investment and jobs
27 July, 2012Major investment and jobs are at risk if the federal government changes the 20% Renewable Energy Target, the head of one of Australia’s largest companies told the audience at Clean Energy Week on Wednesday.
Property trusts capitalise on new finance for building retrofits
17 July, 2012A change in Victorian legislation will allow property trusts to gain access to finance for environmental upgrades, significantly increasing opportunities to retrofit buildings in Melbourne’s city centre.
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.
