Concessions to automakers in the long-awaited new vehicle efficiency standard underscore mounting concerns about Labor’s willingness to defer to industry on climate policy.
ANALYSIS: The duty of care bill currently before the Senate gives this government a chance to put the interests of young people before those of the fossil fuel industry.
As Treasurer Jim Chalmers promises reforms to ‘streamline’ the approvals process in a bid to ‘cut red tape’, environment activists and Indigenous groups are alarmed by a bill that would change the regulatory regime for major gas projects.
Colleagues describe Ted O’Brien as nice and benign. He is also the architect of the Coalition’s controversial plan to build large nuclear reactors across the country – arguably to slow transition from coal.
Changes to Australian laws after pressure from foreign and domestic fossil fuel giants highlight the success of lobbying by the industry’s biggest players.
Hidden in legislation is a plan to give Resources Minister Madeleine King power to approve gas projects – taking the oversight away from Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek.
The handling of an unfair dismissal case has again exposed concern about the running of the Bureau of Meteorology, which continues to fail its international obligations and miss other targets.
The teals’ gains were the Liberals’ losses in the last election – for the next one, the movement behind these successful independent campaigns is targeting vulnerable Nationals seats.
The federal government is calling its New Vehicle Efficiency Standard proposal a ‘win, win, win’ deal – for consumers, the cost of living and the climate.
