Senate Inquiry into Corporate Tax Avoidance continues to sit in 2018

"Exxon’s primary Australian company is directly owned by a shell company in the Netherlands and the Dutch company is owned by another subsidiary in the Bahamas." [Tax Justice Network submission to Senate Economics References Committee Inquiry into Corporate Tax Avoidance]

ExxonMobil Australia Pty Ltd operates under the brands ExxonMobil Australia, Esso and Mobil. It declared no taxable income in 2013-14, 2014-15 and 2015-16 despite having generated a total income during these years of 24.7 billion within this country.  [Based on Australian Taxation Office Report of Entity Tax Information data]

The Senate Economics References Committee Inquiry into Corporate Tax Avoidance commenced on 2 October 2014 and continues to sit until 30 May 2018.

The Inquiry’s 154 submissions to date make for interesting reading and can be accessed here (1 to 127 ) and here (128 to 154).

Australia's greenhouse gas emission abatement record goes far beyond disheartening

In 1990 Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions were calculated at 547.7 million tonnes (Mt), CO₂ -equivalent (CO₂-e). This represented 32.1 tonnes CO₂-e per head of population.

In the following years emissions rose and fell in response to economic and environmental factors, so that in 2005 annual emissions totalled 584.2  Mt CO₂-e or 28.6 tonnes CO₂-e per head of population.

By 2007 these annual emissions had risen to 597.2 Mt CO₂-e. That was 28.3 tonnes CO₂-e  per head of population.  [Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), 4613.0 - Australia's Environment: Issues and Trends, Jan 2010]  

In 2008 total greenhouse gas emissions were still climbing to reach 618.1 Mt CO₂-e.

Total greenhouse gas emissions were still high in 2009 with an annual total of 599.8 Mt CO₂ -e.

At the close of 2010 national emissions had fallen to 543 Mt CO₂–e for the year.

Then by the end of 2011 annual greenhouse gas emissions came to 546.3 Mt CO₂–e.

Annual emissions for the year to December 2012 were estimated to be 551.9 Mt CO2-e

In 2013 annual greenhouse gas emissions were estimated to be 538.4 Mt CO₂–e.

2014 saw annual emissions reach an estimated to be 535.9 Mt CO₂–e.

Come 2015 and annual greenhouse gas emissions totalled 529.2 Mt CO₂-e. This gives an estimated 21.1 tonnes CO₂-e per head of population. [Dept. of the Environment and Energy, Progress of the National Greenhouse Gas Inventory]

However, Australia’s Emissions Projections 2017 report released last December by the Turnbull Government states in part:

“Australia’s emissions have risen in the past three years. A major factor in this growth has been the rapid expansion of the LNG sector.”

“Total emissions in 2030 are projected to be 570 Mt CO₂-e.”

Back in 2015 the Australian Government promised to reduce annual greenhouse gas emissions to 26-28 per cent on 2005 levels by 2030. Based on ABS data that should equate to an estimated annual emissions level of 420.7 Mt CO₂-e to 432.4 Mt CO₂–e in 2030 or between 20.6 to 21.2 tonnes CO₂-e per head of population.

Instead the latest report is indicating that Australia’s emissions are expected to exceed not only the base line 1990 level but also the 2005 annual greenhouse gas emissions level, with per capita emissions remaining static at approximately the 2015 figure.

It appears that policy efforts of the last twenty-seven years have been for nought, because it looks for all the world as though Turnbull & Co have abandoned any pretence they care about genuine, effective emissions reduction.

If the current federal government and industry had to sit a climate change mitigation exam today they would likely receive an F for failure  from the examiners.

UPDATE

National Greenhouse Gas Inventory data for 2016-17 show that Australia's greenhouse gas emissions stood at 550.2 Mt CO₂–e as of September 2017, a 1.3% rise on the 2015-16 annual emissions total. The 2016-17 per capita estimate was 22.5 Mt CO₂–e per person.

A NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTION FOR 2018

I resolve to never vote for a political party, sitting politician or political candidate who creates a Facebook page, posts on any Facebook page, links to a fake news site hosted by Facebook or pays for advertising on Facebook in the lead-up to and/or during an election campaign.

This resolution includes members of all political party executives and associated entities/groups.

Signed

Clarencegirl

*******************Happy New Year 2018********************

2017 is no more

Let us all recall its lessons and make 2018 a year to remember