Opposition Leader & Liberal MP for Dickson, Peter 'The Dickson Spuddler' Dutton, informed his nuclear policy is a disaster and that "this is more of the same from the party who already gave us a decade of denial and delay on climate”

 

Dutton's nuclear policy a disaster for Australia

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Climate Council

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8 JUNE, 2024

Responding to reports today that Opposition Leader Peter Dutton would rip up Australia's 2030 climate targets if elected, Climate Council CEO Amanda McKenzie said:

“Dutton’s climate policy is a disaster, and the consequence for Australians would be more extreme heat, fires and floods. Instead of ripping up Australia’s 2030 climate targets, Peter Dutton must listen to the communities already ravaged by worsening climate disasters.

“There are 195 countries signed up to the Paris Agreement. Opting out would make Australia a global laughing stock.

“The Liberals haven't learned the lesson Australians gave them at the last election: this is more of the same from the party who already gave us a decade of denial and delay on climate.”

Head of Policy and Advocacy Dr Jennifer Rayner said: “Peter Dutton is now promising Australians more climate pollution and a more dangerous future for our kids.

“This is the make-or-break decade to slash climate pollution by accelerating Australia's move to clean energy. This is what it takes to keep our kids safe from escalating climate change and set Australia up for our next era of prosperity.

“Australia is already making great progress, with 40 percent of the power in our main national grid coming from clean energy, and one in three households having solar on their roof. Doing a massive u-turn on this momentum makes no sense when we can accelerate it instead.”

ENDS

The Climate Council is Australia’s leading community-funded climate change communications organisation. We provide authoritative, expert and evidence-based advice on climate change to journalists, policymakers, and the wider Australian community.

For further information, go to: climatecouncil.org.au

Or follow us on social media:

facebook.com/climatecouncil and

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Opposition Leader & Liberal MP for Dickson, Peter 'The Dickson Spuddler' Dutton, told “The Coalition needs to show us a real plan for getting on with replacing polluting coal and gas with urgency"

 

Nuclear reactors a disaster for climate: Climate pollution would blow out by more than two billion tonnes

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Solutions for Climate Australia

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9 June 2024

New analysis has found the impact on climate change of attempting to adopt nuclear reactors in Australia would be the equivalent of emitting double the 2022 annual emissions of the resource state of Oman, every year for the next 25 years.

That equates to an additional 2.3 billion tonnes of climate emissions between now and 2050 when compared to the Australian Energy Market Operator’s Integrated System Plan ‘Step Change Scenario’ that models the most likely energy transformation scenario under current policy settings.

The federal Coalition has not released the full details of their nuclear reactors plan. This analysis by Solutions for Climate Australia is based on public statements from Coalition leaders, Peter Dutton, Ted O’Brien and David Littleproud, including: a halt to utility-scale renewable energy projects; continuing to roll out rooftop solar; and using gas-fired electricity to cover the gap between coal closing and the proposal for nuclear reactors to come online.

“This analysis demonstrates that nuclear reactors in Australia would contribute to worse climate outcomes. Nuclear is a worrying distraction from getting on with the urgent job at hand: replacing polluting coal and gas with the sun and wind technology we have right now,” said Elly Baxter, Senior Campaigner at Solutions for Climate Australia.

“Reducing emissions this decade is critical to tackling climate change, but this analysis shows that instead Dutton is presenting us with a nuclear fantasy that would add more than two billion tonnes of carbon emissions.

“The Coalition needs to show us a real plan for getting on with replacing polluting coal and gas with urgency.

“At the 2022 Federal Election, Australians voted overwhelmingly for more action on climate change. The Federal Coalition lost government in large part because they presented very poor climate policy. What they have proposed with nuclear reactors is doubling down on this mistake, taking a policy to the next election that would not reduce carbon emissions in the current, critical decade,” said Baxter.

ENDS

ACCESS THE FULL REPORT HERE

Opposition Leader & Liberal MP for Dickson, Peter 'The Dickson Spuddler' Dutton - less a slow strip tease of election campaign policies more a full frontal flash

 

Google News, snapshot 09.06.24

ABC News, 8 June 2024:

The federal Coalition has confirmed it will dump Australia's commitment to reduce emissions by 43 per cent by 2030, arguing it is unachievable.

Australia has committed under the Paris Agreement to cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 43 per cent on 2005 levels by the end of the decade.

Abandoning the target would also mean withdrawing from the Paris Agreement.

The Sydney Morning Herald, 8 June 2024:

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has signalled he will scrap the nation’s legally binding 2030 climate target and risk Australia’s membership of the Paris Agreement on climate change, following his vow to deploy nuclear energy to reach net zero by 2050.

Dutton declared on Saturday that a Coalition government would not pursue Australia’s legally binding climate target to cut emissions by 43 per cent from 2005 levels by 2030 – a significant escalation of Australia’s long-running climate policy war ahead of the next federal election due by May next year.

Dutton told The Australian on Saturday that the government’s renewable goal was unattainable and “there’s no sense in signing up to targets you don’t have any prospect of achieving”.

The opposition has said if it forms government it would build up to seven emissions-free nuclear power plants to replace the energy supply from Australia’s dirty coal plants, which have begun to shut down across the country. He would also pause the rollout of wind and solar farms.

The CSIRO found Australia could not build a nuclear plant until 2040 and Dutton has said the Coalition would boost the role of gas power to fill gaps in the energy grid until his reactors are built....

The Guardian, 8 June 2024:

Opposition leader reportedly told News Corp he would oppose the legislated 2030 emissions target – a 43% cut compared with 2005 levels – at the next election....

Dutton also reportedly conceded that the Coalition’s commitment to introduce nuclear power in Australia would not lead to plants being built before 2040, a point made by experts, and critics who have accused the opposition of planning to delay action to address the climate crisis.

Yesterday's very public move against science and commonsense by Opposition Leader & Liberal MP for Dickson, Peter 'The Dickson Spuddler' Dutton may or may not be news to the Climate Change Authority in the nation's capital Canberra.

I suspect that the intention of this move is to excite his flying monkeys into 'bombing' yet another independent authority in the hope of modifying its published opinion.

The Australian Government's Climate Change Authority is "an independent statutory body established under the Climate Change Authority Act 2011 to provide expert advice to the Australian Government on climate change policy." It has a Chair, along with seven members, an ex-officio member, a four member secretariat headed by a CEO and, a published Charter. The Authority meets at least every six weeks from February to December, with its latest meeting held on 14 May 2024.

This is a brief look at the Authority's views.....

2035 Emissions Reduction Targets, updated 15 May 2024, excerpts:

The Climate Change Authority is developing advice on the 2035 emissions reduction targets for Australia’s next Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), as requested by the Minister for Climate Change and Energy.....

Australia is due to submit its next NDC under the Paris Agreement in 2025. Under the Climate Change Act 2022 the Australian Government must receive the authority’s advice before submitting Australia’s next emissions reduction targets. We expect to submit our 2035 targets advice to the Minister for Climate Change and Energy in the fourth quarter of 2024....

The authority will provide advice on the 2035 greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets it considers should be included in Australia’s next NDC. We will also advise on the social, employment and economic benefits of the targets and associated policies it recommends and the physical impacts of climate change on Australia, including for rural and regional Australia.

In accordance with the Climate Change Act 2022, our advice will include an explanation of how the targets have taken into account matters set out in Article 2 of the Paris Agreement, including the global temperature goals of well below 2°C and pursuing efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.

The authority’s work is always guided by the principle set out in the Climate Change Authority Act 2011 that any measures to respond to climate change should be, among other considerations, economically efficient, environmentally effective, equitable, in the public interest and consistent with Australia’s foreign policy interests and commitments."

We consider scientific evidence to understand and advise how the global temperature goals and broader principles of the Paris Agreement should guide Australia’s domestic emissions reduction efforts.

In preparing its advice, the authority will consider the challenges and opportunities the net zero transition presents for the Australian economy, and broader contributions Australia can make to the global effort. This includes looking at how Australia can support other countries reduce their emissions and build resilience to climate change impacts, through the goods and services we export, and by building on our history of contributing to capacity building through knowledge-sharing, technology transfer and climate finance in the region.

2024 Issues Paper: Targets, Pathways and Progress, 11 April 2024, excerpt:

The evidence the authority has considered so far suggests a 2035 target in the range of 65-75% below 2005 levels would be ambitious, and could be achievable and sustainable if additional action is taken by governments, business, investors and households to achieve it. However, attempting to go much faster could risk significant levels of economic and social disruption and put progress at risk.

Tweet of the Week

Georgia Clooney owning MAGA for your pleasure

pic.twitter.com/eXjbTOBWin

— Morgan J. Freeman (@mjfree) June 3, 2024

Quote of the Week

"Plans for Your Good flows with all the plausible, coherent, rhythmic religiosity of a psalm recited by the Swedish Chef. At best, it is unoriginal, inconsequential, cyclical, paternalistic evangelism. At worst, it is a dubious attempt at indoctrination. But neither Christian values nor the practise of faith more broadly are the problem. It’s Morrison’s willingness to use them as tools of manipulation, distraction and evasion. In the Gospel According to Scott, he is always the hero, never the villain. His superpower is amnesia."

[2021 Australian of the Year, author, activist, advocate & Director of the Grace Tame Foundation, Grace Tame, reviewing Scott Morrison's 'memoir' "Plans For Your Good: A Prime Minister's Testimony of God's Faithfulness" in The Monthly, June 2024]

NATIONAL ANTI-CORRUPTION COMMISSION STATE OF PLAY June 2024: When a opaque national anti-corruption body is structured with a deliberate lack of transparency then this type of scenario is almost guaranteed to play out

 

The National Anti-Corruption Commission (Consequential and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2022 passed both houses of the Australian Parliament on 30 November 2023 after the government accepted 38 amendments - 36 originating in the House of Representatives and 2 in the Senate.

So on 12 December 2022 the NATIONAL ANTI-CORRUPTION COMMISSION ACT 2022 received the Governor-General's assent and the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) was born.

The NACC is apparently overseen by the Parliamentary Joint Committee on the National Anti-Corruption Commission (PJC-NACC) (current membership composition 6 ALP, 4 Coalition, 1 Greens & 1 Independent) and an Inspector of the National Anti-Corruption Commission (the Inspector).

Its jurisdiction limited to the federal public service, its day-to-day activities opaque and lacking any real transparency, it blithely produces meaningless stripped statistics such as this excerpt from a Media Alert concerning NACC Referral and assessment from 1 July 2023 to 2 June 2024:

"At the end of the reporting period, the Commission had:

• received 3023 referrals

• excluded 2350 referrals at the triage stage because they did not involve a Commonwealth public official or did not raise a corruption issue

• 139 referrals awaiting triage

• 257 triaged referrals under assessment including 22 under preliminary investigation

• assessed 260 referrals, in respect of which the Commission:

* decided to take no further action in 247 cases. Typically, this is because the referral does not raise a corruption issue, or there are insufficient prospects of finding corrupt conduct, or the matter is already being adequately investigated by another agency, or a corruption investigation would not add value in the public interest. [my yellow highlighting]

* referred 9 corruption issues to agencies for investigation or consideration.

* decided to investigate 19 corruption issues itself.

* decided to investigate 6 corruption issues jointly with another agency.

So it should come as no surprise that the NACC produced this on its News and Media webpage on Thursday, 6 June 2024:

NationalAnti-Corruption Commission decides not to pursue Robodebt RoyalCommission referrals but focus on ensuring lessons learnt

Media Releases

Published:

6 Jun 2024

On 6 July 2023, the National Anti-Corruption Commission (Commission) received referrals concerning six public officials from the Royal Commission into the Robodebt Scheme (Robodebt Royal Commission) pursuant to section 6P(2B) of the Royal Commissions Act 1902 (Cth).

The Commission has carefully considered each referral and reviewed the extensive material provided by the Robodebt Royal Commission, including its final report, and the Confidential Chapter.

The Commission has become aware that five of the six public officials were also the subject of referrals to the Australian Public Service Commission (APSC).

The Commission is conscious of the impact of the Robodebt Scheme on individuals and the public, the seniority of the officials involved, and the need to ensure that any corruption issue is fully investigated.

However, the conduct of the six public officials in connection with the Robodebt Scheme has already been fully explored by the Robodebt Royal Commission and extensively discussed in its final report. After close consideration of the evidence that was available to the Royal Commission, the Commission has concluded that it is unlikely it would obtain significant new evidence.

In the absence of a real likelihood of a further investigation producing significant new evidence, it is undesirable for a number of reasons to conduct multiple investigations into the same matter. This includes the risk of inconsistent outcomes, and the oppression involved in subjecting individuals to repeated investigations.

In deciding whether to commence a corruption investigation, the Commission takes into account a range of factors. A significant consideration is whether a corruption investigation would add value in the public interest, and that is particularly relevant where there are or have been other investigations into the same matter. There is not value in duplicating work that has been or is being done by others, in this case with the investigatory powers of the Royal Commission, and the remedial powers of the APSC.

Beyond considering whether the conduct in question amounted to corrupt conduct within the meaning of the Act and, if satisfied, making such a finding, the Commission cannot grant a remedy or impose a sanction (as the APSC can). Nor could it make any recommendation that could not have been made by the Robodebt Royal Commission. An investigation by the Commission would not provide any individual remedy or redress for the recipients of government payments or their families who suffered due to the Robodebt Scheme.

The Commission has therefore decided not to commence a corruption investigation as it would not add value in the public interest. However, the Commission considers that the outcomes of the Robodebt Royal Commission contain lessons of great importance for enhancing integrity in the Commonwealth public sector and the accountability of public officials. The Commission will continue through its investigation, inquiry, and corruption prevention and education functions, to address the integrity issues raised in the final report, particularly in relation to ethical decision making, to ensure that those lessons are learnt, and to hold public officials to account.

In order to avoid any possible perception of a conflict of interest, the Commissioner delegated the decision in this matter to a Deputy Commissioner. [my yellow highlighting]

The Commission will not be making further comment.

For the record the current NACC deputy commissioners appear to be Ms Nicole Rose PSM, Dr Ben Gauntlett and Ms Kylie Kilgour. So it was with one of these individuals that NACC Commissioner Hon Paul Brereton AM RFD SC decided to play 'pass the parcel.

Pundits have already coined a term to cover the public reaction to National Anti-Corruption Commission decisions - Being NACCered.

The reaction of one of a handful of reputable journalists who followed the Royal Commission into the Robodebt Scheme proceedings:

Basically, the royal commission did such a good job that even though it referred matters to us we’ve decided not to look into it any further because we can’t provide any remedies or sanctions. Are you kidding me. pic.twitter.com/0mUah3geJs

— Rick Morton (@SquigglyRick) June 6, 2024

Serco Australia Pty Limited & the Community and Public Sector Union (NSW)

 

Serco Australia Pty Limited operates the Clarence Correctional Centre, a maximum- and minimum-security correctional centre for male and female offenders accommodating up to 1,700 inmates.

This correctional centre opened in July 2020 with Serco Australia having a 20 year management contract. This contract was initially worth UK £1.5 billion or AUD $2.6 billion to the Serco Group.

The company is a subsidiary within UK-based Serco Group plc, a group whose revenue grew by 7% to £4.9 billion in 2023.

The SERCO Clarence Correctional Case Officers Enterprise Agreement in place since 2021 is due to expire on 3 March 2025. The Community and Public Sector Union (NSW) is gearing up to meet with SERCO bargaining representatives to start bargaining for the next Enterprise Agreement.

So it will be interesting to see how this plays out given past complaints about pay and working conditions, including dangerously low staffing levels and alleged prisoner assaults on staff. Which march alongside past allegations of poor prisoner health services and assaults/brawling among prisoners.

Note: There was a death in custody reported at Clarence Correctional Centre in April 2024. This is not the first death in custody - there being two reported by the media in 2022. As to the actual number, there is no publicly available information of which to assess this particular correctional centre.