From Dubai to Stockton, an international dredge sought for massive sand replenishment project
Stockton Beach Special Advisory Panel chairman Tim Crakanthorp said he was hopeful a tender for the project would be called in early 2026 following the state government's commitment of $21.5 million in last month's budget.
Tuesday's panel meeting was updated on the status of several environmental studies that need to be completed as well as licences that need to be obtained before the project can be put to tender.
The studies have been funded by a joint $6.2 million City of Newcastle - federal government funding package.
"That money has paid for a great deal of research on whether to get the sand from offshore or on the north arm of the Hunter River," Mr Crakanthrop said.
"The north arm does have a number of metres of very dark mud and silt associated with it, which will probably mean the beautiful sand underneath won't be easily accessed. We are looking offshore at this point to get the offshore sources of sand."
It was initially hoped that sand could be pumped onto Stockton Beach in late 2026. However, Mr Crakanthrop said on Tuesday that the large number of variables made it difficult to put an exact timeframe on the project.
"We're working as hard as we can in terms of the environmental impact study, in terms of the licenses. All things going well, we hope to get those done this year or early next year," he said.
"We then put out a tender for the large dredge. They go around the world. If they are available and we get a good tender, we go from there. Unfortunately, we can't give a definitive time frame."
Tuesday's meeting also saw the state government agree to actions in the City of Newcastle's Extended Stockton Coastal Management Program, which will help address coastal erosion in the longer term.
The government will create a framework to deliver ongoing sand top-ups as part of a strategy designed to buffer the coastline from erosion.
The government will also develop and implement an innovative coastal monitoring system to inform long-term sand and beach management.
The extended CMP builds on $21.5 million allocated in this year's state to deliver mass sand nourishment identified in the original 2020 Stockton coastal management plan.
With all actions in the CMP now assigned, the program will be put to City of Newcastle councillors for adoption before it is submitted to Minister for Climate Change, Energy and Environment, Penny Sharpe, for certification.
Newcastle lord mayor Ross Kerridge said the extended Stockton coastal management plan would establish a pathway for the delivery, funding and maintenance of mass sand nourishment, while planning and delivering urgent protection works for critical public assets in the short term.
"I thank Mr Crakanthorp for his many years advocating for the needs of Stockton, and I look forward to ongoing collaboration that works towards resolving this community's coastal erosion issues," he said.
Mr Crakanthorp welcomed the agreement to allocate the outstanding actions to guide the long-term management of the iconic coastline.
"Getting sand back on the beach has always been my focus, and I am committed to keeping the community updated on this project and ensuring my $21.5 million election commitment is used efficiently and effectively to deliver the best outcomes for the beach and for the Stockton community," he said.
A dredge used to build islands in Dubai could be brought in for the massive job of putting more than a million cubic metres of sand on Stockton Beach - the first ever project of its kind to be undertaken in NSW.
Stockton Beach Special Advisory Panel chairman Tim Crakanthorp said he was hopeful a tender for the project would be called in early 2026 following the state government's commitment of $21.5 million in last month's budget.
Tuesday's panel meeting was updated on the status of several environmental studies that need to be completed as well as licences that need to be obtained before the project can be put to tender.
The studies have been funded by a joint $6.2 million City of Newcastle - federal government funding package.
"That money has paid for a great deal of research on whether to get the sand from offshore or on the north arm of the Hunter River," Mr Crakanthrop said.
"The north arm does have a number of metres of very dark mud and silt associated with it, which will probably mean the beautiful sand underneath won't be easily accessed. We are looking offshore at this point to get the offshore sources of sand."
It was initially hoped that sand could be pumped onto Stockton Beach in late 2026. However, Mr Crakanthrop said on Tuesday that the large number of variables made it difficult to put an exact timeframe on the project.
"We're working as hard as we can in terms of the environmental impact study, in terms of the licenses. All things going well, we hope to get those done this year or early next year," he said.
"We then put out a tender for the large dredge. They go around the world. If they are available and we get a good tender, we go from there. Unfortunately, we can't give a definitive time frame."
Tuesday's meeting also saw the state government agree to actions in the City of Newcastle's Extended Stockton Coastal Management Program, which will help address coastal erosion in the longer term.
The government will create a framework to deliver ongoing sand top-ups as part of a strategy designed to buffer the coastline from erosion.
The government will also develop and implement an innovative coastal monitoring system to inform long-term sand and beach management.
The extended CMP builds on $21.5 million allocated in this year's state to deliver mass sand nourishment identified in the original 2020 Stockton coastal management plan.
With all actions in the CMP now assigned, the program will be put to City of Newcastle councillors for adoption before it is submitted to Minister for Climate Change, Energy and Environment, Penny Sharpe, for certification.
Newcastle lord mayor Ross Kerridge said the extended Stockton coastal management plan would establish a pathway for the delivery, funding and maintenance of mass sand nourishment, while planning and delivering urgent protection works for critical public assets in the short term.
"I thank Mr Crakanthorp for his many years advocating for the needs of Stockton, and I look forward to ongoing collaboration that works towards resolving this community's coastal erosion issues," he said.
Mr Crakanthorp welcomed the agreement to allocate the outstanding actions to guide the long-term management of the iconic coastline.
"Getting sand back on the beach has always been my focus, and I am committed to keeping the community updated on this project and ensuring my $21.5 million election commitment is used efficiently and effectively to deliver the best outcomes for the beach and for the Stockton community," he said.
A dredge used to build islands in Dubai could be brought in for the massive job of putting more than a million cubic metres of sand on Stockton Beach - the first ever project of its kind to be undertaken in NSW.
Stockton Beach Special Advisory Panel chairman Tim Crakanthorp said he was hopeful a tender for the project would be called in early 2026 following the state government's commitment of $21.5 million in last month's budget.
Tuesday's panel meeting was updated on the status of several environmental studies that need to be completed as well as licences that need to be obtained before the project can be put to tender.
The studies have been funded by a joint $6.2 million City of Newcastle - federal government funding package.
"That money has paid for a great deal of research on whether to get the sand from offshore or on the north arm of the Hunter River," Mr Crakanthrop said.
"The north arm does have a number of metres of very dark mud and silt associated with it, which will probably mean the beautiful sand underneath won't be easily accessed. We are looking offshore at this point to get the offshore sources of sand."
It was initially hoped that sand could be pumped onto Stockton Beach in late 2026. However, Mr Crakanthrop said on Tuesday that the large number of variables made it difficult to put an exact timeframe on the project.
"We're working as hard as we can in terms of the environmental impact study, in terms of the licenses. All things going well, we hope to get those done this year or early next year," he said.
"We then put out a tender for the large dredge. They go around the world. If they are available and we get a good tender, we go from there. Unfortunately, we can't give a definitive time frame."
Tuesday's meeting also saw the state government agree to actions in the City of Newcastle's Extended Stockton Coastal Management Program, which will help address coastal erosion in the longer term.
The government will create a framework to deliver ongoing sand top-ups as part of a strategy designed to buffer the coastline from erosion.
The government will also develop and implement an innovative coastal monitoring system to inform long-term sand and beach management.
The extended CMP builds on $21.5 million allocated in this year's state to deliver mass sand nourishment identified in the original 2020 Stockton coastal management plan.
With all actions in the CMP now assigned, the program will be put to City of Newcastle councillors for adoption before it is submitted to Minister for Climate Change, Energy and Environment, Penny Sharpe, for certification.
Newcastle lord mayor Ross Kerridge said the extended Stockton coastal management plan would establish a pathway for the delivery, funding and maintenance of mass sand nourishment, while planning and delivering urgent protection works for critical public assets in the short term.
"I thank Mr Crakanthorp for his many years advocating for the needs of Stockton, and I look forward to ongoing collaboration that works towards resolving this community's coastal erosion issues," he said.
Mr Crakanthorp welcomed the agreement to allocate the outstanding actions to guide the long-term management of the iconic coastline.
"Getting sand back on the beach has always been my focus, and I am committed to keeping the community updated on this project and ensuring my $21.5 million election commitment is used efficiently and effectively to deliver the best outcomes for the beach and for the Stockton community," he said.
A dredge used to build islands in Dubai could be brought in for the massive job of putting more than a million cubic metres of sand on Stockton Beach - the first ever project of its kind to be undertaken in NSW.
Stockton Beach Special Advisory Panel chairman Tim Crakanthorp said he was hopeful a tender for the project would be called in early 2026 following the state government's commitment of $21.5 million in last month's budget.
Tuesday's panel meeting was updated on the status of several environmental studies that need to be completed as well as licences that need to be obtained before the project can be put to tender.
The studies have been funded by a joint $6.2 million City of Newcastle - federal government funding package.
"That money has paid for a great deal of research on whether to get the sand from offshore or on the north arm of the Hunter River," Mr Crakanthrop said.
"The north arm does have a number of metres of very dark mud and silt associated with it, which will probably mean the beautiful sand underneath won't be easily accessed. We are looking offshore at this point to get the offshore sources of sand."
It was initially hoped that sand could be pumped onto Stockton Beach in late 2026. However, Mr Crakanthrop said on Tuesday that the large number of variables made it difficult to put an exact timeframe on the project.
"We're working as hard as we can in terms of the environmental impact study, in terms of the licenses. All things going well, we hope to get those done this year or early next year," he said.
"We then put out a tender for the large dredge. They go around the world. If they are available and we get a good tender, we go from there. Unfortunately, we can't give a definitive time frame."
Tuesday's meeting also saw the state government agree to actions in the City of Newcastle's Extended Stockton Coastal Management Program, which will help address coastal erosion in the longer term.
The government will create a framework to deliver ongoing sand top-ups as part of a strategy designed to buffer the coastline from erosion.
The government will also develop and implement an innovative coastal monitoring system to inform long-term sand and beach management.
The extended CMP builds on $21.5 million allocated in this year's state to deliver mass sand nourishment identified in the original 2020 Stockton coastal management plan.
With all actions in the CMP now assigned, the program will be put to City of Newcastle councillors for adoption before it is submitted to Minister for Climate Change, Energy and Environment, Penny Sharpe, for certification.
Newcastle lord mayor Ross Kerridge said the extended Stockton coastal management plan would establish a pathway for the delivery, funding and maintenance of mass sand nourishment, while planning and delivering urgent protection works for critical public assets in the short term.
"I thank Mr Crakanthorp for his many years advocating for the needs of Stockton, and I look forward to ongoing collaboration that works towards resolving this community's coastal erosion issues," he said.
Mr Crakanthorp welcomed the agreement to allocate the outstanding actions to guide the long-term management of the iconic coastline.
"Getting sand back on the beach has always been my focus, and I am committed to keeping the community updated on this project and ensuring my $21.5 million election commitment is used efficiently and effectively to deliver the best outcomes for the beach and for the Stockton community," he said.
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The Advertiser
a day ago
- The Advertiser
'Doesn't pass the pub test': union questions Newcastle council over two high-paid roles
THE United Services Union has questioned City of Newcastle's hiring process for two high-ranking roles at Civic Theatre and Civic Venues, each valued at almost $200,000 a year. Applications closed July 27 for the two executive positions after an internal, six-day expressions of interest process that appears to have been overseen by a single executive. United Services Union official Luke Hutchinson said the process lacked transparency, fairness and merit-based selection, suggesting it could be in breach of the Local Government Act and the council's own policies. "This is a slap in the face to the hundreds of casual workers who keep these venues running," he said. "Over 70 per cent of staff at the Civic Theatre and City Hall are employed casually, many are young, lower-paid workers who've dedicated years to these spaces. "Yet council appears to be quietly handing out permanent, high-paying roles to select individuals without a proper process." The Newcastle Herald sent 11 questions to the council about the value of the roles, the recruitment process and who oversaw it, whether it contradicted previous council hiring processes and its response to the union's claims and a suggestion it was prepared to escalate the matter to the NSW Industrial Relations Commission. A City of Newcastle spokeswoman said the council had responded to the union regarding its concerns about recruitment processes. "An appropriate, merit-based recruitment process is currently under way, in accordance with legislative requirements," she said. "In 2023, City of Newcastle worked with the United Services Union to significantly increase the pay and conditions of our venues staff, including casuals. "There continues to be a mix of permanent and casual employees working across the Civic Theatre and City Hall, consistent with the typical employment profile in the hospitality and venues industries." When the Herald asked the council to clarify whether anyone had been hired in the roles, the council spokeswoman said that following the successful trial of an interim structure in 2024, "an appropriate, merit-based" process is under way for two executive manager positions, one for Civic Theatre and one for City Venues. "City of Newcastle is unable to publicly discuss employment arrangements for individual employees," she said. In a letter sent to City of Newcastle chief executive Jeremy Bath last week, the union questioned the legitimacy and transparency of the process. The union said that, based on the council's Recruitment Policy Procedures and its legislative requirements under the Local Government Act, it appeared "fundamentally flawed". The act says positions within the organisational structure of the council must be advertised in a manner "sufficient to enable suitably qualified persons to apply". The union said the current process, where expressions of interest were being reviewed by a single executive following a six-day advertisement period, "clearly fails" to meet the standards of transparency and merit-based selection required by the act and the council's policy. "Moreover, the advertisement's statement that "employees should have a level of experience relevant to the position" is seemingly disingenuous," the letter said. "These positions have only recently been created, trialled with a single acting occupant in each, effectively excluding other employees from gaining the 'relevant experience' now being used as a selection criteria." The letter said the union had not been informed of any formal appointments, but was advised the council was trialling a new structure and was seeking to implement it with "no further reporting or consultation". Mr Hutchinson said casualisation was a big issue among venue staff who would love to have a permanent or permanent part-time position. "... but the council insists they must stay casual, but here we have a situation where people are getting permanent full-time roles on big money with no due process, it's unfair and it doesn't pass the pub test," he said. The union claims the hiring process contradicts previous council practices where external advertising was deemed essential to attract a suitable pool of applicants. Mr Hutchinson said the "hypocrisy" was "staggering". "They've insisted on external advertising for other roles, including lower-paid ones, but now they're bypassing that entirely for senior positions," he said. "It reeks of favouritism and undermines the principles of equal opportunity." The union has called on the council to halt the current process and recommit to a "fair, open and merit-based recruitment process". "Our theatres and venues thrive because of passionate, hardworking staff," Mr Hutchinson said. "They deserve respect, transparency and a fair go, not backroom deals." THE United Services Union has questioned City of Newcastle's hiring process for two high-ranking roles at Civic Theatre and Civic Venues, each valued at almost $200,000 a year. Applications closed July 27 for the two executive positions after an internal, six-day expressions of interest process that appears to have been overseen by a single executive. United Services Union official Luke Hutchinson said the process lacked transparency, fairness and merit-based selection, suggesting it could be in breach of the Local Government Act and the council's own policies. "This is a slap in the face to the hundreds of casual workers who keep these venues running," he said. "Over 70 per cent of staff at the Civic Theatre and City Hall are employed casually, many are young, lower-paid workers who've dedicated years to these spaces. "Yet council appears to be quietly handing out permanent, high-paying roles to select individuals without a proper process." The Newcastle Herald sent 11 questions to the council about the value of the roles, the recruitment process and who oversaw it, whether it contradicted previous council hiring processes and its response to the union's claims and a suggestion it was prepared to escalate the matter to the NSW Industrial Relations Commission. A City of Newcastle spokeswoman said the council had responded to the union regarding its concerns about recruitment processes. "An appropriate, merit-based recruitment process is currently under way, in accordance with legislative requirements," she said. "In 2023, City of Newcastle worked with the United Services Union to significantly increase the pay and conditions of our venues staff, including casuals. "There continues to be a mix of permanent and casual employees working across the Civic Theatre and City Hall, consistent with the typical employment profile in the hospitality and venues industries." When the Herald asked the council to clarify whether anyone had been hired in the roles, the council spokeswoman said that following the successful trial of an interim structure in 2024, "an appropriate, merit-based" process is under way for two executive manager positions, one for Civic Theatre and one for City Venues. "City of Newcastle is unable to publicly discuss employment arrangements for individual employees," she said. In a letter sent to City of Newcastle chief executive Jeremy Bath last week, the union questioned the legitimacy and transparency of the process. The union said that, based on the council's Recruitment Policy Procedures and its legislative requirements under the Local Government Act, it appeared "fundamentally flawed". The act says positions within the organisational structure of the council must be advertised in a manner "sufficient to enable suitably qualified persons to apply". The union said the current process, where expressions of interest were being reviewed by a single executive following a six-day advertisement period, "clearly fails" to meet the standards of transparency and merit-based selection required by the act and the council's policy. "Moreover, the advertisement's statement that "employees should have a level of experience relevant to the position" is seemingly disingenuous," the letter said. "These positions have only recently been created, trialled with a single acting occupant in each, effectively excluding other employees from gaining the 'relevant experience' now being used as a selection criteria." The letter said the union had not been informed of any formal appointments, but was advised the council was trialling a new structure and was seeking to implement it with "no further reporting or consultation". Mr Hutchinson said casualisation was a big issue among venue staff who would love to have a permanent or permanent part-time position. "... but the council insists they must stay casual, but here we have a situation where people are getting permanent full-time roles on big money with no due process, it's unfair and it doesn't pass the pub test," he said. The union claims the hiring process contradicts previous council practices where external advertising was deemed essential to attract a suitable pool of applicants. Mr Hutchinson said the "hypocrisy" was "staggering". "They've insisted on external advertising for other roles, including lower-paid ones, but now they're bypassing that entirely for senior positions," he said. "It reeks of favouritism and undermines the principles of equal opportunity." The union has called on the council to halt the current process and recommit to a "fair, open and merit-based recruitment process". "Our theatres and venues thrive because of passionate, hardworking staff," Mr Hutchinson said. "They deserve respect, transparency and a fair go, not backroom deals." THE United Services Union has questioned City of Newcastle's hiring process for two high-ranking roles at Civic Theatre and Civic Venues, each valued at almost $200,000 a year. Applications closed July 27 for the two executive positions after an internal, six-day expressions of interest process that appears to have been overseen by a single executive. United Services Union official Luke Hutchinson said the process lacked transparency, fairness and merit-based selection, suggesting it could be in breach of the Local Government Act and the council's own policies. "This is a slap in the face to the hundreds of casual workers who keep these venues running," he said. "Over 70 per cent of staff at the Civic Theatre and City Hall are employed casually, many are young, lower-paid workers who've dedicated years to these spaces. "Yet council appears to be quietly handing out permanent, high-paying roles to select individuals without a proper process." The Newcastle Herald sent 11 questions to the council about the value of the roles, the recruitment process and who oversaw it, whether it contradicted previous council hiring processes and its response to the union's claims and a suggestion it was prepared to escalate the matter to the NSW Industrial Relations Commission. A City of Newcastle spokeswoman said the council had responded to the union regarding its concerns about recruitment processes. "An appropriate, merit-based recruitment process is currently under way, in accordance with legislative requirements," she said. "In 2023, City of Newcastle worked with the United Services Union to significantly increase the pay and conditions of our venues staff, including casuals. "There continues to be a mix of permanent and casual employees working across the Civic Theatre and City Hall, consistent with the typical employment profile in the hospitality and venues industries." When the Herald asked the council to clarify whether anyone had been hired in the roles, the council spokeswoman said that following the successful trial of an interim structure in 2024, "an appropriate, merit-based" process is under way for two executive manager positions, one for Civic Theatre and one for City Venues. "City of Newcastle is unable to publicly discuss employment arrangements for individual employees," she said. In a letter sent to City of Newcastle chief executive Jeremy Bath last week, the union questioned the legitimacy and transparency of the process. The union said that, based on the council's Recruitment Policy Procedures and its legislative requirements under the Local Government Act, it appeared "fundamentally flawed". The act says positions within the organisational structure of the council must be advertised in a manner "sufficient to enable suitably qualified persons to apply". The union said the current process, where expressions of interest were being reviewed by a single executive following a six-day advertisement period, "clearly fails" to meet the standards of transparency and merit-based selection required by the act and the council's policy. "Moreover, the advertisement's statement that "employees should have a level of experience relevant to the position" is seemingly disingenuous," the letter said. "These positions have only recently been created, trialled with a single acting occupant in each, effectively excluding other employees from gaining the 'relevant experience' now being used as a selection criteria." The letter said the union had not been informed of any formal appointments, but was advised the council was trialling a new structure and was seeking to implement it with "no further reporting or consultation". Mr Hutchinson said casualisation was a big issue among venue staff who would love to have a permanent or permanent part-time position. "... but the council insists they must stay casual, but here we have a situation where people are getting permanent full-time roles on big money with no due process, it's unfair and it doesn't pass the pub test," he said. The union claims the hiring process contradicts previous council practices where external advertising was deemed essential to attract a suitable pool of applicants. Mr Hutchinson said the "hypocrisy" was "staggering". "They've insisted on external advertising for other roles, including lower-paid ones, but now they're bypassing that entirely for senior positions," he said. "It reeks of favouritism and undermines the principles of equal opportunity." The union has called on the council to halt the current process and recommit to a "fair, open and merit-based recruitment process". "Our theatres and venues thrive because of passionate, hardworking staff," Mr Hutchinson said. "They deserve respect, transparency and a fair go, not backroom deals." THE United Services Union has questioned City of Newcastle's hiring process for two high-ranking roles at Civic Theatre and Civic Venues, each valued at almost $200,000 a year. Applications closed July 27 for the two executive positions after an internal, six-day expressions of interest process that appears to have been overseen by a single executive. United Services Union official Luke Hutchinson said the process lacked transparency, fairness and merit-based selection, suggesting it could be in breach of the Local Government Act and the council's own policies. "This is a slap in the face to the hundreds of casual workers who keep these venues running," he said. "Over 70 per cent of staff at the Civic Theatre and City Hall are employed casually, many are young, lower-paid workers who've dedicated years to these spaces. "Yet council appears to be quietly handing out permanent, high-paying roles to select individuals without a proper process." The Newcastle Herald sent 11 questions to the council about the value of the roles, the recruitment process and who oversaw it, whether it contradicted previous council hiring processes and its response to the union's claims and a suggestion it was prepared to escalate the matter to the NSW Industrial Relations Commission. A City of Newcastle spokeswoman said the council had responded to the union regarding its concerns about recruitment processes. "An appropriate, merit-based recruitment process is currently under way, in accordance with legislative requirements," she said. "In 2023, City of Newcastle worked with the United Services Union to significantly increase the pay and conditions of our venues staff, including casuals. "There continues to be a mix of permanent and casual employees working across the Civic Theatre and City Hall, consistent with the typical employment profile in the hospitality and venues industries." When the Herald asked the council to clarify whether anyone had been hired in the roles, the council spokeswoman said that following the successful trial of an interim structure in 2024, "an appropriate, merit-based" process is under way for two executive manager positions, one for Civic Theatre and one for City Venues. "City of Newcastle is unable to publicly discuss employment arrangements for individual employees," she said. In a letter sent to City of Newcastle chief executive Jeremy Bath last week, the union questioned the legitimacy and transparency of the process. The union said that, based on the council's Recruitment Policy Procedures and its legislative requirements under the Local Government Act, it appeared "fundamentally flawed". The act says positions within the organisational structure of the council must be advertised in a manner "sufficient to enable suitably qualified persons to apply". The union said the current process, where expressions of interest were being reviewed by a single executive following a six-day advertisement period, "clearly fails" to meet the standards of transparency and merit-based selection required by the act and the council's policy. "Moreover, the advertisement's statement that "employees should have a level of experience relevant to the position" is seemingly disingenuous," the letter said. "These positions have only recently been created, trialled with a single acting occupant in each, effectively excluding other employees from gaining the 'relevant experience' now being used as a selection criteria." The letter said the union had not been informed of any formal appointments, but was advised the council was trialling a new structure and was seeking to implement it with "no further reporting or consultation". Mr Hutchinson said casualisation was a big issue among venue staff who would love to have a permanent or permanent part-time position. "... but the council insists they must stay casual, but here we have a situation where people are getting permanent full-time roles on big money with no due process, it's unfair and it doesn't pass the pub test," he said. The union claims the hiring process contradicts previous council practices where external advertising was deemed essential to attract a suitable pool of applicants. Mr Hutchinson said the "hypocrisy" was "staggering". "They've insisted on external advertising for other roles, including lower-paid ones, but now they're bypassing that entirely for senior positions," he said. "It reeks of favouritism and undermines the principles of equal opportunity." The union has called on the council to halt the current process and recommit to a "fair, open and merit-based recruitment process". "Our theatres and venues thrive because of passionate, hardworking staff," Mr Hutchinson said. "They deserve respect, transparency and a fair go, not backroom deals."
ABC News
2 days ago
- ABC News
Tax fossil fuel exports or risk losing revenue to other nations, says Zali Steggall
Climate change has been left on the sidelines of the government's upcoming productivity roundtable, Zali Steggall warns, as she pitches a proposal to ensure Australia collects on fossil fuel exports rather than foreign nations. The federal government is hosting the event in search of new solutions to overcome Australia's falling productivity, which risks limiting incomes and the overall quality of life for Australians. Ms Steggall said climate change was already hurting the economy and weighing on the federal budget, pointing to record-breaking floods in NSW and Queensland earlier this year and the ongoing algal bloom in South Australia, killing marine life in the thousands. "I have been discussing with a number of ministers the need for climate resilience to be at that roundtable, there is no productivity without resilience," Ms Steggall said. "Let's be really clear, as soon as climate risk hits, productivity is down to zero. You can't really talk about a strong future Australian economy without the resilience piece underpinning everything." Ms Steggall said a $10 billion climate resilience fund that could invest in infrastructure to mitigate the impact of climate disasters would help to limit local economies from grinding to a halt when disasters struck. Her pitch follows a visit to parliament by the United Nations' chief climate diplomat, Simon Stiell, who warned climate disasters were already costing Australian home owners $4 billion a year, but that Australia could reap "colossal" rewards by embracing clean energy. One of the key measures Ms Steggall proposes is for Australia to get the jump on collecting revenue from an emissions price on exported fossil fuel prices, instead of that being collected by a foreign nation. She said the revenue from that could help to pay for the proposed resilience fund without burdening taxpayers. Known as 'carbon border adjustment mechanisms', several nations, including the European Union and the United Kingdom, are moving to establish levies at the border on polluting imports, priced based on the emissions intensity of those products. But those levies only collect where emissions have not been priced in earlier in the supply chain. While Australia's 'safeguard mechanism' requires the biggest polluting industries to progressively cut their direct emissions over time, and penalises them for each gram of emissions over a set amount, it does not apply to emissions resulting from products exported for consumption overseas, exposing those goods to possible levies imposed by foreign nations. Ms Steggall said that rather than emissions price revenue being collected overseas, Australia should introduce its own fossil fuel export levy, set at the same effective emissions price as the safeguard mechanism, so that revenue was not lost. "The EU's is due to come into effect in 2026, other jurisdictions in 2027, so it's not like this is something that's not happening around the world … we don't have the luxury of time," Ms Steggall said. In exchange, the Sydney MP proposes Australia should also introduce its own levy at the border to level the playing field for domestic industries, so they are not having to unfairly compete with imported products that do not have to pay an emissions price. Australian National University economist Emma Aisbett, who helped to develop Ms Steggall's pitch, said the mechanisms could help to drive new clean industries. "The whole point is Australia has a huge opportunity to grow industries that we have struggled with traditionally, like steel, because we can make clean and green steel," Dr Aisbett said. "Australia, despite being the world's biggest iron ore exporter, actually imports all of its steel … it's really about enabling an environment for growing those clean industries." A government-commissioned review investigating the feasibility of a carbon border adjustment mechanism, particularly concerning steel and cement, is due to be handed to the government later this year. Dr Aisbett said, unlike market-distorting tariffs, a carbon border adjustment was designed to make it fair for those already paying a carbon price domestically, with those importing products into the country. Federal and state governments have committed billions of dollars collectively to incentivise home owners to take up more energy-efficient products, rooftop solar, and batteries — including federal Labor's election promise to establish a $3 billion subsidy to household batteries. But Ms Steggall said there were opportunities for the government to change rules that were causing roadblocks for renters, landlords, apartment owners, and strata companies who want to adopt renewable and energy-efficient technologies. As an example, she said exemptions for stratas in the government's battery subsidy scheme were limiting opportunities to make apartments more efficient. "We need to look at some of the regulatory roadblocks — it's not just about subsidies, it is sometimes that the regulations don't permit," Ms Steggall said. "It seems counterproductive. There is still a process of picking winners and losers." She said the National Construction Code should also be updated so that new builds were made energy efficient and resilient to climate change. Ms Steggall also suggested tax breaks, such as negative gearing, could be limited where rental properties did not meet minimum energy standards — using an already existing subsidy to drive an outcome desired by the government. Ms Steggall's proposals will be submitted alongside a raft of ideas from industry, unions, community groups, and other politicians to next month's roundtable. She hoped the government, with its massive majority in parliament, would consider the opportunity it has to do more than just tinker around the edges. But Ms Steggall also joined several other voices who have expressed skepticism over whether the government was entering the event with a pre-determined plan already in mind. "I hope this is not a situation where they have got a policy setting they want to go in and they're reverse-engineering a roundtable to suit their purposes," she said. "I certainly hope the treasurer and the prime minister look at this term of government with their big majority to genuinely be change makers."
ABC News
3 days ago
- ABC News
CSIRO report shows renewables still cheapest form of energy
Chris Bowen is the Minister for Climate Change and Energy and he speaks to Sarah Ferguson about the increased government support for clean energy projects.
