Latest news with #EnvironmentalProtectionandBiodiversityConservationAct
AU Financial Review
10 hours ago
- Business
- AU Financial Review
Labor is adrift on gas policy. Here's why that's bad
A critical environmental decision and an enthusiastic industry conference have exposed several issues that must be high on the agenda for the second Albanese government. In its first term, the government struggled to be clear on the role of gas, which left gaps to be filled by advocates with strong interests. Current developments demand a different approach. The gas industry celebrated Minister Watt's decision to extend the life of the North West Shelf gas project to 2070 as evidence of an open door to gas. The terms of the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act did not allow the minister to reject the project based on its climate change impact. A final decision depends on unreleased conditions related to the impact of the project on important indigenous rock art.
The Advertiser
08-05-2025
- General
- The Advertiser
'The worst we've had them': shock flying fox colony causes power outages
A colony of an estimated 100,000 flying foxes is wreaking havoc in the Upper Hunter, causing 14 power outages in Muswellbrook and Aberdeen over the past five weeks. On Tuesday at 5.30am several grey-headed flying foxes flew into wires in Muswellbrook, causing a blackout for 15 minutes across the town. While neighbouring Singleton has been plagued with bat colonies for 20 years around Burdekin Park, flying foxes have never been seen in such large numbers before in Muswellbrook. It's believed the flying foxes have been attracted to the area due to an autumn flowering event. The bats eat nectar and pollen from eucalypts. "We've had minor problems before, but nothing like this," Muswellbrook mayor Jeff Drayton told the Newcastle Herald. "This is as bad as we've had them. It's estimated there are between 100,000 and 150,000 bats. It's certainly the worst we've had them." The colony is predominantly roosting in trees along Muscle Creek, which runs through the centre of Muswellbrook between the New England Highway and the railway line and through the golf course. "Right behind two motels in town is where it's worst," Cr Drayton said. "It's effectively right in the centre of town." The grey-headed flying fox is listed as vulnerable under the federal Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act, and it's illegal to harm or disturb them. Muswellbrook Shire Council successfully applied for a threatened species licence from the NSW government, which allowed staff to trim trees last weekend at night. Cr Drayton said the council had applied for another licence to expand the tree-trimming program along Muscle Creek. "We trim the trees where they roost, and the idea is there are no branches on the trees, so there's nowhere to roost, and hopefully they move on," he said. Muswellbrook council is providing free hire of high-pressure water cleaners, as well as washing line and car covers for residents whose properties are covered in bat droppings. Ausgrid's Upper Hunter field manager, Adam Regan, confirmed there had been two power outages in Muswellbrook and 12 in Aberdeen that had been caused by the flying foxes. "What we're finding in the Aberdeen area is they're roosting on some of the insulated wires and that's reducing the electrical clearance that's needed and causing the power to flash across to the pole and to short out," Mr Regan said. "We're finding that some of the rainy, misty fog days are worse than others." Ausgrid is in the process of upgrading the wires with fibreglass insulation on poles that have been "repeat offenders" in the power outages caused by the bats. "We've got an engineering team looking at swapping them out for big fibreglass arms to increase the insulation properties and also looking to place some temporary insulation on the actual wires themselves to help insulate the bats from the electricity," Mr Regan said. It is hoped the flying foxes will leave Muswellbrook and Aberdeen once the autumn flowering season ends. A colony of an estimated 100,000 flying foxes is wreaking havoc in the Upper Hunter, causing 14 power outages in Muswellbrook and Aberdeen over the past five weeks. On Tuesday at 5.30am several grey-headed flying foxes flew into wires in Muswellbrook, causing a blackout for 15 minutes across the town. While neighbouring Singleton has been plagued with bat colonies for 20 years around Burdekin Park, flying foxes have never been seen in such large numbers before in Muswellbrook. It's believed the flying foxes have been attracted to the area due to an autumn flowering event. The bats eat nectar and pollen from eucalypts. "We've had minor problems before, but nothing like this," Muswellbrook mayor Jeff Drayton told the Newcastle Herald. "This is as bad as we've had them. It's estimated there are between 100,000 and 150,000 bats. It's certainly the worst we've had them." The colony is predominantly roosting in trees along Muscle Creek, which runs through the centre of Muswellbrook between the New England Highway and the railway line and through the golf course. "Right behind two motels in town is where it's worst," Cr Drayton said. "It's effectively right in the centre of town." The grey-headed flying fox is listed as vulnerable under the federal Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act, and it's illegal to harm or disturb them. Muswellbrook Shire Council successfully applied for a threatened species licence from the NSW government, which allowed staff to trim trees last weekend at night. Cr Drayton said the council had applied for another licence to expand the tree-trimming program along Muscle Creek. "We trim the trees where they roost, and the idea is there are no branches on the trees, so there's nowhere to roost, and hopefully they move on," he said. Muswellbrook council is providing free hire of high-pressure water cleaners, as well as washing line and car covers for residents whose properties are covered in bat droppings. Ausgrid's Upper Hunter field manager, Adam Regan, confirmed there had been two power outages in Muswellbrook and 12 in Aberdeen that had been caused by the flying foxes. "What we're finding in the Aberdeen area is they're roosting on some of the insulated wires and that's reducing the electrical clearance that's needed and causing the power to flash across to the pole and to short out," Mr Regan said. "We're finding that some of the rainy, misty fog days are worse than others." Ausgrid is in the process of upgrading the wires with fibreglass insulation on poles that have been "repeat offenders" in the power outages caused by the bats. "We've got an engineering team looking at swapping them out for big fibreglass arms to increase the insulation properties and also looking to place some temporary insulation on the actual wires themselves to help insulate the bats from the electricity," Mr Regan said. It is hoped the flying foxes will leave Muswellbrook and Aberdeen once the autumn flowering season ends. A colony of an estimated 100,000 flying foxes is wreaking havoc in the Upper Hunter, causing 14 power outages in Muswellbrook and Aberdeen over the past five weeks. On Tuesday at 5.30am several grey-headed flying foxes flew into wires in Muswellbrook, causing a blackout for 15 minutes across the town. While neighbouring Singleton has been plagued with bat colonies for 20 years around Burdekin Park, flying foxes have never been seen in such large numbers before in Muswellbrook. It's believed the flying foxes have been attracted to the area due to an autumn flowering event. The bats eat nectar and pollen from eucalypts. "We've had minor problems before, but nothing like this," Muswellbrook mayor Jeff Drayton told the Newcastle Herald. "This is as bad as we've had them. It's estimated there are between 100,000 and 150,000 bats. It's certainly the worst we've had them." The colony is predominantly roosting in trees along Muscle Creek, which runs through the centre of Muswellbrook between the New England Highway and the railway line and through the golf course. "Right behind two motels in town is where it's worst," Cr Drayton said. "It's effectively right in the centre of town." The grey-headed flying fox is listed as vulnerable under the federal Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act, and it's illegal to harm or disturb them. Muswellbrook Shire Council successfully applied for a threatened species licence from the NSW government, which allowed staff to trim trees last weekend at night. Cr Drayton said the council had applied for another licence to expand the tree-trimming program along Muscle Creek. "We trim the trees where they roost, and the idea is there are no branches on the trees, so there's nowhere to roost, and hopefully they move on," he said. Muswellbrook council is providing free hire of high-pressure water cleaners, as well as washing line and car covers for residents whose properties are covered in bat droppings. Ausgrid's Upper Hunter field manager, Adam Regan, confirmed there had been two power outages in Muswellbrook and 12 in Aberdeen that had been caused by the flying foxes. "What we're finding in the Aberdeen area is they're roosting on some of the insulated wires and that's reducing the electrical clearance that's needed and causing the power to flash across to the pole and to short out," Mr Regan said. "We're finding that some of the rainy, misty fog days are worse than others." Ausgrid is in the process of upgrading the wires with fibreglass insulation on poles that have been "repeat offenders" in the power outages caused by the bats. "We've got an engineering team looking at swapping them out for big fibreglass arms to increase the insulation properties and also looking to place some temporary insulation on the actual wires themselves to help insulate the bats from the electricity," Mr Regan said. It is hoped the flying foxes will leave Muswellbrook and Aberdeen once the autumn flowering season ends. A colony of an estimated 100,000 flying foxes is wreaking havoc in the Upper Hunter, causing 14 power outages in Muswellbrook and Aberdeen over the past five weeks. On Tuesday at 5.30am several grey-headed flying foxes flew into wires in Muswellbrook, causing a blackout for 15 minutes across the town. While neighbouring Singleton has been plagued with bat colonies for 20 years around Burdekin Park, flying foxes have never been seen in such large numbers before in Muswellbrook. It's believed the flying foxes have been attracted to the area due to an autumn flowering event. The bats eat nectar and pollen from eucalypts. "We've had minor problems before, but nothing like this," Muswellbrook mayor Jeff Drayton told the Newcastle Herald. "This is as bad as we've had them. It's estimated there are between 100,000 and 150,000 bats. It's certainly the worst we've had them." The colony is predominantly roosting in trees along Muscle Creek, which runs through the centre of Muswellbrook between the New England Highway and the railway line and through the golf course. "Right behind two motels in town is where it's worst," Cr Drayton said. "It's effectively right in the centre of town." The grey-headed flying fox is listed as vulnerable under the federal Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act, and it's illegal to harm or disturb them. Muswellbrook Shire Council successfully applied for a threatened species licence from the NSW government, which allowed staff to trim trees last weekend at night. Cr Drayton said the council had applied for another licence to expand the tree-trimming program along Muscle Creek. "We trim the trees where they roost, and the idea is there are no branches on the trees, so there's nowhere to roost, and hopefully they move on," he said. Muswellbrook council is providing free hire of high-pressure water cleaners, as well as washing line and car covers for residents whose properties are covered in bat droppings. Ausgrid's Upper Hunter field manager, Adam Regan, confirmed there had been two power outages in Muswellbrook and 12 in Aberdeen that had been caused by the flying foxes. "What we're finding in the Aberdeen area is they're roosting on some of the insulated wires and that's reducing the electrical clearance that's needed and causing the power to flash across to the pole and to short out," Mr Regan said. "We're finding that some of the rainy, misty fog days are worse than others." Ausgrid is in the process of upgrading the wires with fibreglass insulation on poles that have been "repeat offenders" in the power outages caused by the bats. "We've got an engineering team looking at swapping them out for big fibreglass arms to increase the insulation properties and also looking to place some temporary insulation on the actual wires themselves to help insulate the bats from the electricity," Mr Regan said. It is hoped the flying foxes will leave Muswellbrook and Aberdeen once the autumn flowering season ends.
The Guardian
01-05-2025
- Business
- The Guardian
Queensland moves to crack down on windfarms and exempt Olympic venues from planning laws
Some coalmines could face an easier approvals process than renewable energy projects under a proposed crackdown on windfarms in Queensland, according to an environmental group. The deputy premier, Jarrod Bleijie, introduced legislation into state parliament on Thursday requiring all green energy developers to undertake community consultation and making them subject to legal challenge. A second leg of the bill would also exempt sporting facilities planned for the 2032 Brisbane Olympics from a swathe of planning laws – including a 60,000 seat stadium on a heritage-listed massacre site – making the government's multibillion-dollar construction program immune to legal challenge. Sign up for the Afternoon Update: Election 2025 email newsletter Queensland Conservation Council director, Dave Copeman, criticised the government's move to toughen legislation around renewable energy projects while at the same time a 'loophole' in state legislation means some coalmines producing less than 2m tonnes a year aren't required to obtain a state environmental impact statement (EIS). They might still be required to get one under the federal Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act. He said the government's overall approach – including a decision to keep coal power stations open longer – would slow the transition to renewables. Central Queensland community advocate Paul Stephenson said the loophole has meant a mine near his family farm at Monto, 150 kilometres south of Gladstone, hasn't been required to formally consult with local landholders. 'It just doesn't pass the pub test, right? Why should a solar farm be held to a higher standard, with more stringent conditions than an open cut coalmine?' he said. He said numerous communities had been threatened by coalmines not required to undertake consultation due to a lack of a state EIS. Bleijie said the legislation implemented an election promise that green projects 'would be subject to the same rigorous approval process as other major resource developments'. It requires all renewables proponents to conduct a social impact assessment and enter into a community benefit agreement with local councils before lodging a development application. In Queensland, wind projects are currently treated as code assessable, the less strict regulatory process. The new legislation makes them impact assessable, which means proponents are required to undertake public consultation and makes them subject to lawsuits from opponents. 'Under these changes, regional communities will finally be in the driver's seat when it comes to renewable energy projects in their back yard,' Bleijie said. Another section of the bill would 'streamline the planning approvals process' for infrastructure for the Olympics, he said. The bill provides that any Games-related development is not subject to approval under a dozen planning laws, including the Planning Act. Opposition group Save Victoria Park is fundraising for a legal challenge to the Games' main stadium. Spokesperson Rosemary O'Hagan said the government planned to 'bulldoze the city's planning, environment, nature and heritage laws'. 'It's a slap in the face to the community, and to democracy,' she said. The plan violates two election campaign promises, as the premier, David Crisafulli, had promised not to build any new stadiums for the Olympics, and not to build one in Victoria Park, while vying to unseat the then Labor government at October's poll. Minister for the Olympics and Paralympics, Tim Mander, said not passing the legislation would put 'at risk our ability to be able to build the infrastructure that's required'. Planning approval is due for completion in the third quarter of next year, according to the Games Independent Infrastructure and Coordination Authority. On Thursday Mander said 'those targets will be met'. Exempting stadiums from development rules set a 'worrying' 'precedent' for other projects, such as resources schemes, the QCC's Copeman said. The government also plans to amend or repeal the state's renewable energy target.
The Guardian
15-02-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Albanese sparks anger with pledge over controversial salmon farming in Macquarie Harbour
Anthony Albanese has promised to introduce legislation that will allow 'sustainable salmon farming' to continue in Tasmania's Macquarie Harbour, sparking anger from conversationists and researchers who urged for the local industry to be scaled back. The promise, made in a letter to industry group Salmon Tasmania, came after years of lobbying for action in Macquarie Harbour to save the threatened Maugean skate from extinction. The environment minister, Tanya Plibersek, had also been reconsidering the future of salmon farm licences in Macquarie Harbour after environment groups made a legal case that an industry expansion in 2012 had not been properly approved. In the letter, the prime minister referenced a new report from the University of Tasmania's Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (Imas) which shows the Maugean skate population is 'consistent with the long term average as at 2014'. Sign up for Guardian Australia's breaking news email Albanese said the report noted positive signs with oxygenation efforts – with reduced levels of dissolved oxygen across the harbour posing the main threats to the species. 'But even with this new and positive data, it is clear to me the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act – introduced 25 years ago – does not allow for a commonsense solution on an acceptable timeline,' the prime minister said in the letter, seen by Guardian Australia. 'I can confirm that the Australian government will introduce legislation to ensure appropriate environmental laws are in place to continue sustainable salmon farming in Macquarie Harbour.' The Imas report notes that Maugean skate numbers seem to be improving, but also highlights a 'critical need for continued monitoring' of the ancient ray-like species. 'A recent environmental DNA study … has demonstrated that the vast majority, if not all, of the current population of Maugean skate live only in Macquarie Harbour,' the report reads. The prime minister's promise has been welcomed by the industry and the Tasmanian Liberal and Labor parties, who both back the $1.3bn industry. But the Australian Marine Conservation Society (AMCS) said that – in response to the Imas report – that a slight improvement in the Maugean skate population would not save it from extinction. It said it was especially true if there was another extreme weather event in Macquarie Harbour in the next 10 years. AMCS shark expert Dr Leonardo Guida said the new report shows a 'strong correlation between increased salmon farming intensity and a drop in estimated Maugean skate numbers'. 'The fate of the skate literally rises and falls alongside salmon production,' he said. 'The skates caught in 2024 were mostly old adults that will not be around much longer given they live to around 10-12 years, and there hasn't been enough time to show that the uptick is solely from juveniles surviving to breeding age. 'The scientists acknowledge huge uncertainty in the data from animals caught in 2023 and 2024 that shows something has happened that's making the skates easier to catch. Without knowing exactly what happened, we're unfortunately no longer comparing apples with apples from previous years.' Tasmanian Greens senator Nick McKim said Australia's environmental laws were already too weak and to 'water them down even further to underpin corporate profits is an outrage and a betrayal'. The director of The Australia Institute in Tasmania, Eloise Carr, said special legislation to protect farming operations in the harbour is 'likely to condemn the Maugean skate to extinction should not be rushed through'. The Tasmanian premier, Jeremy Rockliff, welcomed the announcement and said he 'won't rest until salmon jobs are protected by law'. 'While today is an important step, this could have been achieved long ago, and we will continue to do all we can to support our workers across all industries,' he said. The state's Labor leader, Dean Winter, said Albanese's letter demonstrates 'an irrefutable case that salmon farming and the Maugean skate can coexist'. Macquarie Harbour produces only about 13% of Tasmanian salmon, but industry supporters argue it is an important hub and employer on the state's remote west coast. Prof Jayson Semmens, a co-author of the Imas report, said researchers were 'cautiously optimistic' about the Maugean skate population but that 'there is still a long way to go'. 'Only continued monitoring of the Maugean skate population in Macquarie Harbour will allow us to know the long-term trajectory of recovery of this endangered species,' he said. A conservation report by the government's threatened species scientific committee last year said the skate should be considered critically endangered, estimating there were between 40 and 120 adult skates remaining in the wild. The move comes after Albanese last year vetoed a deal Plibersek had struck to support her nature positive legislation.
