Media Releases

Building efficiency disclosure welcome, but Greens' bill would deliver greater benefits

Media Release | Spokesperson Christine Milne
Thursday 18th March 2010, 2:02pm
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The Greens today welcomed the final arrival of the Rudd government's election promise to require non-residential commercial buildings to disclose their energy efficiency to potential purchasers or lessees.

The disclosure scheme is a small step forward, but will have nowhere the broad positive impact for lowering energy bills, increasing productivity and reducing emissions that the Greens Energy Efficient Non-Residential Buildings Scheme would have.

"I'm glad that this disclosure scheme has finally arrived, but it is disappointing that once again the Rudd government has opted for the lowest common denominator instead of reaching towards ambitious action," Australian Greens Deputy Leader, Senator Christine Milne, said.

Greens' Efficient Building Scheme garners international support at Senate Inquiry

Media Release | Spokesperson Christine Milne
Wednesday 17th March 2010, 6:01pm
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A Greens Bill to establish a world-leading scheme to upgrade the energy efficiency of Australia's non-residential buildings such as offices, shopping centres, hotels and schools has received positive support from many experts, but been treated with studied disinterest by both Labor and Coalition Senators at a Senate inquiry.

The Energy Efficient Non-Residential Buildings Scheme, developed from an idea from Lend Lease, WSP Lincolne Scott and Advanced Environmental, would establish a cap and trade scheme for building energy efficiency, ensuring that all of Australia's non-residential buildings are upgraded as swiftly and fairly as possible.

"This Senate Inquiry has overwhelmingly confirmed the need for robust policies to improve the energy efficiency of Australia's non-residential buildings," Senator Milne said.

Auditor General progress on Green Loans

Media Release | Spokesperson Christine Milne
Wednesday 17th March 2010, 11:29am
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The Greens today welcomed progress towards fixing the Green Loans scheme.

The Auditor General has written to Australian Greens Deputy Leader, Senator Christine Milne, outlining the performance audit he will undertake into the mismanagement of the scheme, following Senator Milne's referral of the issues to him.

In addition, Minister Wong has agreed to meet a delegation of home sustainability assessors coordinated by Senator Milne.

"The Green Loans Scheme was an excellent idea and its mismanagement should not be allowed to undermine the vital work to make Australia's homes more energy efficient," Senator Milne said.

ClimateWorks study lifts pressure on Rudd, but not enough

Media Release | Spokesperson Christine Milne
Tuesday 16th March 2010, 10:56am
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The study released by ClimateWorks today demonstrating that 25% cuts in greenhouse emissions by 2020 are eminently achievable and affordable has increased the pressure on Prime Minister Rudd to deliver serious climate action before this year's election.

But the report missed the opportunity to refresh the climate debate in Australia, bringing it back up the agenda focussed on the much steeper emissions cuts the science demands, the Australian Greens said.

"With the ClimateWorks study today and yesterday's CSIRO climate update, it is clear that Mr Rudd is going to face increasing pressure to deliver serious climate action before the election," Australian Greens Deputy Leader, Senator Christine Milne, said.

Tasmania chokes on Bartlett's greenhouse election promises

Media Release | Spokesperson Christine Milne
Friday 12th March 2010, 12:41pm
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As burn-off season begins, Tasmanians are again forced to endure not only poor air quality but the humiliation of living in a state where climate vandalism is government policy, says Greens Deputy Leader, Senator Christine Milne.

"As Tasmanians choke on the smoke from burn-offs and endure an increase in respiratory problems, they should reflect on the cynicism of Premier Bartlett's claims that he takes public health and climate change seriously.

"The massive injection of greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere from what is literally a carbon bomb, together with the loss of carbon stocks from the logging of our ancient and beautiful carbon dense forests makes a complete mocker y of the government's claims in its climate change strategy that its objective is to "Demonstrate national and international leadership as a model low carbon economy and contribute to global climate change solutions."

Is Bartlett's 20 year RFA extension pledge a con?

Media Release | Spokesperson Christine Milne
Thursday 11th March 2010, 3:26pm
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Tasmanian Premier David Bartlett must immediately indicate whether the Federal government has agreed to "immediately renegotiate" the regional forest agreement (RFA) to lock in old growth forest logging for a further 20 years to 2037.

"David Bartlett must say which Federal Ministers he has spoken to and when, or apologise and admit that his forest pledge was more about generating conflict and conning forest workers," Australian Greens Deputy Leader, Senator Christine Milne, said

In Question Time today, Minister Sherry could not confirm that Premier Bartlett had spoken to anyone in the Federal government and seemed to know nothing of any undertaking by the Commonwealth to renegotiate the RFA. RFAs are negotiated between the Commonwealth and State governments and the Tasmanian RFA is not due to expire until 2017.

Caution still needed despite findings from new devil research

Media Release | Spokesperson Christine Milne
Thursday 11th March 2010, 8:50am
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News today of researchers confirming a genetically diverse Tasmanian devil population in the state's North West has been welcomed by Australian Greens Deputy Leader, Senator Christine Milne.

Researchers from the universities of Sydney and Tasmania are hopeful of a natural immunity to devil facial tumour disease being present in the genetic make-up of the North West devils, but Senator Milne has warned there is still a long way to go if we are to save them from extinction.

"It is very encouraging to learn of a possible immune population in Tasmania's North West. But we must still do all we can to keep devil facial tumour disease out of the devil's final stronghold because there are too many uncertainties surrounding the new research."

ABC journalists should ignore Chair Newman's anti-science nonsense

Media Release | Spokesperson Christine Milne
Wednesday 10th March 2010, 6:12pm
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The Australian Greens today urged ABC journalists to ignore the anti-science nonsense peddled by the Chair of their board and instead increase their strong coverage of climate change.

ABC Board Chair, Maurice Newman, today told senior ABC staff that climate change was an "emotional issue" and that journalists were too "intolerant" of climate sceptics.

"I trust that ABC journalists will not be cowed by the anti-science speech delivered by the Chair of their board," Australian Greens Deputy Leader, Senator Christine Milne, said.

Greens look forward to Minister Wong's action to fix Green Loans

Media Release | Spokesperson Christine Milne
Wednesday 10th March 2010, 6:08pm
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The Australian Greens today welcomed the Rudd government's acknowledgement of the extent of the mismanagement of the Green Loans scheme and again offered to work with the government towards an effective solution including providing compensation and upgraded training at government expense.

"The Green Loans scheme was an excellent project marred by extraordinary mismanagement, and it is critical that it is fixed properly," Australian Greens Deputy Leader, Senator Christine Milne, said.

"Minister Wong's final detailed acknowledgement of the scheme's flaws today is welcome, although I am keen to draw her attention to several other issues that need to be addressed.

Centre for Renewable Energy welcome, but Greens amendments would have improved it

Media Release | Spokesperson Christine Milne
Wednesday 10th March 2010, 1:04pm
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Greens amendments to improve the transparency of the Australian Centre for Renewable Energy were rejected today by both the government and opposition, despite troubling signs that the Centre's board may be stacked with those with little or no expertise in renewable energy.

The interim board of the Centre - which is charged with allocating funding to emerging renewable energy developments - includes only one person with expertise in renewable energy but several from the fossil fuel industry and is chaired by a nuclear expert.

"The Australian Centre for Renewable Energy is an important step, but particularly given the recent mismanagement of climate policies, I am troubled that the Senate would not accept more transparency for the board," Australian Greens Deputy Leader, Senator Christine Milne, said.