Month: September 2020

The Greens have today said the Morrison Government’s Media Code plan is incomplete, calling on the government to include the public broadcasters in the Mandatory Code, ensure the survival of the AAP newswire and protect smaller players.
Australian Greens Spokesperson for Communications and Media Senator Sarah Hanson-Young has said any Code must protect public broadcasting and public interest journalism.
“The ABC is Australia’s most trusted news source and should be included in any reform to tackle the greed of the big tech giants.  It was a deliberate decision to lock the public broadcasters out of the draft code, allowing Facebook and Google to profit from their content for free – the Government should reverse this and drop their relentless attack on the ABC.
“The power and greed of the tech giants is threatening journalism and public access to news. The government’s mandatory ACCC code could be part of the solution but the draft needs fixing and additional measures brought to the table.
“Australia’s media landscape is facing unprecedented challenges. Public interest journalism, reliable local news and trustworthy and informed analysis is essential for a robust and accountable democracy.  The power imbalance between the big tech giants and Australian news organisations is unsustainable.
“It is therefore important that key parts of Australia’s media landscape are protected as part of this process.  There is no reason for the ABC and SBS to be excluded from the Code. Public broadcasters deserve a fair return for what they produce and what the tech platforms benefit from.
“At the same time it is important that Australia’s fact based independent newswire service is supported. It would be unconscionable for the Government not to find a way of supporting AAP while introducing a code that supports other media players. AAP is key media infrastructure that helps new players into the market and diversity across Australia’s media landscape.
“The ACCC’s draft Mandatory Code must guarantee simple and cost effective benefits for small and independent media players, through effective collective bargaining arrangements.
“If the aim of this code is to ensure the viability of Australia’s media, then the Government should ensure ABC is included, that AAP doesn’t fail and that small and independent publishers don’t miss out.
“Public interest journalism is under threat in Australia, whether it be from funding cuts to the ABC, loss of advertising revenue for commercial outlets or the threat of heavy-handed police action that we have seen lately. The Greens’ changes would see the mandatory code go some way to protecting public interest journalism in Australia.
“The Greens reserve our final position on the Mandatory Code until we have seen the legislation.”

The Greens strongly oppose the bill to establish a nuclear waste dump at Kimba.
Senator Sarah Hanson-Young, Greens Senator for South Australia said:
“The Senate Inquiry showed that this is a highly flawed bill. There are deep concerns that this bill blatantly seeks to prevent any right to judicial review of this process and sets in stone Kimba as the dump site against strong community opposition.”
“The Morrison Government has no mandate from the people of South Australia to dump nuclear waste in our backyard. The decision to set up a nuclear waste dump in SA will affect our state for generations to come. All South Australians should have the right to have their say on this important issue.”
“The Morrison Government has bungled this process from the beginning. They have mismanaged site selection, failed to secure the consent of the Traditional Owners, the Barngala people, and failed to consult the broader South Australian community.”
“The Government needs to halt this process and establish an independent inquiry into all waste management options.”
”The Greens will fight this is Canberra, and work hard in Parliament to stop our state being the Morrison Government’s dumping ground.”
Mark Parnell MLC said:
“Nuclear waste dumps are illegal in South Australia under State law. We already know that the Traditional Owners of the land are opposed to the dump. They were even denied the right to vote in the community ballot. Also, other affected communities through which nuclear waste will be transported, weren’t even consulted.
If the Federal Government pushes ahead with this divisive project, it will also trigger a State Parliamentary inquiry, where all those South Australian communities ignored so far, will be able to express their concerns.”

The Greens are calling on the Labor Leader in the Senate, Penny Wong to declare where her party stands on the proposed Nuclear Waste Dump in SA, after a clear division within the Labor Party was revealed in a Senate Inquiry Report released late yesterday.
NSW Labor Senator Jenny McAllister delivered a dissenting report, independent of her Labor colleagues including SA Senator Alex Gallacher who supports the majority report that SA should be a dumping ground for nuclear waste.
Greens Senator for South Australia Sarah Hanson-Young said:
“Penny Wong needs to come out today and tell South Australians where the Labor Party stands.
“Does it stand with Senator McAllister who has stated the process for selecting a site has been flawed and no meaningful community consent obtained? Or does it stand with SA Senator Alex Gallacher and the Liberal Party who want to dump on SA?
“The decision to set up a nuclear waste dump in SA will affect our state for generations to come. All South Australians should have the right to have their say on this important issue and they should know very clearly where the ‘opposition party’ stands both at a federal and state level.”

Gas will help re‑establish a strong economy as part of the Government’s JobMaker plan, making energy affordable for families and businesses and supporting jobs as part of Australia’s recovery from the COVID-19 recession.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the Government would reset the east coast gas market and create a more competitive and transparent Australian Gas Hub by unlocking gas supply, delivering an efficient pipeline and transportation market, and empowering gas customers.
The Government will get more gas into the market by:

• Setting new gas supply targets with states and territories and enforce potential “use-it or lose-it” requirements on gas licenses
• Unlocking five key gas basins starting with the Beetaloo Basin in the NT and the North Bowen and Galilee Basin in Queensland, at a cost of $28.3 million for the plans
• Avoiding any supply shortfall in the gas market with new agreements with the three east coast LNG exporters that will also strengthen price commitments
• Supporting CSIRO’s Gas Industry Social and Environmental Research Alliance with $13.7 million.
• Exploring options for a prospective gas reservation scheme to ensure Australian gas users get the energy they need at a reasonable price

We will boost the gas transport network by:

• Identifying priority pipelines and critical infrastructure as part of an inaugural National Gas Infrastructure Plan (NGIP) worth $10.9 million that will also highlight where the government will step in if the private sector doesn’t invest
• Reforming the regulations on pipeline infrastructure to promote competition and transparency
• Improving pipeline access and competition by kick-starting work on a dynamic secondary pipeline capacity market

To better empower gas consumers, the Government will:

• Establish an Australian Gas Hub at our most strategically located and connected gas trading hub at Wallumbilla in Queensland to deliver an open, transparent and liquid gas trading system
• Level the negotiating playing field for gas producers and consumers through a voluntary industry-led code of conduct, to be delivered by February 2021.
• Ensure Australians are paying the right price for their gas by working with the ACCC to review the calculation of the LNG netback price which provides a guide on the export parity prices
• Use the NGIP to develop customer hubs or a book-build program that will give gas customers a more transparent and competitive process for meeting their needs

“To help fire our economic recovery, the next plank in our JobMaker plan is to deliver more Australian gas where it is needed at an internationally competitive price,” the Prime Minister said.
“We’ll work with industry to deliver a gas hub for Australia that will ensure households and businesses enjoy the benefits of our abundant local gas while we hold our position as one of the top global liquefied natural gas (LNG) exporters,” the Prime Minister said.
“This is about making Australia’s gas work for all Australians. Gas is a critical enabler of Australia’s economy.
“Our competitive advantage has always been based on affordable, reliable energy. As we turn to our economic recovery from COVID-19, affordable gas will play a central role in re-establishing the strong economy we need for jobs growth, funding government services and opportunities for all.”
Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction Angus Taylor said reliable and affordable gas was more important now than ever.
“A gas-fired recovery will help Australia’s economy bounce back better and stronger while supporting our growing renewable capacity and delivering the reliable and affordable energy Australians deserve,” Minister Taylor said.
“We are building a robust and competitive gas industry that will allow both gas producers and users to thrive, with lower prices and lower emissions benefiting all Australians.”
Minister for Resources, Water and Northern Australia Keith Pitt said the Government’s Gas Plan would drive job creation and economic growth in northern and regional Australia.
“This commitment will encourage investment to unlock Australia’s vast resources potential – boosting exports, jobs and energy supplies,” Minister Pitt said.
“Developing Australia’s untapped gas resources will help to deliver more affordable and more sustainable gas supply that supports households and businesses.”
Gas supports the manufacturing sector, which employs over 850,000 Australians and is an essential input in the production of plastics for PPE and fertiliser for food production. In 2019, Australia was the largest exporter of LNG, with an export value of $49 billion.
Low gas prices also drive down electricity prices, benefiting all Australian households and businesses. Gas complements our world leading renewables sector by keeping the lights on when the sun isn’t shining and the wind isn’t blowing.
The Government wants the private sector to step-up and make timely investments in the gas market. If the private sector fails to act, the Government will step in – as it has done for electricity transmission – to back these nation building projects. This may include through streamlining approvals, underwriting projects or the establishment of a special purpose vehicle with a capped Government contribution.
The Government has already taken a number of important steps to ensure affordable and reliable gas prices for Australian users, including increasing domestic supply through the Australian Domestic Gas Security Mechanism, supporting the development of the Beetaloo Basin, and successive Heads of Agreement with east coast LNG exporters.
Gas is part of the Government’s plan to reduce emissions without imposing new costs on households, while at the same time creating jobs, growing businesses and the economy.

The Prime Minister said the Government would also work with state governments through a program worth up to $250 million to accelerate three critical projects – the Marinus Link, Project Energy Connect and VNI West interconnectors.
“These links will help put downward pressure on prices, shore up the reliability of our energy grid and create over 4,000 jobs,” the Prime Minister said.
“Our plan for Australia’s energy future is squarely focused on bringing down prices, keeping the lights on and reducing our emissions and these interconnectors bring us a step closer to that reality.”
Together with the Government’s existing support for HumeLink and the QNI Interconnector, this means we are accelerating all priority transmission projects identified in the AEMO Integrated System Plan.
The Government’s plan will hold the energy companies to account and maintain downward pressure on electricity prices while simultaneously developing the backbone of a reliable, lower emissions National Electricity Market for the next decade and beyond.

The Government is setting a target for the electricity sector to deliver 1,000 megawatts of new dispatchable energy to replace the Liddell power station before it closes down in 2023.
To protect families and businesses against the risk of price rises, the Government will step up and back a new gas power plant in the Hunter Valley if the sector doesn’t replace Liddell’s capacity.
The Liddell Taskforce found closing the plant without adequate dispatchable replacement capacity risks prices rising by around 30 per cent over two years, or $20 per megawatt hour to $80 in 2024 and up to $105 per MWH by 2030.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the Government’s JobMaker plan was focused on delivering affordable, reliable energy that would ultimately support the economy and new jobs.
The Prime Minister said the potential price increases were unacceptable and would represent a huge hit to families, businesses and job creating industries in NSW if the energy generated by Liddell wasn’t replaced.
“Affordable, reliable and a secure electricity supply is critical to our JobMaker plan for households, businesses and industry,” the Prime Minister said.
“We won’t risk the affordability and reliability of the NSW energy system and will step in unless the industry steps up.
To ensure we do not have a scenario without replacement, the Government is giving the private sector until the end of April 2021 to reach final investment decisions on 1000 MW of dispatchable capacity, with a commitment for generation in time for summer 2023-24.
However, if, by the end of April 2021, the private sector has not delivered on the target, the Government will take necessary steps to ensure the required dispatchable capacity is built.
To this end, Snowy Hydro Limited is developing options to build a gas generator in the Hunter Valley at Kurri Kurri should the market not deliver what consumers need.
Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction Angus Taylor said the market has a clear obligation, as an essential service, to step up and deliver affordable, reliable power for consumers.
Minister Taylor said that since 2010, investment in dispatchable capacity had slowed to a trickle, with only around 1.6 GW of new dispatchable capacity connected in the national electricity market.
“The Government has always been clear – we need to see life extension or like-for-like replacement of Liddell,” Minister Taylor said.
“Over the last decade, the private sector has not built a single new reliable power plant in NSW.
“And in the five years since the closure of Liddell was first announced, the private sector has only committed to a single dispatchable generation expansion – a 100MW addition to the existing Bayswater plant. This falls far short of what is required.
“The Government expects industry to step up and deliver the new dispatchable capacity required to ensure a reliable and affordable energy system.
“If industry steps up, we’ll step back.”
The Prime Minister said the Government would also work with state governments through a program worth up to $250 million to accelerate three critical projects – the Marinus Link, Project Energy Connect and VNI West interconnectors.
“These links will help put downward pressure on prices, shore up the reliability of our energy grid and create over 4,000 jobs,” the Prime Minister said.
“Our plan for Australia’s energy future is squarely focused on bringing down prices, keeping the lights on and reducing our emissions and these interconnectors bring us a step closer to that reality.”
Together with the Government’s existing support for HumeLink and the QNI Interconnector, this means we are accelerating all priority transmission projects identified in the AEMO Integrated System Plan.
The Government’s plan will hold the energy companies to account and maintain downward pressure on electricity prices while simultaneously developing the backbone of a reliable, lower emissions National Electricity Market for the next decade and beyond.