Daily Links Oct 20

Frydenberg appeals to states on energy but gives them 24-hour deadline
States have only 24 hours to provide input before Coalition sends instructions to the Energy Security Board
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2017/oct/19/frydenberg-appeals-to-states-on-energy-but-gives-them-24-hour-deadline

Labor says it will reach 50% renewable energy regardless of PM’s guarantee
Exclusive: Mark Butler says Malcolm Turnbull ambushed states with energy ‘thought bubble’
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2017/oct/20/labor-says-it-will-reach-50-renewable-energy-regardless-of-pms-guarantee

Graph of the Day: What we need, what we’re getting
How Turnbull’s National Energy Target will be worse for the renewable energy sector than no policy at all.
http://reneweconomy.com.au/graph-day-need-getting-52214/

MPs edgy over carbon ‘cap’
The new energy policy is fuelling anxiety among government MPs, who are liken­ing it to a ‘cap and trade’ carbon scheme.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/climate/energy-reform-coalition-mps-edgy-over-cap-on-carbon/news-story/7c8933fec6743bfaba98d7e1125a8c03

Energy policy architect plays down carbon price fears
http://www.theage.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/energy-policy-architect-plays-down-carbon-price-fears-as-malcolm-turnbull-calls-for-end-to-climate-wars-20171019-gz480y.html

Forestry sector eyes farmland
Researchers funded by timber companies and the Federal Government plan to create new business models to boost Australia’s wood stocks, using farmland.
http://www.weeklytimesnow.com.au/agribusiness/forestry-sector-eyes-farmland-for-integrated-agroforestry/news-story/d33c37c35462911021c95c02f2e497f9

Rising dragon: China’s carbon market exposes Australia’s energy paralysis
Peter Christoff, University of Melbourne
While China launches its new energy market, Australia is still lagging behind in implementing a mechanism to control carbon emissions
https://theconversation.com/rising-dragon-chinas-carbon-market-exposes-australias-energy-paralysis-85253

How Labor could mess with Turnbull’s head on energy
Bernard Keane
https://www.crikey.com.au/2017/10/19/how-labor-could-mess-with-turnbulls-head-on-energy/

Turnbull’s NEG is his new NBN — guaranteed
David Donovan
Coal is to Turnbull’s new National Energy Guarantee what copper was to his lacklustre version of the National Broadband Network.
https://independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/turnbulls-neg-is-his-new-nbn–guaranteed,10836

Energy guarantee a Clayton’s emissions intensity scheme
John Hewson
Any sort of medium-term guarantee is unlikely to impress voters who will have to live with further increases in their electricity prices.
https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/opinion/john-hewson-energy-guarantee-a-claytons-emissions-intensity-scheme-20171019-gz3z1c.html

Pragmatism, not ideology, is needed on national energy policy
Canberra Times editorial
If, as has been widely suggested, the Federal ALP reluctantly agrees to the Coalition’s long awaited energy policy after going through the motions of publicly opposing it, Labor states and territories will be under significant pressure to do the same.
http://www.canberratimes.com.au/comment/ct-editorial/pragmatism-not-ideology-is-needed-on-national-energy-policy-20171019-gz4b5v.html

Policy headed in right direction
Henry Ergas
A lack of detail is worrying but the National Energy Guarantee is a welcome improvement on past electricity policy.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/opinion/columnists/henry-ergas/at-last-an-energy-policy-that-has-australia-headed-in-right-direction/news-story/f1c037f0bfab32b129772891197fbe71

Vague modelling has run its course
Simon Benson
Labor’s refusal to reveal what its energy policy will do to retail energy bills is a major liability for Bill Shorten.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/opinion/bill-shortens-vague-modelling-of-energy-policies-has-run-its-course/news-story/32fce71149559a2153d7ea6ef9544b5c

Guarantee talks will test PM
David Crowe
Turnbull has given himself an edge on energy but Shorten will exploit any slips.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/opinion/energy-guarantee-talks-will-test-turnbulls-political-skills/news-story/816c8f9de6946ef0efbee110b44b00e9

Amid all the noise, a significant moment in politics
Laura Tingle
Malcolm Turnbull and Josh Frydenberg got a policy on energy and emissions through the Coalition party room. The long divisions on policy mechanisms to achieve a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions – which once cost Turnbull the Liberal leadership – are apparently over.
This has happened without concessions about climate change science, and without policies that put a big hole in the budget.
http://www.afr.com/opinion/amid-all-the-noise-a-significant-moment-in-politics-20171019-gz486a#ixzz4vyupEfYO

Designing suburbs to cut car use closes gaps in health and wealth
Jerome N Rachele, Australian Catholic University; Aislinn Healy, Australian Catholic University; Jim Sallis, University of California, San Diego, and Takemi Sugiyama, Australian Catholic University
One of the most effective ways to reduce health inequalities across Australia is to design neighbourhoods that free residents from having to rely on cars for transport.
https://theconversation.com/designing-suburbs-to-cut-car-use-closes-gaps-in-health-and-wealth-83961

Where is the government condemnation of Rio Tinto?
Bernard Keane
https://www.crikey.com.au/2017/10/19/where-is-the-government-condemnation-of-rio-tinto/

Why Australians are buying e-bikes
 Michael O’Reilly
Lately, I’ve been seeing more and more e-bikes.
http://www.executivestyle.com.au/why-australians-are-buying-ebikes-gytvqv#ixzz4vz7GJY5O

Adani coalmine: Queensland councils to pay at least $31m for airstrip
Townsville and Rockhampton councils may pay millions more if company’s bid to sew up deal with traditional owners fails
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2017/oct/20/adani-coalmine-queensland-councils-to-pay-at-least-31m-for-airstrip

Government resume land for Adani
A FARM group – partly backed by the Tim Flannery-led Climate Council – has hit out over the State Government resumption of agricultural land for the Adani rail line.
http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/palaszczuk-government-resume-emerald-farmland-for-adani-rail-link/news-story/6b8ace0c20d8a947de59047346a8bc82

Shake-up for waste deals
New contracts will be drawn up for hundreds of small businesses across Cairns that use waste management giant JJ Richards after the Federal Court found the company’s standard agreement contained eight unfair terms.
http://www.cairnspost.com.au/news/cairns/waste-giant-jj-richards-loses-fight-over-unfair-small-business-contracts/news-story/87709c3172a59fcc5e9c536402e8cea2

State drinks to bright side of deluge
THIS week’s deluge has added three months of extra drinking water for southeast Queensland residents, with many dams replenished to near-capacity.
http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/more-rain-expected-as-deluge-tops-up-queenslands-dams/news-story/ef7b68b42bb3631ef1f2d38f35a801fa

Can Carmichael? No Brainer, But How 4 Corners Got There Is Wrong
Geoff Russell
The argument against the Carmichael coal mine is strong. But the argument put forward by the ABC, not so much
https://newmatilda.com/2017/10/19/can-carmichael-no-brainer-4-corners-got-wrong/

Cars give way to $300m bus contract hope
Four hundred new buses will rejuvenate Adelaide Metro’s fleet over the next 10 years, and it could mean big business for former Holden suppliers.
http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/ageing-buses-to-be-replaced-by-south-australia-government-in-300-million-program/news-story/850cc6e42757f4180899fd74a78043c7

Just 35 mins to approve Govt’s $500k energy sell
THE panel charged with approving Government advertising was given just 35 minutes to sign off on a campaign promoting Labor’s energy policies.
http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/panel-given-35-minutes-to-approve-governments-5000000-energy-policy-advertising-campaign/news-story/b2ec345186c606c1b7903111aac7c099

One Adelaide council leads the way in losing green space
A western suburbs council has lost 7 per cent of its green space in the past four years, sparking calls for tougher laws around removal of trees.
http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/messenger/west-beaches/charles-sturt-lost-most-green-space-of-any-south-australian-council-according-to-new-study/news-story/8a955a11bf1ef8529e485cfa6f45513d

Bumper pay day for Hydro executives
SENIOR executives enjoyed a bumper year at Hydro Tasmania in 2016-17, with wage rises of up to 28 per cent.
http://www.themercury.com.au/business/hydro-executives-enjoy-a-bumper-pay-day-with-rises-of-up-to-28-per-cent/news-story/dfb82c9561619d9fd29fd7a4512fb42a

Ocean warming pushes reef species south
Ocean temperature increases could soon bring warmer water reef fish to Tasmania’s East Coast.
http://www.themercury.com.au/news/tasmania/ocean-warming-creates-changes-for-tasmanias-marine-ecosystem/news-story/317c1cc234eb250f0b8263d8269a932d

Taxpayers face $170k legal bill, warn Greens
TAXPAYERS will foot a legal bill estimated at $170,000 for the failed defence of a High Court challenge against the state’s anti-protest laws, Greens leader Cassy O’Connor says.
http://www.themercury.com.au/news/politics/taxpayers-face-170000-legal-bill-over-protest-laws-case-warn-greens/news-story/726f467c48fa9eba02197bf1ffb8b128

Forest industry fears protests
Tasmania’s forestry industry fears a “bizarre” High Court decision has opened a “Pandora’s box of militant protests”.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/state-politics/forest-industry-fears-protest-pandoras-box-after-ruling/news-story/1e0d31025f1e7dc88dfd3db4f20a28dc

Why the High Court shut down Tassie’s anti-protest laws in Bob Brown case
Michael Bradley
The High Court has given judgment in Bob Brown’s case against Tasmanian anti-protest laws, and found the laws invalid on the basis they infringe the implied constitutional freedom of political communication.
https://www.crikey.com.au/2017/10/19/high-court-shuts-down-tassies-anti-protest-laws-in-bob-brown-case/

Arsonist stretches exhausted Tom Price firefighters to limit
http://www.watoday.com.au/wa-news/arsonist-stretches-exhausted-tom-price-firefighters-to-limit-20171019-gz49fd.html

That toxic soil from the new Perth airport link? The WA Government doesn’t know what to do with it
Almost a million tonnes of toxic, contaminated soil transported from the construction site of Perth’s new airport link is being stockpiled in Forrestfield until the Government works out what to do with it.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-10-19/forrestfield-tunnel-toxic-pfas-soil-dump-future-uncertain/9066212

Browse project on track: Coleman
Woodside chief Peter Coleman says talks over a $US30 billion development of the Browse gasfields are progressing well.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/mining-energy/browse-project-on-track-coleman/news-story/3b566bfb2ac928583da94dc5b0e12cc7

Developing world still struggling with obsolete pesticides.
The cotton fields of sub-Saharan Africa hold a deadly secret—thousands of tons of obsolete pesticides are buried out of sight but slowly taking a toxic toll on the region’s people and environment. This is a common problem in many developing countries.
http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/t/-4566925153911786093

Scientists Solve a Magnesium Mystery in Rechargeable Battery Performance
Rechargeable batteries based on magnesium, rather than lithium, have the potential to extend electric vehicle range by packing more energy into smaller batteries. But unforeseen chemical roadblocks have slowed scientific progress.
http://www.enn.com/energy/article/52895

Unfair trade: US beef has a climate problem.
Future trade deals in the US, and around the world, must explicitly assure that trade and profit do not override climate policy.
http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/t/-4566925153911786074

Forest fires on the rise as JRC study warns of danger to air quality
The JRC’s annual forest fires report confirms a trend towards longer and more intense fire seasons in Europe and neighbouring regions, with wildfires now occurring throughout the year. The report coincides with an international study which finds that global wildfire trends could have significant health implications due to rising harmful emissions.
http://www.enn.com/ecosystems/article/52894

Impact of Amazonian hydropower is ‘significantly underestimated,’ study finds
The environmental impact of hydropower generation in the Amazon may be greater than predicted, according to new University of Stirling research.
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2017-10/uos-ioa101917.php