Date: 27 May 2021 at 8:59:38 am AEST
To: undisclosed-recipients:;
Subject: Daily Links May 27
Post of the Day
Fossil Fuel Fiesta: Australia’s coal and gas giants get more in subsidies than they pay in royalties
Callum Foote
Australia’s fossil fuel miners and drillers may be receiving more in government subsidies than they pay in royalties. An investigation by Callum Foote lifts the lid on the transfer of wealth from the public to foreign-controlled resources companies.
On This Day
National Reconciliation Week (until June 3)
National
‘We’ve got nothing’: The forgotten voices in the Murray-Darling Basin debate
For tens of thousands of years, Indigenous people were the custodians of our waterways — but they say they’ve been locked out of water management and ownership.
Report finds holes in Murray water recovery scheme
A plan to return 450 gigalitres of environmental flows to the River Murray will fall short and is on track to return just 13 per cent of the required water by the 2024 deadline, a study has found.
‘Way off the chart’: Malcolm Turnbull’s challenge of PM’s adviser Andrew Liveris vindicated
The former Dow Chemical CEO clashed with ex-prime minister Malcolm Turnbull on the Q+A show over his claim that 850,000 Australians work in industries that use natural gas as feedstock.
Renewable hydrogen already cheaper for heavy transport, new analysis says
CEFC commissioned study finds that renewable hydrogen is already cost-competitive in heavy transport industries, and could compete with EVs by mid-century.
Ancient trees unlock Australia’s hidden history of megadroughts
Scientists analysing ancient trees say Australia has experienced a series of megadroughts lasting up to 30 years and it may happen again.
Wild deer need to be declared environmental pests: Senate Inquiry
Farmers should be allowed to eradicate wild deer from their land with fewer regulator controls, according to the latest national inquiry looking at invasive animals.
Researchers using simple measure to stop wallabies being cat ‘snacks’
Researchers say a simple measure can have huge benefits to endangered species populations by protecting young animals when they’re vulnerable to feral cats.
Australia’s ‘energy future’ is suddenly upon us: Origin, AGL
Big changes are radically reshaping Australia’s energy market and forcing big power companies to stay ahead of accelerating demands.
‘We’re burying banknotes’: Ross Garnaut rubbishes government’s $600m gas plant
The economist has likened the funding of “redundant” energy capacity to Keynes’ banknote theory of burying money so the unemployed can dig it up to stay productive.
‘The way out of welfare’: How empowering Indigenous groups to manage their water can have a positive impact
For tens of thousands of years, Indigenous people were the custodians of our waterways — but they say they’ve been locked out of water management and ownership.
Surge in big battery investments masks collapse in new wind and solar
CEC says battery storage investment is surging, but Morrison government interference has helped push investment in wind and solar to a five year low.
CSIRO launches $68 million ‘mission’ to foster Australia green hydrogen
The CSIRO will partner with industry, government and research institutions to nurture the development of Australian green hydrogen technologies.
A ‘100% renewables’ target might not mean what you think it means. An energy expert explains
James Ha
In the global effort to transition from fossil fuels to clean energy, achieving a “100% renewables” electricity system is considered ideal.
Free rego and $15,000 loans: How to encourage electric vehicle ownership
Shane Rattenbury
Governments need to make electric vehicles more accessible to more people.
How regional councils are powering ahead on climate change despite government inaction
Portia Odell
When the federal government pours buckets of taxpayers’ money into costly, unnecessary and damaging fossil fuel projects, I choose to focus on the momentum of subnational players capitalising on the opportunities of a clean economy.
Labor must be honest on climate and jobs [$]
Madeleine King
Joel Fitzgibbon says that Labor cannot forget the miners. But it also cannot forget that world markets move on.
Taxes on electric vehicles will slow Australia’s progress. It’s not complicated
Richard Denniss
While most of the world offers incentives to people buying EVs, our government hands out subsidies for utes
Australia’s threatened species plan sends in the ambulances but ignores glaring dangers
Euan Ritchie
Australia is unquestionably in the midst of an extinction crisis. Some 34 native mammal species have been driven to extinction since European invasion, and threatened species and ecological communities now number more than 1,900.
Fossil Fuel Fiesta: Australia’s coal and gas giants get more in subsidies than they pay in royalties
Callum Foote
Australia’s fossil fuel miners and drillers may be receiving more in government subsidies than they pay in royalties. An investigation by Callum Foote lifts the lid on the transfer of wealth from the public to foreign-controlled resources companies.
New South Wales
‘Like a garden of Eden’: Outback town of Menindee booming after years of drought
The refilling of a vast, shallow lake with water has brought prosperity and optimism to the small outback town of Menindee.
‘What does that mean?’: Park above inner west concrete plant sparks confusion
The idea to build a park above a concrete plant proposed for inner Sydney’s Glebe Island has triggered questions about the state government’s plans to combine the port with new public space.
Why pets on public transport could ease Sydney traffic [$]
A ban on passengers taking dogs on ferries has sparked backlash but experts say pet-friendly transport would help Sydney.
Sydney’s parklands are public gems, not real estate to turn a dollar
Linda Bergin
A new single Parklands board would have to look after five of Sydney’s most significant parks, a monumental task that’s asking for trouble.
ACT
Mouse plague could tackled by snakes: ANU researcher
Poisoning is a terrible way to deal with the the plague of mice, according to Dr Gavin Smith of the Australian National University. He says snakes which are natural predators of mice should have a much bigger role in ending the plague which has ruined crops, damaged hay, invaded homes and caused millions of dollars of damage.
Light rail to Commonwealth Park virtual trip offered
Public transport users have been invited to take their first light rail trip to Commonwealth Park, virtually.
Queensland
Queensland’s damaged Callide Power Station likely to remain offline until late next week
It will be several days before Queensland’s Callide Power Station starts operating again, as investigators work to determine what caused the fire that tripped power to most of the state.
Near catastrophe: Power station on fire and only three workers trained to fight it
Emergency services rushed to Callide power station for a “potential mass casualty event” as hundreds of workers were evacuated from the danger zone, it has been revealed in the wake of Tuesday’s massive power outage.
Power station fire incident highlights how Qld’s grid is set to change
Widespread power outages on Tuesday have alerted many to the issues surrounding Queensland’s power grid, and experts hope it sparks more discussion about the future of power.
‘We have to win coal seats’: Labor campaigners worried about party’s direction
Labor campaigners are calling for an urgent change in the party’s direction with concerns about the party’s prospects north of Brisbane.
Adani’s own count of endangered bird at mine shows ‘shocking’ drop
The first annual report into Adani’s environmental operations at their Carmichael coal mine site shows an 80 per cent decline in the number of endangered black-throated finch.
Hole new world: The date Victoria Park Golf Course is set to close
Work to begin the 10-year transformation of Brisbane’s Victoria Park, including the Victoria Park Golf Course, begins on July 1.
Would a big battery have kept the lights on in Queensland?
Giles Parkinson
The Coalition argued that the coal plant explosion at Callide is a justification for more coal. A big battery might just have prevented the blackouts.
Coal baron’s electric-car bonanza [$]
Chanticleer
Trevor St Baker, the man who bought a coal power station for $1 million and made hundreds of millions, is about to cash in on a home-grown electric vehicle fast-charger company from Brisbane.
Reality bites: Callide drama exposes a Government whistling in the dark
John McCarthy
The State Government has been grimly hanging on to its coal-fired power station fleet in the hope nothing disastrous would happen. Well, guess what?
South Australia
SA mining production tunnels past $7 billion amid commodity price boom
Record copper sales and soaring gold and iron ore prices in the second half of 2020 has helped South Australia reach its second-highest year of mining value, latest state government figures show.
Ecologist in battle to save ‘living dead’ [$]
A scientist and an army of volunteers are trying to replant a staggering 150,000ha of the Mt Lofty ranges, to save its animals from “paying the extinction debt”.
Tasmania
Heritage nod for Halls Island hut won’t impact Lake Malbena development: Daniel Hackett
The potential heritage-listing of a 1950s hut on Halls Island won’t impede a controversial private tourism development proposed for Lake Malbena, the proponent says.
Popular Launceston trail now fully wheelchair-accessible
A 100-kilometre trail around Launceston is now fully wheelchair-accessible.
Western Australia
Recordings of critically endangered night parrots music to ears of rangers, scientists
It could be Australia’s rarest bird and was only photographed for the first time in 2015. But new evidence collected by Indigenous rangers has uncovered a surprising find.
Sustainability
‘A huge deal’: Exxon activist wins board seats in landmark climate vote
A tiny hedge fund dealt a major blow to Exxon Mobil as shareholders elected at least two of the fund’s nominated directors to the oil giant’s board after a months-long battle over the company’s carbon footprint and growth plans.
Shell loses climate case that may set precedent for big oil [$]
The legal ruling could have far-reaching consequences for the rest of the global fossil fuel industry.
Nature Conservation
How 600,000 citizen scientists helped calculate that Earth is home to 50 billion birds
New research aimed to help conservation efforts estimates there are six wild birds per human being on the planet but climate change, urbanisation, and agriculture pose a major threat.
UK banks’ support for deforestation firms topped £900m last year
MP leads call for amendment to environment bill to root out illegal deforestation from supply chains
Back from the dead: Tortoise species thought extinct for 100 years is confirmed to be alive
Scientists matched a specimen extracted in 1906 with DNA from a tortoise found in 2019, confirming the Chelonoidis phantasticus species was in fact not extinct.
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