Victorian water bills set to soar with desalination

The Age

Figures from the Victorian Auditor-General’s October finance report have led the State Opposition to suggest water costs in Melbourne could more than double again when the Government’s multi-billion dollar desalination plant comes online. The Opposition says households could eventually be slugged with water bills of up to $2000 a year to pay for what they describe as “the exorbitant mismanaged costs of the desalination plant.” While the government claims those extrapolated water costs are “grossly exaggerated”.

Meanwhile, Melbourne’s water catchment levels have reached 50% for the first time in four years following good October rains. Melbourne Water says the city is still vulnerable to drought, with water storage no where near capacity levels seen in the mid-1990s.

posted by seamas on October 31, 2010 at 8:54 pm · filed under

Conservationists endorse new strategy to avert extinction crisis

ACF

The Australian Conservation Foundation has welcomed the new National Biodiversity Strategy released by Federal Environment Minister Tony Burke, describing it as “an important road map on how to revive our unique wildlife and ecosystems.” With recent studies revealing that species across parts of Australia are facing an extinction crisis and the potential for climate change to exacerbate it, “there is clearly a need to act and substantially invest in our wildlife and life support systems,” says ACF.

posted by seamas on October 28, 2010 at 7:02 am · filed under

Murray-Darling Authority and politicians cave in to irrigation lobby

The Age

Environmentalists are concerned by signs the Murray-Darling Basin Authority may be reversing its stance on returning water flows to the river system. Federal Minister for Water, Tony Burke, was seen to publicly pressure the Authority to adjust its management plan to reduce pain for irrigators when he released new legal advice and demanded more consideration for economic and social impacts.

The decision some media are describing as a “backflip” occured after an outcry from local farmers facing water allocation cuts to improve the environmental flows and health of the river system. A spokesperson for the Australian Conservation Foundation described the process as having ‘‘gone off the rails’’.

posted by seamas on October 27, 2010 at 7:26 am · filed under

Massive write-down will ease Hazelwood closure

ABC News

Environmentalists seeking the closure of one of Australia’s most polluting coal-fired power stations claim a signficant write down of the plant’s value indicates it could be closed down for far less compensation than its owners are currently demanding. The Commonwealth Bank has written down its 8.3% stake in Hazelwood Power Station to just $1 million and asserts it would not make the same investment mistake in future. The Victorian power station was valued at over $2 billion little over a decade ago. State and Federal politicians are discussing the plant’s closure.

posted by seamas on October 27, 2010 at 7:08 am · filed under

Environment a key concern for Australians

Sydney Morning Herald

New polling shows that Australians consider the state of the environment third amongst their most important issues, ahead of other important social issues, including unemployment. A surprising 13% of people polled named the environment their top issue of concern, while 91% said they thought big business should do more to reduce its impact on the environment. The poll also showed that 80% thought they could do more recycling at home, as well as widespread confusion about what can be recycled.

posted by seamas on October 26, 2010 at 8:23 pm · filed under

Waste & Recycling Expo (Sydney, Nov 10-11)

The first Australian Waste & Recycling Expo will be held at the Sydney Showground, Sydney Olympic Park on Wednesday the 10th and Thursday the 11th of November, 2010, from 9am – 5pm.

posted by seamas on October 26, 2010 at 4:51 pm · filed under

Invasive species and climate change a bad combination

IUCN

The Global Invasive Species Programme released a report this week addressing invasive species and climate change – two major threats that are causing disastrous environmental changes globally and cost countries ten per cent of their Gross Domestic Product. Now, new evidence shows that climate change is compounding the effects of invasive species, so that together the ‘deadly duo’ are causing environmental damage to escalate dangerously. The report advises governments to take urgent, integrative action against climate change and invasive species to help save ecosystems and the resources we are dependent on.

posted by anna on October 24, 2010 at 1:07 pm · filed under