Scott Morrison banned Liberal MP Craig Kelly from the ABC's Q&A program

Prime Minister Scott Morrison banned outspoken Liberal MP Craig Kelly from appearing on the ABC's flagship Q&A program last month in an attempt to moderate public perceptions of the government on climate change.

PM Scott  Morison has banned climate sceptic, Craig Kelly
 (above), from appearing on the ABC's Q&A program.

Privately, many Liberal MPs are concerned about the government's climate change position, arguing it was a weakness in the election campaign despite Mr Morrison's surprise win.

Read the story from The Sydney Morning Herald by Michael Koziol - “Scott Morrison banned Liberal MP Craig Kelly from the ABC's Q&A program.”

Matt Canavan threatens challenge to tree-clearing laws

The Turnbull government is threatening to use the Racial ­Discrimination Act in an attempt to overturn a revived tree-clearing crackdown in Queensland, which is expected to be passed into law this week.

Federal Minister for Resources and Northern Australia
 Matthew Canavan hope to use the High Court to overturn
Queensland's tree-clearing crackdown.

Federal Minister for Resources and Northern Australia Matthew Canavan confirmed that advice was being sought to possibly intervene in the High Court over the state laws.

Senator Canavan said the federal government was responding to calls from indigenous leaders who believed the proposed legislation would stifle economic ­development opportunities on Cape York.

The revival of the legislation, which contains more restrictions than flagged at the November election, follows the defeat of similar laws under the previous minority Palaszczuk government when it was opposed by former indigenous MP Billy Gordon.

Read Michael McKenna’s story from The Australian - “Matt Canavan threatens challenge to tree-clearing laws.”

Scientists to build GIANT SUNSHADE for the Earth in astonishing bid to stop global warming

SUNSHINE could be dimmed in an astonishing attempt by scientists to curb climate change. Then experts are hoping to discover if a man-made chemical sunshade would be less risky than a harmful rise in global temperatures.

The sunshade of ash will cool earth, say scientists.

Solar geo-engineering, which would mimic big volcanic eruptions that can cool the Earth by masking the sun with a veil of ash, is now dominated by rich nations and universities such as Harvard and Oxford.

Twelve scholars, from countries including Bangladesh, Brazil, China, Ethiopia, India, Jamaica and Thailand, wrote in the journal Nature on Wednesday the poor were most vulnerable to global warming and should be more involved.

Read Rob Virtue’s story from the Sunday Express - “Scientists to build GIANT SUNSHADE for the Earth in astonishing bid to stop global warming.”

Coalition back bench’s crazy last-gasp attempt to save coal

Facing certain defeat in the next election, the hard right rump of the governing Coalition government (that’s more than half the party), are making a last ditch attempt to reverse the course of technology and have the government fund new coal-fired generators.

Alpha Males and the Lump of Coal.

A newly-named “ginger group” known as the Monash Forum has burst from the bleechers to put the case for coal, arguing – despite all evidence to the contrary – that new coal-fired generation is the key to restoring low power prices.

Newspaper reports suggest more than half of the Coalition back bench are behind this move for more coal – which is consistent with other estimates that put the percentage of Coalition MPs and Senators who don’t accept climate science at around the same level.

The push for more coal, and the rejection of climate evidence, goes hand in hand.

Read the RenewEconomy story by Giles Parkinson -  “Coalition back bench’s crazy last-gasp attempt to save coal.”

Green developers say $100,000 award will help them build a village

The group behind a series of "deep green" inner-city apartment projects – which attempt to cut profit-driven developers out of the construction process to reduce housing costs – has won a $100,000 state government award to push ahead with their latest project.

Architects Fairley Batch (left) and Rachel Nolan on the
 site of what will become Nightingale Village.

Nightingale Housing will on Thursday be given the first grant from the Andrews government's $1 million "Social Impact Investment" sustainability fund.

The not-for-profit organisation was established to share knowledge and support architects, who often invest in the projects. Profits are capped at 15 percent - far less than is normal in the Australian development sector.

Read the story in today’s Age by Clay Lucas - “Green developers say $100,000 award will help them build a village.”

No resolution on energy after COAG meeting, but Government remains confident in National Energy Guarantee

Josh Frydenberg said the COAG ministers
had acted in the "national interest".

The Federal Government has managed to fend off an attempt by some Labor states to derail its new energy policy.

But energy ministers will not meet to discuss how to structure the Coalition's National Energy Guarantee (NEG) for five months, which means a national agreement on energy is still several months away.

South Australia and the Australian Capital Territory have been leading the charge against the NEG, arguing it would hurt the renewable energy industry without helping drive down power prices.

Read Stephen Dziedzic’s ABC News story - “No resolution on energy after COAG meeting, but Government remains confident in National Energy Guarantee.”

EPA keeps US scientists from presenting climate report, agency accused of censorship

The US Environmental Protection Agency has kept three scientists from speaking at an event, in a move condemned by researchers and Democratic members of Congress as an attempt by the agency to silence a discussion of climate change.

EPA administrator Scott Pruitt has rejected
 the scientific consensus on climate change.

The scientists were scheduled to discuss a report on the health of Narragansett Bay, New England's largest estuary, on Monday (local time).

Among the findings in the 500-page report is that climate change is affecting air and water temperatures, precipitation, sea level and fish.

The EPA did not explain why the scientists were told not to speak, but said in a statement that the agency supports the program that published the document with a $US600,000 annual grant. The EPA is the sole funder of the program.

Read the ABC News story - “EPA keeps US scientists from presenting climate report, agency accused of censorship.”

Malcolm Turnbull's energy policy offers hope via carbon price

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull's electricity and climate package is a welcome attempt to end a decade of policy mismanagement by providing the stability and certainty industry has been pleading for to underpin much-needed investment.

Let there be light: Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull
discusses his climate and energy package.

The potentially crucial breakthrough is that the package appears to envisage a market-based price on carbon emissions, widely acknowledged as the most rational and cost-effective mechanism for the transition to renewable energy, the price of which is becoming compellingly competitive.

It is too early to assess whether the policy is the "game-changer" Mr Turnbull claims; it is yet to be fully detailed and depends on the support of the states, a number of which want a faster shift to renewables. Federal bipartisan support is also vital to the certainty and confidence required by investors.

Read today’s Editorial in today’s Melbourne Age - “Malcolm Turnbull's energy policy offers hope via carbon price.”