Steggall's climate change bill just politics as usual

Climate action requires practical plans reflecting Australia's conditions to cut emissions, not flying more bureaucrats to international climate conferences.

Zali Steggall has crossbench support for her private climate change bill.

Last week independent federal MP Zali Steggall released a new climate change bill to be put to Parliament on March 23.

The bill's central purpose is to create a new climate change commission to advise government policy. There's just one problem. We already have one: the Climate Change Authority with the Chief Scientist on its Board.

It's alleged the proposed Commission is modelled on UK's Committee on Climate Change. That's misleading.

Read the story from The Age by Tim Wilson and Jason Falinski - “Steggall's climate change bill just politics as usual."

NSW public servants at climate conference told not to discuss link with bushfires

As bushfire conditions were declared “catastrophic” on Tuesday, New South Wales bureaucrats attending a conference on adaption to climate change were directed not discuss the link between climate change and bushfires.

Firefighters work to save a house on Bullocky Way,
Possum Brush, south of Taree on Tuesday. The
NSW government has directed public servants not
to discuss links between climate change and bushfires.

Bureaucrats from the NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment were sent an email soon after the AdaptNSW 2019 Forum began, causing consternation among some attendees who saw it as tantamount to gagging them.

The email said: “For those attending AdaptNSW today, public affairs has issued advice not to discuss the link between climate change and bushfires.

Read the story from The Guardian by Anne Davies - “NSW public servants at climate conference told not to discuss link with bushfires.”

Adani: DFAT facing questions over possible secret requests for foreign cash to fund controversial mine

Key federal crossbenchers have questioned senior government bureaucrats about possible secret approaches to foreign agencies for financial support for Adani's controversial Carmichael coal mine.

Senator Nick Xenophon says "there needs to
 be an open and transparent process" regarding
 the Adani mine.

The questions have been sparked by a Freedom of Information request to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) for documents relating to requests for foreign government financing for the controversial multi-billion-dollar mine and rail project.

In response, DFAT asked for more time to respond as the request had "captured several hundred pages of documents”.

Senator Nick Xenophon said he would be demanding clarification from DFAT officials at Senate Estimates today about what representations the Federal Government has made to foreign agencies.

Read the ABC News story - “Adani: DFAT facing questions over possible secret requests for foreign cash to fund controversial mine.”