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.”

Power outages hit Melbourne, regional Victoria as state swelters through extreme weather

Power companies have been directed to start restoring electricity to thousands of Victorians, after the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) ordered load shedding across the grid on Melbourne's hottest day in five years.

Shops across parts of Melbourne closed due to power outages in the heatwave.

Load shedding occurs when demand is too great, so the energy operator directs power companies to create rolling blackouts in different parts of the network so the entire system is not at risk.

Just after midday, AEMO chief executive officer Audrey Zibelman said the power outages would affect about 60,000 customers for up to two hours.

Read the ABC News story - “Power outages hit Melbourne, regional Victoria as state swelters through extreme weather."

Federal government facing energy uproar as NSW distances itself from Canberra

The states and territories may go it alone developing their own electricity and greenhouse gas emission policy after a fractious meeting of energy ministers ended in acrimony directed at the Morrison government.

The strain seems to show for Minister for Resources,
Matthew Canavan, in talks with the Minister for Energy,
Angus Taylor, at the COAG meeting.

In a sign of the concern within the Berejiklian government about the damage to the Liberal Party brand by events out of Canberra ahead of the state election in March, NSW Energy Minister Don Harwin led the revolt on Wednesday and won support across the political divide.

Read the story from The Sydney Morning Herald by Cole Latimer and Shane Wright - “Federal government facing energy uproar as NSW distances itself from Canberra.”

Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority board director accused of potential conflict of interest

A board director for the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority has been accused of a potential conflict of interest over public funding directed to companies working on crown-of-thorns starfish culling.

 Margie McKenzie said she had left the room during
any Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority discussions
 about crown-of-thorns starfish.

Margie McKenzie sits on the board of the authority and also owns a company called Gempearl with her husband, Col McKenzie.

More than $20m in taxpayer funds was spent by the reef authority on killing crown-of-thorns starfish, which preys on coral.

According to reports by the ABC, the money was directed to two not-for-profit companies that then subcontracted the culling work to Gempearl.

Col McKenzie is also linked to the two companies that subcontracted the work – the Reef and Rainforest Research Centre, on which he serves as a board member, and the Association of Marine Park Tourism Operators, as its executive director and company secretary.

Read the story from The Guardian by Lisa Cox - “Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority board director accused of potential conflict of interest.”