Time to step up on emissions

The last thing we need now is a royal commission into the bushfires. We just need all levels of government to bring the fires under control and assist to rebuild lives and communities as required.

A royal commission will be just a ploy to do nothing to address our CO2 emissions until it’s complete.

If the Coalition government wants to show real leadership, it could meet and go beyond our international CO2 reduction commitments by introducing a carbon tax in March.

The task is not insurmountable. It took Australia one day to declare war on Japan after it attacked the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor in 1941.

It’s time for the Coalition government to ‘‘suck it up’’ and move on.

Letter in The Shepparton News from Tatura’s Terry Court - “Time to step up on emissions.”

Gas giant bills threat: price hikes of up to $430 predicted

Australian households could be paying as much as $430 more for electricity by the end of next year unless wholesale gas prices are brought under control, according to a new report that warns the Turnbull government's energy policies are falling short.

Australia is one of the world's largest gas exporters. 

Policy analysts at the McKell Institute have for the first time modelled the impact of wholesale gas prices on household power bills in New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland - finding consumers are already paying between $100 and $200 more than what the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission considers reasonable.

Read Adam Gartrell’s story in the Age - “Gas giant bills threat: price hikes of up to $430 predicted.”