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Hydro to pump North Queensland jobs More than 900 construction jobs will be created in North Queensland with the state’s first pumped hydro storage project in almost forty years reaching financial close. The Palaszczuk Government will invest $147 million to connect Genex’s Kidston Pumped Storage Hydro Project (K2-Hydro) to Queensland households and businesses. Treasurer and Minister for Investment Cameron Dick said Genex achieving financial close confirmed the status of Queensland’s nation-leading renewable energy credentials. “As part of our Economic Recovery Strategy to grow the renewable energy sector and the jobs that come with it, the Palaszczuk Government has played a crucial role in getting the Kidston Pumped Storage Hydro Project over the line,” the Treasurer said. “This decision will further secure our strong renewables future in North Queensland and will unlock hundreds of renewables jobs. “Beyond Kidston, the transmission infrastructure we are delivering has the potenti...
The Premier: A bill to establish Voluntary Assisted Dying laws will be introduced to parliament next week. Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the bill’s introduction fulfilled a commitment she made to the people of Queensland prior to the state election in October. “For many, this will be the most important work this parliament will do,” the Premier said. “We’re committed to delivering a $171 million investment in palliative care options but many people who have watched a loved one suffer feel passionately that there must be a dignified alternative. “Equally there are those whose opposition is as deeply and sincerely felt. “That is why, when the time comes, Government MPs will vote according to their conscience. “This must be beyond politics. “I urge all Queenslanders to follow the debate and participate in it with the utmost respect for other people and other points of view.” The Premier said the community could now read the Queensland Law Reform Commission’s report on a legal framewo...
Senator Sarah HANSON-YOUNG (South Australia) Senator: I rise today to speak in relation to this piece of legislation, the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility Amendment (Extension and Other Measures) Bill. I must say I find it pretty bad practice for the Senate to be debating this today without first sending it to a Senate inquiry. This bill and its ramifications on our climate, our environment and our communities should be being inquired into. It seems pretty clear that the government is desperate to rush this through as quickly as they can. 'Why?' you may say, Madam Acting Deputy President. It's pretty easy—because the minister in charge has made a promise to his mates in the fossil fuel industry that they can get their claws into some of this money, the $5 billion that's going to be extended to allow the fossil fuel industry to get another handout from the taxpayer, to prop up what is a polluting and incredibly damaging industry for our climate, our environme...
Prime Minister Scott Morrison (ScoMo) Among many surprising things about 2020 was how a novel coronavirus drove an equally novel upending of Australia’s political orthodoxy. The hackneyed election straightener, “it’s the economy, stupid”, got shoved aside for a refreshing new imperative, “it’s the community, stupid”. Australians unhesitatingly turned to government, embraced expertise, and willingly abided by society-wide deprivations in the interests of the whole. Read more: Australian vaccine rollout needs all hands on deck after the latest AstraZeneca news, mass vaccination hubs included Reluctantly at first, centre-right politicians fell into line. Those who had built their careers on the virtues of small-government and gruff fiscal discipline, flipped to become big spending hyper-Keynesians. Necessarily, political combat took a back seat to problem-solving. In an atmosphere of policy-not-politics, voters backed incumbent governments, marking...
Earlier this evening the Australian Government received advice from the vaccine expert taskforce, the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI). The detail of that advice is attached. The Government accepts the advice from Australia’s medical experts and will move swiftly to ensure Australia’s vaccination program and advice to patients is adjusted accordingly. The Australian Government places safety above all else, as it has done throughout the pandemic, and will continue to follow the medical advice in protecting Australians. The ATAGI advice is clear that the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine is highly effective in preventing severe disease caused by COVID-19. The medical advice to the Government is that the risk of blood clotting side effects from the Astra Zeneca vaccine is four to six in one million people, in the first four to 20 days post the vaccine. This is a rare but serious side effect. On that basis, the recommendation is that it is preferred that the Pfiz...
Queensland Floods Photo YouTube Disaster assistance has been extended to assist the recovery of additional communities and primary producers following the heavy rainfall and flash flooding in Southern Queensland last month. Assistance is being delivered through the jointly funded Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA). Minister for Emergency Management David Littleproud said the DRFA assistance would provide financial support in the form of freight subsidies and concessional loans to help primary producers in Goondiwindi. "Cotton growers in our border towns were heavily impacted by this extreme weather event, particularly in the Texas region where hundreds of hectares were badly damaged or completely wiped out," Minister Littleproud said. “Primary producers can now access concessional loans of up $250,000 to repair or replace damaged buildings or plant and equipment affected by the flooding and essential working capital loans of up to $100,000. “Frei...
Yes, the culture in Parliament House is appalling. But there are systemic problems that also need urgent reform
The Conversation Since news broke last week of Brittany Higgins’ alleged rape in a ministerial office in 2019, three other women have come forward , alleging sexual assault by the same Morrison government ministerial staffer. Higgins is expected to make a formal complaint to police this week. Each allegation sheds light on a system that privileges political considerations above everything, and enables and emboldens systematic and highly gendered abuses of power. By Friday, four separate inquiries had been launched. These include a review of culture in Coalition MPs’ offices a review of the formal links between the Department of Finance (which administers ministerial and parliamentary services) and parliamentary offices a review of correspondence to determine when and who within the prime minister’s office had been informed of Higgins’ allegations a cross-party review of workplace culture in Parliament House. This fourth review seem to be the most substantive, and has draw...
Pauline Hanson attempted to use my Senate time to have the issue of the abuse and corruption that is rife in the indigenous industry debated in the Senate. Sadly, the Greens decided to use every procedural trick in the book to run down the clock and silence debate, as you will see if you watch this video. Senator Hanson : I move: That the Senate agrees that there should be no discrimination based on skin colour, race, religion or ethnic background when determining the level and use of funding in all cases where: (a) government funding is made available to Australian-based community programs; and (b) grants are made to assist and empower communities to escape the cycles of poverty, unemployment, alcohol and drug abuse, and violence. I rise to bring to the attention of senators and the people of Australia , yet again, the inequality that exists in the funding of Indigenous programs, and the continuing desperate circumstances of the victims of this financial bastardry and mismanagement. ...