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Government - Federal - 2008
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Trees: the new carbon-storing, tax-minimising gimmick Read Transcript
14/11/2008
If you like trees simply for their beauty, you're sooo '07. Australian trees have become nifty little devices with which to store carbon and provide investors with a handy tax-break. We all know that trees soak up carbon-dioxide, so one logical response to climate-change is to grow more trees to keep the nasty gas out of the atmosphere. It makes sense, then, to offer financial incentives to grow trees specifically as carbon sinks. The idea was originally put forward by the Howard government, and later adopted by Labor - so much so that it slipped through both houses of Parliament with barely a ripple. Yet those carbon sink laws are now starting to make waves and a surprising coalition is forming to oppose them. The Greens are on board, as are the Nationals and at least one Liberal: NSW Senator Bill Heffernan.
Feed my solar panels
14/11/2008
Fancy earning a few extra dollars while helping the environment? It may sound too good to be true, but there are plenty of Germans doing it already. A feed-in tariff pays households for pumping electricity into the grid from roof-top solar panels, and proponents of the system say it offers a real incentive to invest in renewable energy and cut greenhouse gas emissions. Feed-in tariffs already exist in some states and territories, but rules vary from place to place and politicians of all stripes on the Senate Environment Committee agree it would make much more sense to have a consistent, Australia-wide system. So why is a bill to implement just such a system is about to be killed in parliament?
Exit Pacific Solution, enter Indian white elephant Read Transcript
07/11/2008
Since taking office almost a year ago, the Rudd government has significantly softened Australia's policies towards asylum seekers. Detention camps in Pacific island states have been closed, temporary protection visas have been abolished, there's a promise not to detain children and a commitment to fast-track decision-making on visa applications. Only in recent weeks, however, has Labor's approach really been put to the test by asylum seekers entering Australian waters on boats from Indonesia. There are now 26 asylum seekers being held at two facilities on the remote Australian Indian Ocean territory of Christmas Island - although none of them will be in the island's brand-spanking-new, $400 million, purpose-built detention centre. The problem is: there are too few asylum seekers to make it worthwhile opening up the new facility. Besides, the government has committed to keeping women and children out of detention. So, where are the asylum seekers staying, and why bother having a remote detention centre anyway?
Warm up my salmon: climate change hits fisheries
17/10/2008
A few weeks ago, Canadian journalist Alanna Mitchell told us about the impact of global warming on the world's oceans. Her conclusions were alarming and, sadly, scientific evidence of impending disaster continues to accumulate. A new CSIRO report on the impact of climate change on fisheries and aquaculture in Australia identifies both challenges and opportunities for the $2 billion industry. But there would appear to be a lot more downside than up. Perhaps most alarming of all is the lack of baseline data on the current state of fish stocks in our waters. So, how can we plan ahead for the changes and what can be done to safeguard our fish-stocks?
Power-points: the future of the building industry watchdog
10/10/2008
Of all the Howard government's changes to workplace relations, none were as contentious as the special laws drawn up for the building industry, which led to the creation of the Australian Building and Construction Commissioner. Critics see the Commissioner as an Orwellian figure with excessive powers designed to smash trade unions; supporters say the watchdog has brought peace and order to an industry characterised by lawlessness. The Rudd government has committed to keep the Commissioner until 2010, when the office will be replaced by a specialist construction division within Fair Work Australia - that's Labor's promised one-stop shop industrial relations body. Former Federal Court Judge Murray Wilcox, QC, was appointed to help the shape the new inspectorate through consultations with industry players, and in a bid to stir up debate he's just released a discussion paper.
Materiel independence: military spending restructure
26/09/2008
When the Rudd government took office it launched a flurry of inquiries, and the resulting reports are now thumping down on ministerial desks. One of these recommends a re-organisation of the Defence Materiel Organisation - that's the Department of Defence body which buys weapons and equipment for the military. As things stand, the DMO answers to the Secretary of Defence and to the Chief of the Defence Force; but under this proposal, it would become an executive agency reporting directly to the Minister of Defence. The aim is to reduce the frequent and embarrassing cost blow-outs and delays in defence purchases - like the $1 billion which sunk without trace in the failed Seasprite helicopter project. But would an independent DMO do a better job?
Waste managers trash approach on greenhouse gasses
12/09/2008
It's not often that a rubbish dump makes headlines, but that's what happening in a Melbourne suburb. Hundreds of residents from a housing estate have been advised to leave their homes indefinitely because of the explosive risk posed by methane gas leaking from an old landfill. The emergency was another reminder of the often unpalatable reality of what we do with our waste - and it's an issue which feeds in to the climate change debate, since methane is one of the longest lived and most potent greenhouse gases. Professor Ross Garnaut has recommended that Australia offer to cut emissions by 10 per cent by 2020. But Australia's waste industry reckons we can do better. In fact, it says it could shrink our total carbon footprint by 7 per cent on its own - the equivalent of talking all cars of Australian roads. The key? To get serious about recycling, and keep organic refuse out of landfill.
Getting naked: the rude side of short-selling
18/07/2008
You've heard of short-selling - that's when sell shares you don't own. If all goes according to plan, the price of the stock drops and you turn a profit by buying the shares for less than you sold them for. Sound a bit like market manipulation? A decision by US regulators to ban 'naked shorting' has revived debate about the practise in Australia. Corporate Law Minister Nick Sherry is looking into the issue, and a raft of reforms is set to hit parliament in August.
Tree-changers watch the sun set on the Anthony dynasty
11/07/2008
Here's a tabloid scoop: 'MP's Son Rollerskates through Parliament". Hardly the sort of behaviour normally tolerated in the august halls of power. But what if the roller-skater were none other than Doug 'Goldilocks' Anthony, a future deputy prime minister of Australia? And what if the lax father were none other than Menzies-era minister Hubert Anthony? The family controlled the federal seat of Richmond for about six decades - up until Larry Anthony was voted out of office in 2004. Demographics, rather than roller-skating, was the dynasty's downfall: tree-changers haven't been kind to the Nationals.
Taxing carbon: Canadian province punishes petrol
04/07/2008
We all want to reduce our carbon footprint but will we pay the price? What politician in his or her right mind would introduce a carbon tax when petrol prices are skyrocketing? The provincial government of British Columbia is either visionary or crazy-brave because as of July 1 it's placed itself between the bowser and the motorist in a bid to cut emissions. But there's a sweetener: C$100 paid to all, upfront, referred to as a 'Climate Action Dividend', and the promise of more tax cuts to follow. Critics say it's environmental hush money, but the BC government says there's no going back.
COAG and water: a deal with appeal? Read Transcript
04/07/2008
It was smiles all 'round at this week's COAG meeting, with a $3.7 billion deal to save the Murray-Darling river system announced amid much fanfare. But critics are outraged, arguing the decision to delay lifting a ceiling on the amount of water to be returned to the basin amounts to an environmental death sentence for the river as the Coorong and the Murray's lower lakes turn to acid. So, how could anyone argue that Australia's water management system is a model for other countries to follow?
Morituri vos salutant: senators' parting shots Read Transcript
13/06/2008
The cardboard boxes are being filled, the posters are coming off the walls, the happy snaps with parliamentary colleagues are packed away as pieces of nostalgia. Yes, it's farewell time in Canberra, with departing senators making way for their successors. For some the writing had been on the wall; for others the shock of having a change of lifestyle thrust upon them either by the electorate or their own party proved a bitter pill to swallow. This week, the National Interest makes room for the final reflections of three departing senators: the Liberals' John Watson; the Democrats' Andrew Bartlett and the ALP's Linda Kirk. We'll ask them whether they believe in life after the Senate, and whether saying good-bye is ever easy.
Tax the Chardonnay socialists
06/06/2008
Last week the National Interest put forward a controversial idea: a review of the way we tax alcohol. The idea is simple: forget about tweaking alcopop prices and start taxing products in line with their alcoholic content. In other words, the stronger the drink, the higher the tax. Alice Springs doctor John Boffa argued that getting fiscally physical with fortified wines and chateau cardboard could reduce the damage done by alcohol. But is the chardonnay set ready for a tax on wine linked to alcohol content? Possibly not, and on the National Interest today wine producers will argue that pushing up the price of wine won't solve the health and violence problems associated with excessive boozing. Do they have a point, or are we simply safeguarding the tastes of inner-suburban trendies?
Build something! Quick! Read Transcript
06/06/2008
You've heard of the infrastructure crisis that stands in the way of the nation fulfilling its economic destiny. The federal government has $20 billion to throw at the problem and it has appointed the Infrastructure Australia Council to identify the most urgent spending priorities. And there's the rub: should the focus be on road or rail? On speeding up the rate at which ship coal or switch to solar? Is addressing climate change more important than promoting faster economic growth? We speak to Peter Newman, Professor of Sustainability at Curtin University, seen by critics as Infrastructure Australia's sole 'green' voice.
Plans to revive euthanasia legislation
04/04/2008
In 1995 the Northern Territory was the first place in the world to allow people suffering incurable illnesses to end their lives prematurely. But the Territory's voluntary euthanasia laws were overruled by the Commonwealth. Well, the issue is now back on the political agenda, both in the Senate and in the Victorian parliament. But what's changed in the past 10 years? Are attitudes of Australians - and their elected representatives - towards 'dying with dignity' legislation any different? The proponents of the new measures believe they are.
All Chinese to us Read Transcript
28/03/2008
Australia has its first Mandarin-speaking prime minister - it's hardly surprising, therefore, that the new government wants to boost the number of students with a foreign language. But have we missed the boat? Is Australia now so far behind that our exporters are already facing a skills bottleneck? Can we crack the Chinese market if we don't have enough Australian sinophones ready to hit the ground running? If the debate's sounding familiar, it could be because our language crisis was first highlighted almost 20 years ago. What can be done? How do we fire up linguistic excitement in potential students?
From rut to groove: planning the Liberals' comeback
21/03/2008
It was his can-do public persona, rather than his Liberal Party credentials, that saw Brisbane Lord Mayor Campbell Newman re-elected last weekend. And in other parts of the state, the Liberals' municipally based resurgence failed to materialise. In fact, the Liberals - who are now in opposition both federally and in all states and territories - are facing a mammoth task in finding their way back to relevance, let alone prominence. But how can the party reverse its fortunes? Should it play-up, down-play or simply forget the Howard legacy? Or should it merge with the Nationals? We'll examine the long, hard slog ahead for Australian conservatives.
Science, nurture and nature: the great forestry debate Read Transcript
22/02/2008
During the 2007 election campaign, federal Labor promised not to fiddle with forests. But do current policies balance economy and ecology? A special edition of the National Interest taps into the international conference 'Old Forests, New Management', underway in Hobart, which brings together scientists, logging companies and environmentalists. It's an attempt to fight the hype and tease out the science that underpins one of the most acrimonious political debates around. Our panel of researchers and industry representatives will shed light rather than heat on trees and timber, pulp and protection, wilderness and woodchips. However, there will be no escape from the probing questions of a live audience in Hobart's historic Bond Store. It's the forestry briefing we had to have.
Download the complete panel discussion and Q&A session recorded at the Bond Store, Hobart, on Sunday 17 February 2008.
Download mp3 [81 min - 38.2MB]
Keep your ministers off my legislators
08/02/2008
Remember how in 1988 the retired premier of Queensland, Joh Bjelke-Petersen, struggled to get his head around the notion of the separation of powers? It caused consternation at the time, because it suggested Sir Joh wasn't entirely au fait with the notion that premiers shouldn't be mucking around with the judiciary. But how clear are today's politicians on the separation between the other two powers of the Enlightenment triangle - the executive and the legislative? Not clear enough, according to Australia's most senior parliamentary officer. Senate Clerk Harry Evans argues parliament is being subverted by all-powerful, all-conquering executive government.
Adjust the Speaker
08/02/2008
Victorian Labor MP Harry Jenkins knows a thing or two about the role of Speaker in the House of Representatives: his father, Harry Jenkins Sr, held the post in the early years of the the Hawke government. Next week, the junior Jenkins is set to take up the Speaker's 200,000-plus salary, along with all of the lurks and perks of office. Early indications suggest he's serious about making the speaker more independent of government. Of course, the road to parliamentary perdition is paved with the good intentions of incoming speakers, so it may come down to how tight Prime Minister Kevin Rudd holds the leash. Unless there's a bit of slack, Mr Jenkins could be facing years as the languid lapdog of the executive.
Whither Australia's ports? Read Transcript
01/02/2008
Melbourne's usually tranquil Port Phillip Bay has become the unlikely backdrop to an environmental battle. A huge Dutch vessel called the Queen of the Netherlands is ready to start dredging to deepen shipping channels into the Port of Melbourne. But the ship is sitting idle as activists opposed to dredging take their concerns to court. But just how important is deepening the shipping channels to the port's future? And how much planning has gone into preparing Australia's ports for the rapidly growing number of containers moving across the docks?
Local IR problems. National IR solutions?
01/02/2008
Remember WorkChoices? It was supposed to create a national industrial relations system, so as to save business the trouble of mucking around between state and federal legislation. Well, the Howard government's IR laws fell short of that aim. About 75 per cent of workers were drawn into the national system, but some, like small business employees, stayed under state laws; the status of others (such as council workers) is still the subject of complex legal argument. What's odd is that business, unions and governments at all levels actually agree that a national system is the way to go. The tricky part is deciding how to go about it.
A marriage made in Queensland
01/02/2008
The Nationals' head honchos from all over the sunburnt country have met to discuss the way forward for Australia's ailing, rural-based political party. One idea -- championed by Queensland Opposition Leader Lawrence Springborg -- is to merge with the Liberal Party. Does this sound familiar? Mr Springborg campaigned hard for a state-based merger of the two conservative paries in 2006 but federal Liberal and Nationals leaders poo-pooed the idea. And chances are they're not going to embrace the idea in 2008 either. So why is Mr Springborg so determined to push ahead with his wedding plans?
Retiring politicians
20/01/2008
Last year was a lively time in Australian politics, with the New South Wales state election held in March and what was - in many ways - a history-making federal election held at the end of November. We decided to break free of the daily grind of political coverage by interviewing a number of retiring politicians. The objective of the series was to get a better understanding of the values which underpinned their political careers. It was all done, of course, on the assumption that a retiring polly would be more forthcoming with an honest assessment of Australian politics. Whether or not that happened is an issue for debate, and when these interviews were first broadcast, they prompted a number of listener responses.
