Pocock says BHP is “laughing” at Labor’s climate safeguard mechanism
Graham Readfearn
David Pocock has told the government that leaked documents from BHP show the company is “laughing” at the government’s key climate policy, the safeguard mechanism.
In Senate estimates, the independent ACT senator asked the government if it had reviewed the investigation from Guardian Australia and the ABC’s Four Corners into the mining giant’s apparent walking back on its climate commitments.
Pocock raised one document, where he said BHP had concluded internally that the safeguard mechanism would not affect its iron ore operations in the Pilbara for another 14 years.
Company facilities like mining sites captured in the safeguard mechanism can choose to make direct cuts to emissions at their facilities to meet a baseline of greenhouse gas emissions, or pay for offsets.
Pocock told climate department officials:
BHP had (to pay) $8m for emissions (under the safeguard mechanism) last year while getting $379m in fuel tax credits … you have to admit that’s pretty ridiculous … They are spending 2% (of what they receive in diesel tax credits). That sounds like a joke to most Australians.
The industry minister, Tim Ayres, defended the safeguard scheme, saying it had reduced emissions by 5.5m tonnes in the two years since the government reformed it.
An official told Pocock it did “not make a lot of sense” to compare the company’s payments under the safeguard mechanism with the credits they received under the diesel fuel tax rebate. Pocock responded:
We have a government that’s telling us we are very ambitious and are doing everything we can with all these things in place, then we have leaked documents from BHP who internally they are laughing at the safeguard mechanism and they don’t have to worry about it for 14 years … I am concerned that no one has thought to go ‘hang on, these two things don’t really work together.’
NT government confirms one person has died from diphtheria
Sarah Collard
The Northern Territory government released a statement on Tuesday confirming that autopsy results from an overseas laboratory today has confirmed that a person most likely died from diphtheria in April.
As previously reported, the person, who died at Royal Darwin hospital in April, has been “formally classified as a probable death from diphtheria”.
NT Health stated that media reports of a second patient’s death in Central Australia over the weekend were incorrect, and the death was in no way related or linked to diphtheria.
The Territory’s health minister, Steve Edgington, said NT Health and its community organisations are rolling out a staggered vaccination response prioritising vulnerable and at risk communities.
Our government has taken this situation very seriously, and we are working hard to understand the causes and working to contain the situation.
NT Health is working with the National Critical Care and Trauma Response Centre, the Aboriginal Medical Services Alliance Northern Territory, and Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations, to undertake a Territory-wide vaccination program to address the outbreak, with an initial focus on vulnerable people and at-risk areas. From 30 March, there have been 10,407 vaccinations.
NT Health continues to engage and consult with Aboriginal health organisations and primary care services to inform the community and increase vaccination. This includes contact tracing, testing, regular education sessions with vaccine providers and increased vaccination in communities.
Pocock says BHP is “laughing” at Labor’s climate safeguard mechanism
Graham Readfearn
David Pocock has told the government that leaked documents from BHP show the company is “laughing” at the government’s key climate policy, the safeguard mechanism.
In Senate estimates, the independent ACT senator asked the government if it had reviewed the investigation from Guardian Australia and the ABC’s Four Corners into the mining giant’s apparent walking back on its climate commitments.
Pocock raised one document, where he said BHP had concluded internally that the safeguard mechanism would not affect its iron ore operations in the Pilbara for another 14 years.
Company facilities like mining sites captured in the safeguard mechanism can choose to make direct cuts to emissions at their facilities to meet a baseline of greenhouse gas emissions, or pay for offsets.
Pocock told climate department officials:
BHP had (to pay) $8m for emissions (under the safeguard mechanism) last year while getting $379m in fuel tax credits … you have to admit that’s pretty ridiculous … They are spending 2% (of what they receive in diesel tax credits). That sounds like a joke to most Australians.
The industry minister, Tim Ayres, defended the safeguard scheme, saying it had reduced emissions by 5.5m tonnes in the two years since the government reformed it.
An official told Pocock it did “not make a lot of sense” to compare the company’s payments under the safeguard mechanism with the credits they received under the diesel fuel tax rebate. Pocock responded:
We have a government that’s telling us we are very ambitious and are doing everything we can with all these things in place, then we have leaked documents from BHP who internally they are laughing at the safeguard mechanism and they don’t have to worry about it for 14 years … I am concerned that no one has thought to go ‘hang on, these two things don’t really work together.’
Joe Hockey ‘a little nervous’ about delivery of US Virginia-class submarines
Former ambassador to the US Joe Hockey says he’s nervous for the first time that about the delivery of the Virginia class submarines.
Australia is supposed to receive three to five Virginia class nuclear submarines from the early 2030s under the Aukus agreement.
Speaking at the National Press Club in Canberra, Hockey says the feeling comes after a “few conversations on the Hill”, but says it’s not because of the relationship between the US and Australia, but two other factors.
Hockey says “there’s no one internationally Donald Trump is getting counsel from or listening to”, unlike his first term where he was speaking to former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe weekly. The other issue, is that “the US just has not got the production of the Virginia up to speed”.
He’s asked explicitly if he’s concerned that the submarines won’t arrive on time or Australia won’t receive the number pledged. Hockey says:
You know, for the first time I’m a little nervous about the Virginias.
I think the risk has increased and we need, again, to have a full court press on the ground in Washington. Our best friends are always going to be in Congress, in the house, in the Senate. There’s a lot of good will, it’s good that we are getting a new American ambassador here which will come up pretty quickly.
Hockey says that the government needs to build more “political buy in” from the US, but that the risk is “manageable … at this stage”.
Bondi Hanukah event given lowest risk profile by police, royal commission hears
The royal commission into antisemitism and social cohesion has heard further evidence about NSW police “taskings” for the Chanukah by the Sea event at Bondi on 14 December, which was attacked by two gunmen who killed 15 people.
The beachside celebration was categorised as a “tier 1” event – the lowest of three levels of police tasking for a public community event.
The NSW police superintendent and commander of Eastern Suburbs police area command, pseudonymised before the royal commission as ABQ, was asked about police categorisation of the event, which was expected to attract about 1000 members of the Sydney Jewish community.
Counsel assisting the commission, Richard Lancaster SC, asked:
Do you accept the proposition that treating the Hanukah Bondi event as a tier 1 community event was a categorisation that was obviously too low?
ABQ responded:
No, because we treated the event based on the information we had at the time. It was a local community event. We were dealing with community fear and antisemitic incidents. I had no specific intelligence of a direct threat to the Hanukah event.
Lancaster put it to ABQ: “I suggest to you that allocating it or treating it as a tier 1 community event significantly understated the risk associated with the event occurring. Do you agree with that?”
ABQ:
The event was planned with the information available to us at the time and we allocated resources that, I believed at the time, were appropriate.”
Lancaster further asked:
In hindsight, do you accept it was a mistake to treat this event as a tier 1 community event?
ABQ:
No, I don’t accept that it was a mistake. But in hindsight, knowing what I now know, I absolutely think this event should be dealt with similar to Jewish High Holy Days (ie a higher risk profile and police tasking)
In pictures: protesters at Parliament House demonstrate against treatment of flotilla activists by Israel
Sarah Basford Canales
Coalition agrees to support NDIS bill in lower house
The Coalition has agreed to pass the Albanese government’s sweeping NDIS changes through the lower house, amid speculation it could withdraw support for the controversial overhaul.
In a joint party room briefing this morning, the opposition reaffirmed it would support the bill designed to curb the NDIS’s growth through the House of Representatives ahead of a committee’s final report on the bill due mid-next month.
It was the first time the Liberals and Nationals had met formally since new polling released in the Australian Financial Review over the weekend predicted the near-total demise of the Coalition by One Nation if an election were held this month.
However, Guardian Australia understands the minor party’s rise was not mentioned by a single person in the room.
Instead, the leaders spoke about how the opposition was at its best when it had something to fight against and to fight for. Labor’s most recent federal budget has apparently given them that.
We have more details coming in on the protest activity around parliament.
Guardian Australia has seen a dozen protesters sitting on the floor in the corridor in the basement of parliament, as the larger group of approximately 50 people shuts down the main entry into the building.
Three or so security guards are taking the smaller group in the basement out one at a time from the building.
Protest against treatment of Gaza flotilla activists shuts Parliament House entry
Josh Butler
About 50 people protesting Israel’s treatment of activists on the global Sumud flotilla have held a demonstration in the front foyer of Parliament House, with security shutting the main entry of the building.
The pro-Palestine demonstrators, some of whom were onboard the flotilla, kneeled in the “stress position” on the floor of the foyer, with arms behind their back – echoing the positions which the flotilla activists were placed by Israeli authorities, in images which were condemned around the world.
The group was quickly moved on from the area by security. Guardian Australia understands some of the protesters may be given banning orders from Parliament House.
We saw one woman being escorted out of the building by security, calling out “free Palestine” and “sanction Israel” to media cameras.
The front entrance remains closed, with a large line of tourists and a school group standing outside waiting to be let in.
A handful of people have been escorted out of parliament through the basement entryway.
Almost three quarters of Australian businesses impacted by fuel shortages, ABS finds
In perhaps not entirely surprising news, data released on Tuesday by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) reveals that fuel prices and supply availability have negatively impacted 72% of Australian businesses.
Tom Lay, ABS head of business statistics, said:
Today’s data from the Survey of Business Conditions and Sentiments, brought back earlier this month, helps us better understand the economic impacts of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz on Australian businesses.
One in six businesses experienced disruptions in their supply chain, with transport, logistics, agriculture and small businesses among those most affected.
The ABS also found that 36% of businesses reported revenue had dropped over the past four weeks, while 27% expect revenue to fall over the next four weeks.
Need for First Nations voice has ‘not diminished’, key figures say on ninth anniversary of Uluru statement from the heart
Sarah Collard
Today marks the ninth anniversary of the Uluru statement from the heart, out of which arose the calls for voice, truth and treaty, with the referendum for an enshrined voice to parliament being defeated in 2023 vote, its leading voices are continuing to urge action – warning that inequities and inequalities are worsening.
“What has become increasingly clear since the Referendum is that the problems and issues facing communities have not disappeared but are further entrenched and, in some respects, have become drastically worse,” a statement from Uluru dialogues co-chairs, UNSW Scientia Prof Megan Davis and Pat Anderson AO outlines.
The Closing the Gap reports show no progress. Governments continue to announce policies, reviews, inquiries, and programs without proper consultation with communities. Incorporated entities are not the same as individuals living in community and representing community, being chosen by their communities to represent their voices.
The pair in a joint statement said the Uluru statement from the heart was offered as an “olive branch to the Australian people to move forward as a nation together for a better future.” It said its core mandate for self-determination and reform remains urgent and relevant.
The Referendum result was a political loss. Political loss is a normal part of political contestation. And alongside the 6.2 million Yes voters, we continue on in our advocacy for constitutional recognition.
Let us be very clear, the need for a Voice has not diminished. If anything, the failures of the current systems have made the case for reform even stronger.
Davis and Anderson write that there is an “exhaustion” being felt across the nation and argue that Australians are tired of the “same mistakes” repeated due to a lack of political change and leadership.
The exhaustion felt across the nation right now regarding Aboriginal Affairs is undeniable. People are tired of watching governments repeat the same mistakes while expecting communities to carry the burden of broken systems. They are tired of the Federal Government hiding behind the Closing the Gap agreement – which is not legally binding – and federalism to avoid showing the leadership demanded of them by the Australian people in the 1967 referendum.
On the ninth anniversary of the Uluru Statement from the Heart, we reiterate that communities must have a guaranteed and direct say in decisions that impact their lives.
Lisa Cox
EV sales surge climate and environment officials tell estimates
Sales of electric vehicles have roughly tripled since 2022, climate and energy officials have told a senate estimates hearing, with a surge in sales in recent months driven partly by the impact of the Middle East conflict on fuel prices.
The department said EVs accounted for 3.8% of all light vehicle sales in 2022, growing to 8.4% in 2023, 9.6% in 2024 and 13.1% in 2025. In 2026, up to the month of April, EVs accounted for 21.1% of car sales.
Officials said the surge in interest was driven partly by people switching to EVs amid increased fuel costs, as well as improved EV pricing and better charging infrastructure availability.
The Greens leader Larissa Waters asked whether the government had calculated the potential impacts on fuel consumption from its decision to phase out the fringe benefits tax waiver on EVs and replace it with a discount in coming years, a move expected to save the budget $1.7 bn.
Officials said they had not as this would require “quite complex modeling and assuming what a hypothetical business case would have been for that policy and what that might have done to consumers”.
Waters said:
I’m concerned that no one looked at the fuel consumption impacts of cutting $1.7 billion from the EV support program. Why on earth not? We’re in a fuel crisis.
The department said it expected reduced fuel consumption to continue as EV growth accelerated regardless of changes to the tax arrangements.
Industry, innovation and science minister Tim Ayres said “the behaviour in the market is already happening…People are buying electric vehicles because it’s cheaper to buy electric vehicles”.
New search for missing boy in outback South Australia
Tory Shepherd
A new search for four-year-old Gus Lamont, who went missing in outback South Australia in September last year, has started today.
SA police said in a statement that Task Force Horizon members would search the family’s sheep station over the next three days. According to the statement:
The searching has resumed to take advantage of opportunities that may have arisen as a result of recent heavy rains on the property.
For months, Gus was considered missing, but in February police declared his disappearance a major crime and said they had a suspect, and that it was someone who lived with Gus.
Major crime detectives and specialist Star Group officers will carry out the search.
Anyone with information should contact Crime Stoppers online or on 1800 333 000.
Tehan responds to Bowen’s response to travel criticism
We have Dan Tehan hitting back on Chris Bowen hitting back on travel expenses.
For those who have missed this particular brouhaha, Tehan claimed Bowen spent too much in his role as the Cop climate summit president of negotiations. Bowen responded by criticising Tehan’s travel as tourism and trade minister.
Here’s what Tehan said to reporters a short time ago:
The RAAF dictated where those flight plans went, and we had to stay a night coming back because we had to give crew rest, right? One night crew rest, so you know, I’m happy to go toe to toe … with all this stuff, because I can actually point to real outcomes.
Lots of news about the energy grid around today. Speaking of which, here’s a coal power station being blown up just now:
https://www.youtube.com/live/_afBUGaQppU?si=TdXiNCDlYSElUYa-&t=3629
Sarah Collard
Federal government announces $2.6m in additional funding for Stolen Generations survivors and organisations
Today marks Sorry Day commemorations, which honours the tens of thousands of Aboriginal children forcibly removed from their families through government policies from 1910 up until the 1970s.
Stolen Generations survivors’ peak body, the Healing Foundation will receive up to an additional $1m to support its work with survivors and descendants, including community-led and trauma-informed programs.
The government also slated up to $1.6m in funding for up to eight Link-Up services across the country, which provide family contact tracing and connection support for survivors and their families.
Minister for Indigenous Australians, senator Malarndirri McCarthy said the additional funding aims to address the unfinished work of the landmark national inquiry and the 1997 Bringing Them Home report.
On this National Sorry Day, we reflect on the pain and harm caused to Stolen Generations by past policies of forced removal.
The Healing Foundation and Link-Up services continue to play a critical role in supporting Stolen Generations survivors and their families.
This investment recognises that next year marks the 30th anniversary of the landmark Bringing Them Home report and will underpin a range of community-led programs to support the healing of our Stolen Generations.
Earlier this year, the government committed $87m over four years to support individual and collective healing for Stolen Generations survivors.
Alex Antic to nominate for SA Liberal presidency, inspired by Taylor-Canavan-Abbott ‘dream team’
Dan Jervis-Bardy
The hard-right Liberal senator Alex Antic will nominate to become the party’s South Australian state president, drawing inspiration from the “dream team” leading the federal team.
After years building and exerting influence in the party’s rank-and-file, Antic confirmed his candidacy for the president’s position in a message to supporters.
The message, seen by Guardian Australia, reads:
In recent months, we have seen encouraging green shoots at the federal level with the emergence of a strong leadership team featuring Angus Taylor and Senator Matt Canavan, further bolstered by the election of former Prime Minister Tony Abbott as President of the Federal Liberal Division.
This is, without doubt, a dream team – and it has inspired me to announce my candidacy for President of the South Australian Division.
The tilt at the state Liberal presidency would seemingly end speculation that Antic could defect to Pauline Hanson’s One Nation.
Antic talked up his record in Canberra fighting against “Labor’s economic failures, cultural radicalism, and assaults on our freedom”.
He said the results of the March South Australia election – where the Liberals were reduced to just five lower house seats – showed the party must return to Menzies tradition of “liberty and resolute opposition to socialism, or risk continued decline”.
Antic urged supporters to turn out to local branch AGMs (annual general meetings) to ensure he had the numbers to secure the presidency at the party’s state council.
He also encouraged backers to join the Liberal women’s council to help thwart a “serious challenge” from the party’s moderate wing.
Over recent years, the LWC (Liberal Women’s Council) has been a courageous and vital choice for Liberal women, fearlessly championing pro-life issues, fairness for women in sport, and many other critical matters affecting Australians.
Hastie brushes off One Nation threat in his seat: ‘I don’t live in fear’
Liberal shadow cabinet minister Andrew Hastie says polls “keep you sharp” but he’s only focused on defeating Labor, not the rising popularity of One Nation.
Jumping back to the frontbencher talking to Sky News earlier, Hastie said he did not know why Pauline Hanson would want One Nation to challenge his seat of Canning in WA at the next election if she “wants to defeat Labor”.
Polling over the weekend showed One Nation could decimate the Coalition at the next election and even claim Hastie’s electorate.
Hastie said:
I don’t live in fear. I mean, my mission is clear – it’s to defeat Labor. One Nation, their mission is less clear. Pauline Hanson came out on the weekend and said she’s targeting Canning. Well, if she wants to defeat Labor, I’m not sure why she’d be targeting people like me on the centre-right. So we crack on, and two years is a long time.
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