Labor sets eyes on carbon capture technology

Resources Minister Madeleine King will invite oil and gas companies to consider reducing greenhouse gas emissions by using controversial carbon capture and storage technologies. This will put Labor at odds with the Greens who argue carbon capture technology will prolong the use of harmful fossil fuels and is yet to work effectively.

Thousands of landowners around Australia will be compensated after their properties were contaminated by toxic substances commonly known as “forever chemicals” – due to the use of firefighting foam on air force bases. Affected landowners have secured a multimillion-dollar pay out in a $132.7m class action settlement.

Environment minister Tanya Plibersek's target of preventing any new extinctions of plants and animals is headed for failure without swift intervention. Researchers from the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS) said a single extreme weather event could be enough to push an ancient Tasmanian stingray to the brink of extinction. 

Top Stories:

Government looks to ramp up carbon capture potential
Resources Minister Madeleine King will invite oil and gas companies to suggest reducing greenhouse gas emissions by using controversial carbon capture and storage technologies. This will put Labor at odds with the Greens who argue carbon capture technology will prolong the use of harmful fossil fuels and is yet to work effectively. Meg O’Neill, chief executive of Woodside Energy, will tell Tuesday’s conference that Australia is lagging other countries on the deployment of carbon capture projects.

Australian government reaches $132.7m class action settlement over forever chemicals
Thousands of landowners around Australia will be compensated after their properties were contaminated by toxic substances commonly known as “forever chemicals” – due to the use of firefighting foam on air force bases. Affected landowners have secured a multimillion-dollar pay out in a $132.7m class action settlement. These forever chemicals accumulate in the body and do not naturally degrade, and are linked to cancers, birth defects and diseases.

‘Tasmanian Tiger of the Sea’ threatens Plibersek’s pledge
Environment minister Tanya Plibersek's target of preventing any new extinctions of plants and animals is headed for failure without swift intervention. Researchers from the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS) said a single extreme weather event could be enough to push the maugean skate ray to extinction.

North West NSW residents would benefit from a fuel excise tax
Residents of the North West region of New South Wales can save a combined $71 million on fuel over the next five years if the Federal Government implements a strong Fuel Efficiency Standard, a new report from Solar Citizens has revealed.

Gas companies to be more heavily taxed
The cap on tax deductions on offshore projects in Australian waters will raise an extra $2.4 billion over the next four years, which critics say is too modest considering gas company profits have tripled. Gas prices are crippling local manufacturers and households but new powers will be in effect this winter to manage the risk of further east coast supply shortfalls, according to Resources Minister Madeleine King.

Plibersek to attend roundtable on Indigenous resource needs
The urgent need to improve Indigenous people's access, control and say over water to improve their health, wellbeing and economic outcomes will be the theme of a roundtable at the Australian National University in Canberra on Tuesday and Wednesday. Environment and Water Minister Tanya Plibersek is attending the Canberra roundtable which is a joint initiative of the ANU First Nations Portfolio, the Indigenous Land and Sea Corporation and the National Native Title Council.

Men’s Shed in Cooma taking conservation action
Members of the Cooma Men's Shed are making artificial spider holes to help save the endangered Monaro Grassland Earless Dragon.

New York building owners experiment with carbon capture
New York City is forcing buildings to decrease their greenhouse gas emissions. Several are experimenting with capturing carbon dioxide, cooling it into a liquid and mixing it into concrete where it turns into a mineral. Natural gas emissions are the single highest category of emissions in New York.