The Oil Drum: Australia/New Zealand | The Bullroarer

The Bullroarer - Tuesday 15th April 2008

Posted by Phil Hart on April 14, 2008 - 6:53pm in The Oil Drum: Australia/New Zealand
Topic: Miscellaneous

The Age: Green groups in carbon plan rift

A LEADING environment group has aligned itself with the coal industry to push the case for carbon storage technology, in a move that has split the green movement.

The World Wildlife Fund will join forces with the Australian Coal Association, the Climate Institute and the powerful miners' union, the CFMEU, to call for a government taskforce, possibly situated within the Prime Minister's Department, to oversee the introduction of the technology.

Daily Reckoning Australia: Food, Fuel, and Finance: The Crisis of the Three Fs

While the share market digests the news of collapsing brokers and falling financial profits, the grand poobahs of the world's economy are wringing their hands in worry. What's keeping them up at night? The three Fs, each its own kind of crisis: food, fuel, and finance.

The Age: World's new crisis: soaring food prices

Developing countries claim that rich countries, in their rush to tackle global warming, are helping to drive up food prices by encouraging the use of crops to produce biofuels rather than to feed people. Most of the rise in global corn production from 2004 to 2007 went to biofuels in the United States.

Maribyrnong Leader: Transport and roads in the west

Les Twentyman discusses whether Sir Rod Eddington's report on transport and road infrastructure is good news for the West.

Nelson fuels fear of dearer petrol

MOTORISTS could pay more for petrol on the usually cheaper days of the week if a FuelWatch system is introduced nationwide, Opposition Leader Brendan Nelson has warned.

The federal Liberal leader made the comments during a visit to the Redlands on Monday as he continued his tour of Australian communities seeking to improve his low approval ratings.

The FuelWatch system in Western Australia forces petrol station operators to advise the public of the next day’s fuel prices each afternoon so motorists can buy petrol ahead of any planned price rises.

Stuff.co.nz: Car buyers hit the brakes

Car sales slumped 5.8 per cent in February as cost-conscious consumers spent their money on increasingly pricey staples.

Courier Mail: Price tag for transport solutions too high for council

NEW Deputy Mayor Graham Quirk has admitted he doesn't know where the council will get the money to fund its multibillion-dollar road projects.

The co-ordinator of the new Brisbane infrastructure unit said he was exploring a range of funding options, which could include seeking more state and federal funding, setting up public-private partnerships or decentralisation.

Diesel price also needs monitoring: FCAI

The price of diesel needs to be monitored just as closely as petrol to make sure drivers aren't being ripped off, an Australian motoring body says.

The Federal Chamber of Automotive Industry says the price deferential between diesel and petrol is at historically-high levels. "We have seen a significant increase in diesel prices over the course of the past year. It is something that does need to be monitored."

More pointless pandering. Why is that everybody loves a free market except when prices go up?

Fuel tax credit abolition would hit grocery costs

The trucking industry has slammed the Australian Conservation Foundation's proposal to abolish fuel tax credits.

The industry claims the abolition of credits would increase the cost of groceries for hard-pressed working families.

In a speech at the National Press Club, the executive director of the ACF, Don Henry, called for the abolition of the fuel tax credit system.

The system allows trucking companies to claim an 18.51 cents per litre credit on the fuel tax they pay, provided their vehicles meet one of four environmental criteria.

For every proposal, somebody loses out. Spineless politicians will choose the path of least resistance and nothing much will get done.

NZ Herald: Carbon charge is plane silly

I'm sorry but I won't be taking up the opportunity to hand over $88.10 to purchase carbon offsets next time I take an Air New Zealand flight to Los Angeles.