The Age: Strategy to ease the squeeze

UP TO 20 new six-carriage trains will be ordered to ease overcrowding on Melbourne's rail system. The $300-million-plus order will be a key plank of the State Government's coming transport statement. As part of the statement, due by November, the Government is also set to order at least 60 new trams to replace the old Z-class fleet that was commissioned in 1975. Secrecy surrounds the transport statement, which the Government has been working on for several months, as commuter anger over the struggling system becomes a political liability.

News.com.au: Motorists taxed on car efficiency by 2010

MOTORISTS could be taxed for driving pollution-pumping vehicles under a Federal Government plan to cut greenhouse gas emissions. A Vehicle Fuel Efficiency discussion paper released by the Rudd Government yesterday laid out a number of "potential measures", which also included reducing the cost of state registration and stamp duty charges for energy-saving vehicles.

Business Spectator: Car ads urged to include emissions info

Car makers could be forced to include information about carbon emissions and fuel consumption when they advertise particular models, under a proposal outlined in a new discussion paper. Federal Transport Minister Anthony Albanese and Environment Minister Peter Garrett released the Vehicle Fuel Efficiency report on behalf of the Australian Transport Council and the Environment Protection and Heritage Council.

Scoop NZ: RMA call-in on geothermal project results

Environment Minister Trevor Mallard today welcomed the Board of Inquiry’s final decision regarding Contact Energy Limited’s proposed Te Mihi geothermal power station near Taupo, and thanked the board for an effective and efficient process.

On 22 January this year, Trevor Mallard called in Contact’s applications for the Te Mihi proposal because of its national significance and appointed Environment Court judge Gordon Whiting to lead a Board of Inquiry. The call-in combined the local council’s consideration and a potential Environment Court appeal process into a single consideration by the board. Following a public submission process and a three-day hearing, the board made a final decision on the application in accordance with district and regional plans.

Stuff.co.nz: Air NZ test flight saves fuel and emissions

An Air New Zealand jet was the centre of attention when it arrived at San Francisco International Airport from Auckland on Friday. United States Federal Aviation Administration officials promoting flight and navigational technologies that reduce fuel use and carbon dioxide emissions watched the arrival of the Boeing 777.

The Age: World airlines face harsh reality: consolidate or perish

AIR New Qantas? Singapore Virgin? Air Tiger X? The idea of super carriers ruling the skies has been talked about almost as long as airlines have been around.

However, the appeal of airline consolidation gained momentum this year as fuel prices soared, about two dozen airlines collapsed or filed for bankruptcy, airline executives started thinking about the costs of climate change, and Boeing and Airbus finally started delivering a backlog as demand softened.

Canberra Times: Transport takes front seat

How will you improve Canberra's public transport system? Transport Minister John Hargreaves said the Government had committed itself to spending $50million on 100 new buses to be bought over the next four years.

Mr Hargreaves said ACTION would also receive an increase of nearly $13million over four years to implement ''Network 08'' which would provide additional and more frequent bus services.

SMH: Origin pleased with $9.6b price tag

ORIGIN ENERGY'S chief executive, Grant King, considers the $9.6 billion paid by the US energy group ConocoPhillips for half the company's coal-seam gas assets is "pleasing", but "not surprising". "It was actually consistent with our view of what those assets could be worth," Mr King said on ABC television.

The West: Uranium shares set to jump with change in government

Shares in a raft of WA uranium explorers are expected to soar this week on the back of Colin Barnett being sworn in as WA Premier this week. Mr Barnett has promised to end the ban on uranium mining imposed by the Labor government, setting the scene for an investment frenzy as share punters assess which of the explorers are most likely to become producers.

Energy and Minerals Australia will start exploration drilling at its Mulga Rock project east of Kalgoorlie-Boulder today in what the WA mining industry hopes will become a uranium boom engulfing the State. WA is known to contain some of the biggest undeveloped yellowcake deposits in the world, though the longstanding ban on mining them has restricted the amount of money spent exploring for the mineral.

Courier Mail: Anna Bligh backs uranium export in theory only

PREMIER Anna Bligh has insisted Queensland's ban on uranium mining is rock solid despite backing a treaty for the safe export of yellow cake to Russia. Ms Bligh has written to a Federal Government lower house committee indicating she has no problem with a number of treaties being reviewed.