Posted by Key events
Peter Hannam
Proposed $4bn pumped hydro project could power a third of Sydney’s households by 2031
Sydney’s main source of drinking water could also supply enough renewable energy to power almost a third of the city’s households by 2031 if a pumped hydro project using a former coal washery proceeds as planned.
Zen Energy, an energy retailer, has announced it had signed an agreement with the state-owned Water NSW to build a reservoir at Nattai on the escarpment about 400m above Lake Burragorang on Sydney’s south-west fringe.
The project has an initial cost of $3bn to $4bn and would be financed mostly through debt, a Zen spokesperson said. At 1,000 megawatts of capacity and with about 3km of tunnels, the venture would be about half the generation size of the Snowy 2.0 pumped hydro project, which is presently estimated to cost at least $12bn with its 27km of tunnels.
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Campaign video to launch on World Parkinson’s Day, highlighting impact of disease
Today is World Parkinson’s Day, and the nations peak body for those suffering from the disease has released a report demonstrating its prevalence across the country.
Parkinson’s Australia says more than 150,000 Australians live with the disease, equating to 1 in 173 people. And reported cases are increasing, with 12,000 people diagnosed in 2020 alone.
And by 2050 the number of Australians living with Parkinson’s is projected to more than triple, according to Parkinson’s Australia.
International cricketing legend Allan Border, now living with Parkinson’s, will be lending his voice to a video campaign highlighting the impact of the disease on Australians. Olivia Nassaris, Parkinson’s Australia, CEO, said:
The video highlights facts and figures from a scoping study conducted by Griffith University. This study addresses some fundamental gaps in knowledge about prevalence and incidence and other factors critical for the assessment of the burden of Parkinson’s in Australia.
Our research underscores the urgent need for increased awareness, support, and research into Parkinson’s. With incidence and prevalence rates set to skyrocket in the coming years, it’s imperative that we take proactive steps to address the challenges faced by individuals living with Parkinson’s and their families.
Greens say quarterly rent increase data shows need for rent freeze
Earlier, we brought you news via AAP that renters have been hit with the steepest quarterly hike in 17 years.
According to Domain, the median cost of renting a house in the combined capitals reached a new record of $630 a week. Advertised house rents rose 5% over the quarter in the nation’s urban centres, with units also up a solid 3.3%.
The Greens’ housing spokesperson, Max Chandler-Mather, said this demonstrated the need for a rent freeze. He wrote on X:
Renters just copped the *biggest* quarterly rent increase in 17 years, according to Domain. House rents went up 5%, units 3.3% in 3 months. That’s more than 5 times the recent quarterly wage increase. For the sake of millions of renters we must freeze rent increases and stop this.
Renters just copped the *biggest* quarterly rent increase in 17 years, according to Domain. House rents went up 5%, units 3.3% in 3 months. That’s more than 5 times the recent quarterly wage increase. For the sake of millions of renters we must freeze rent increases and stop this
— Max Chandler-Mather (@MChandlerMather) April 10, 2024
Medical association calls for national action plan on menopause in Australia
The Australian Medical Association is calling for a national action plan to improve equality for women suffering from menopausal and perimenopausal symptoms.
In a submission to a parliamentary inquiry into menopausal issues, the AMA said many women have difficulty accessing support and that there is profound disparity among the population of those suffering. AMA’s president, Prof Steve Robson, said:
A third of Australian women in midlife say menopause symptoms make it hard to do daily activities and they are also being targeted with misinformation in order to deal with it.
The out-of-pocket health expenses for women are, in general, higher than for men and it is a significant barrier for women to get equitable healthcare.
Australia is currently without a national menopause framework or action plan and we hope it will be a recommendation of the Senate inquiry.
The AMA said an plan would include analysis of medical and therapeutic support to combat menopausal symptoms such as high anxiety, depression, mood swings, forgetfulness or brain fog and suicidal tendencies.
Daniel Hurst
Here’s more on the letter from the union representing Australian journalists:
The MEAA has demanded the Albanese government publicly call on the US government drop its charges against Julian Assange, warning presidential intervention will become less likely the closer the US election gets.
The letter coincides with the fifth anniversary of Assange’s detention in Belmarsh prison in the UK. The MEAA said the UK high court decision to conditionally grant Assange leave to appeal against the extradition order was “a small and unsatisfactory reprieve” and the only solution was a US decision to drop the charges.
In a letter to Anthony Albanese and Penny Wong, the MEAA’s media section president, Karen Percy, said Assange’s extradition and prosecution by the US “would set a disturbing global precedent for the suppression of press freedom and would constitute an assault on the public’s right to know”.
It would mean that any journalist, anywhere in the world, could be charged and extradited for handling any information that the US government classifies as ‘secret’.
We are writing to urge you in the strongest possible terms to take immediate public action to demand the United States government drop the charges against Julian Assange so he can resume life as a free man in Australia.
The call was issued prior to Joe Biden’s comments overnight that he’s considering the Australian government’s request:
Albanese says discussions on Palestinian statehood, two-state solution ‘are taking place’ globally
Moving back to the Australian government’s discussions regarding a Palestinian state (see earlier posts): Albanese was asked about comments from Peter Dutton last night, accusing Penny Wong of being “reckless” in advocating for Palestinian statehood as essential to sustainable Middle East peace.
He told ABC News Breakfast this was “more nasty negativity from [Dutton]”.
A two-state solution is required in the Middle East to break the cycle that has been there for my entire lifetime. I think Australians want to see that and I want Israel to exist within secure borders in safety, security and prosperity, but I also want justice for Palestinians…
What is the timeline for recognising a Palestinian state? Albanese said Wong was reflecting international discussions taking place around this issue. And should these discussions be taking place while hostages are still being held? Albanese responded:
Well, they are taking place and you’re aware they’re taking place because you would have broadcast comments from people like David Cameron… who made similar comments, the comments of President Biden speaking [of] a two-state solution. Every one of our like-minded partners. I’ve issued joint statements with the prime ministers of Canada and New Zealand, three of the Five Eyes partners, calling for a two-state solution.
Biden’s comments re: Assange ‘encouraging’, prime minister says
As we reported earlier, the US president, Joe Biden, says he is “considering” Australia’s request to end Julian Assange’s prosecution. Anthony Albanese responded to the news on ABC News Breakfast and said this was an “encouraging statement”.
I have said that we have raised, on behalf of Mr Assange, Australia’s national interests that enough is enough [and] this needs to be brought to a conclusion. And we’ve raised it at each level of government, in every possible way. We’ll continue to engage diplomatically in that in order to achieve an outcome that I believe Australians want to see.
Was this a throwaway comment, or something more? Albanese again said it was “encouraging” but noted the issue is “complex”.
I believe this must be brought to a conclusion and that Mr Assange has already paid a significant price and enough is enough. There’s nothing to be gained by Mr Assange’s continued incarceration, in my very strong view, and I’ve put that as the view of the Australian government.
Anthony Albanese spruiks new industry plan: ‘We can’t be vulnerable’
The prime minister was also on ABC News Breakfast this morning as he mades the morning television rounds.
Anthony Albanese has been talking up his new industry plan for a green interventionist industry policy which would use direct government support to speed up the energy transition. You can read the full story from Karen Middleton below:
Albanese said his ambition is for “a future made in Australia” and argued if we can create more things here, “we can compete with the world”.
We need to identify where Australia has a advantage – such as in green hydrogen, producing green steel and green aluminium, producing batteries – and we need to look at our national sovereignty and where we need to ensure we can stand on our own two feet.
We can’t be vulnerable. That is one of the lessons of the global pandemic, that we need a more resilient economy [and] that’s about a future made here. It’s about using assets we have, under the ground, in the sky, to produce advanced manufacturing, creating jobs and economic growth and prosperity right here in Australia.
Albanese said there needs to be a “private-sector led surge” but the government is prepared to provide loans or support industries as a catalyst to get off the ground.
This is a global competition that’s happening. It’s a race for jobs and opportunity. We can’t afford to sit it out. If we do that, the world will go past us.
Albanese on the discussion to recognise a Palestinian state: ‘This is about being a serious player’
Anthony Albanese was asked to confirm if the government has a formal plan to recognise Palestinian statehood.
This follows a speech from Penny Wong earlier this week. She told a crowd in Canberra Australia would consider recognising a Palestinian state as a way to achieve a two-state solution, as a broader international conversation takes place towards a pathway to peace.
Speaking on the Today show, Albanese said:
We consistently have said that in the Middle East there needs to be a two-state solution… [Hamas] has no role to play in the Middle East, but justice for Palestinians – we know that there’s been this … cycle of violence over a long period of time. My entire lifetime, this has been an issue… and we know that the solution is a two-state solution. And what the world is doing is engaging in discussions about how that might work out.
Q: This announcement is really at this point, nothing more than a thought bubble.
Albanese:
No, this is about being a serious player, about real solutions to the Middle East conflict, that’s what this is about. Looking beyond the current conflict and engaging as we have been doing.
So, with our partners – and if you look at the position of President [Joe] Biden and the British foreign secretary, [David] Cameron, who was recently in Australia… has said very similar things.
Prime minister details potential partnership with Japan on Aukus pillar 2
Prime minister Anthony Albanese has defended Australia’s decision to work with Japan through pillar 2 of the Aukus deal.
Earlier this week, the three Aukus nations – Australia, the UK and the US – announced they would consider partnering with Japan to enhance defence capabilities through pillar 2 of the defence deal. (Pillar 1 deals with the nuclear submarine element of the deal)
Speaking on the Today show, Albanese noted Japan was an “advanced technology nation” and any potential partnership would be about “increasing our defence capability”.
How will that swing with China? Albanese responded:
Well, it’s about increasing our defence capability, and that’s in Australia’s national interest. And we’ve said with China that will cooperate where we can, we’ll disagree where we must, but we’ll always engage in a constructive manner. And that’s what we’re continuing to do.
Yesterday, Reuters reported some pushback from China on the Aukus deal (you can read more in yesterday’s blog here). Asked if he was “poking the bear”, Albanese said Australia is “engaging constructively”.
This is about our national defence, and all nations have a right to ensure that their defence capability is maximised. That’s precisely what Australia is doing.
Tory Shepherd
Victoria signs up to revamped Murray Darling Basin Plan
Victoria has overcome its initial reluctance and signed up to a rejig of the Murray-Darling basin plan.
The federal government had already got South Australia, New South Wales, Queensland, and the Australian Capital Territory on board the plan to deliver the last 450GL of water while extending water recovery project deadlines and removing buyback caps.
That 450GL was negotiated mainly for the benefit of the environment at the South Australian end of the Murray River, and has been controversial upstream.
Victoria baulked at the new legislation and said it was already doing its part in returning water to the river. The state’s water minister, Harriet Shing, said the government had a “long-standing opposition to buybacks”, which some fear will hurt towns when water owners sell up.
Now, Victoria has signed up – although it maintains its opposition to buybacks.
The federal environment and water minister, Tanya Plibersek, said:
This commitment unlocks for Victoria the full range of water recovery options already available to other basin states. For some months now, the Albanese government has been working closely with participating basin jurisdictions on water recovery opportunities, including alternatives to buybacks.
This has led to recent announcements of significant funding agreements with NSW and ACT.
Victoria’s commitment announced today will allow for similar opportunities over the coming months, and will allow us to deliver the Murray-Darling basin plan in full in coming years.
Shing said the commonwealth had agreed to fund environmental projects to protect Victorian flood plains:
Our position on buybacks has not changed and we do not support any decision under the basin plan that harms communities, the environment or puts farmers at risk – we will continue to negotiate and advocate for outcomes that do not cause unnecessary harm.
Pat Conroy responds to Biden’s comments on Assange
The defence industry minister, Pat Conroy, is currently in the United States, and the ABC asked him for his response to the latest Assange development:
The Australian government from Prime Minister [Anthony] Albanese down have been very clear that we think the Assange [matter] needs to be brought to a close, we think has been going on for too long and we’ve communicated that to both the United States and UK government. So I welcome president [Joe] Biden’s comment.
Media union renews call to free Assange
Hours after the US president, Joe Biden, signalled he was considering an Australian request to drop the prosecution of Julian Assange, the media union is pressuring the government to continue its lobbying.
The Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance (MEAA) has written to the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, and the foreign minister, Penny Wong, urging them to publicly call upon the US government to drop its charges against the WikiLeaks founder.
Overnight in Washington, Biden was asked if he had a response to Australia’s request to end Assange’s prosecution and responded: “We are considering it”.
The MEAA’s letter to the government today comes on the fifth anniversary of Assange’s detention in the UK. The alliance’s section president, Karen Percy, said:
We are writing to urge you in the strongest possible terms to take immediate public action to demand the United States government drop the charges against Julian Assange so he can resume life as a free man in Australia.
As we draw closer to the US Presidential election, the opportunity for a satisfactory resolution to this case diminish.
– from AAP
Renters hit with steepest quarterly hike in 17 years
Australian renters cannot get any relief, AAP reports, with asking rents rising in the first quarter and the typically busy start-of-year changeover period colliding with an already hot market.
The median cost of renting a house in the combined capitals reached a new record of $630 a week, according to real estate platform Domain, and recorded its sharpest quarterly gain in 17 years.
Advertised house rents rose 5% over the quarter in the nation’s urban centres, with units also up a solid 3.3% to a new record median asking price of $620.
Renters in most capital cities have been forking out more to keep a roof over their heads because of an acute shortage of available properties during a period of booming population growth.
Domain’s chief of research and economics, Nicola Powell, said the rental market usually experienced intense churn in the first quarter, but limited supply and high demand has intensified this:
This imbalance has consequently fuelled a renewed acceleration in rental price growth.
The biggest quarterly changes were recorded in Adelaide, where asking rents for houses rose 5.4%, followed by Perth (4.8%), Melbourne (3.6%), Brisbane (3.3%) and Sydney (2.7%). Vacancy rates also fell in every major city except Hobart, with Sydney, Melbourne and Perth at record lows.
Welcome
Emily Wind
Good morning, and happy Thursday – welcome back to another day on the Australia news live blog. I’m Emily Wind and I’ll bring you our rolling coverage today.
Renters have been hit with the biggest quarterly hike in almost two decades, AAP is reporting. According to data from real estate platform Domain, the median cost of renting a house in the combined capitals reached a record $630 a week and recorded its sharpest quarterly gain in 17 years.
Domain’s chief of research and economics, Nicola Powell, said the rental market usually experienced intense churn in the first quarter, but limited supply and high demand has intensified this:
This imbalance has consequently fuelled a renewed acceleration in rental price growth.
AAP is also reporting that the Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance has written to the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, and the foreign minister, Penny Wong, urging them to publicly call upon the US government to drop its charges against WikiLeaks’ founder, Julian Assange.
This comes as Joe Biden said he is considering a request from Australia to drop the charges against Assange. You can read the full story on this below:
Want to share a story tip? You can get in touch via X @emilywindwrites, or send me an email: emily.wind@theguardian.com.
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