http://dbad1.wordpress.com/2012/10/15/clean-up-australia-day/

Its clear Australians want change. Its the same reason people blindly vote for the greens(sadly un-Australian communists).

What labor are doing is absurd and reckless.
What is the point in taxing someone/organisation then giving it back in concessions. Its just a money burning exercise.

If you said to voters- We would like to create a new tax and 100% goes to renewable energy sources and green public transportation methods, What do you think the reaction would be?
I predict people would be perfectly fine with it. Business would surely embarrass it. People deep down know change is coming-they just want simple answers to a complex problem- and a way forward.

When you tax a business they can either put up prices or go offshore, we don’t manufacture a lot of products here now so i don’t know where people think jobs are going to come from in the future if we just keep on taxing them??!!

They are pouring between 46 to 80 BILLION dollars on stupid broadband. I worked out that for about 12 billion the GOV could buy solar power (5kw system) for 5 million homes. Now how would that look if our electricity consumption reduced by 33% instantly!!!!!
With no emissions and low maintenance costs!

That would be a change for the country.

What is some dumb tax going to do for the environment??????????

We are actually way behind the rest of the world with green technology because we really are low emitters. Not 2% like you quoted. We almost need a German PM who has vision. Germany are world leaders.

Your article is short sighted and lacks true vision of the real problem.

People want change, they are voting change, they even want to pay for it. But slogging businesses instead of involving them is economic suicide.

Just my two cents

Matt Smart

Barbara Carseldine
author of Creating a Culture with a Reverence for Water

I have met with the development team from Lend Lease and John Tabart from the Development Authority. The meeting was constructive and all parties remain open to discussion.

The team at Clean Up and I will continue to work with all interested parties to progress our aim of brokering solutions that provide best practice and sustainable outcomes for the site.

Ian

Fair points and I think you are wise to distance yourself from the Nimbys, who clearly have other agendas.

Have you held any meetings with Lend Lease or the Development Authority to hear about their plans? What are you impressions of them?

Simon

Clean Up Australia is no longer part of the group that is taking legal action in the Land & Environment Court. We have decided to focus our attention on working with stakeholders on specific issues, such as decontamination of the site.

I don’t believe it’s ever wise to underestimate the complexity of a site like this. When the remediation of Homebush Bay commenced all involved were very confident in their technology. The legacy of compromises and commercial expediency has resulted in a ban on commercial fishing in Sydney Harbour that could last decades.

The problem with protecting the environment is you only get one chance to get it right. If things go bad at Barangaroo, there’s no going back. If the Barangaroo Development Authority and Lend Lease are completely confident, then they have no reason to fear further study and independent assessment.

When we are confident that the remediation technology is absolute top-shelf, I’ll be the first one to encourage its deployment.

Ian