THE Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works will scrutinise a $24.8 million proposal from Airservices Australia to refurbish the Sydney (Kingsford Smith) Airport Tower at a public hearing on Thursday, March 11, 2021.
The inquiry into the Airservices Australia, Sydney Airport Tower Refurbishment Project will examine the need for the Sydney Tower to undergo a series of mechanical, structural and electrical upgrades while remining fully operational. Under the proposal, the current generation technology will be upgraded to new Integrated Tower Automation Suite (INTAS) technology.
Public hearing details
Date: Thursday, 11 March 2021 Time: 2pm to 3pm (AEDT) Location: via teleconference
NEW FIGURES released this week by the Electric Vehicle Council show Australian electric car sales stagnant "at a time when the rest of the world is hitting the accelerator hard"..
According to Electric Vehicle Council chief executive Behyad Jafari said, in 2020, there were 6,900 electric cars sold in Australia, a 2.7 percent increase from the 6,718 sold in 2019. The 2020 figures show electric cars accounting for 0.7 percent of total Australian car sales.
By comparison, electric vehicles in the EU increased their market share from 3.8 percent in 2019 to 10.2 percent in 2020. In the the UK, it was 3.1 percent in 2019 against 10.7 percent in 2020. In California, market share went from 7.6 percent to 8.1 percent. And in Norway, it rose from 56 percent in 2019 to 75 percent in 2020.
Electric Vehicle Council. Mr Jafari said the baffling Australian anomaly "needed to end".
"Australian drivers are ready to join the exciting global electric car transition, but our politicians are yanking the handbrake," Mr Jafari said.
"There's simply no sugarcoating it at this point – Australia has marked itself out as a uniquely hostile market to electric vehicles.
"We have no targets, no significant incentives, no fuel efficiency standards – and in Victoria we even have a new tax on non-emitting vehicles.
"Our governments are apparently doing everything possible to ensure Australia is stalled with its hazards on while the rest of the world zooms into the horizon.
"The good news is that given Australia's abundant natural advantages, it would only take a handful of small changes from government to get us right back on track, Mr Jafari said.
"If we follow the rest of the world and look to accelerate the shift to electric vehicles, we will be rewarded with clean city air, reduced carbon impact, enhanced fuel security, and a renewed manufacturing sector."
Mr Jafari said the Victorian Government's recent move to implement a special 'tax on not polluting' was particularly baffling.
"Victoria is now doing what no other jurisdiction on earth does by discouraging people from buying electric vehicles by slugging them with a special tax," Mr Jafari said.
"When this policy idea gets pushed by the oil lobby around the world, they typically get laughed out of the room. Tim Pallas cut them a key to his office.
"The federal government’s inaction is bad, but even they’re not destructive enough to actively discourage electric vehicle uptake with a new tax."
ALLIANZ AUSTRALIA has confirmed that it has entered into an enforceable undertaking (EU) with the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) to complete the current program of work in relation to Allianz Australia’s risk culture and governance.
This matter was considered as part of the Royal Commission into Misconduct in the Banking, Superannuation and Financial Services Industry and was the subject of a referral by the Commissioner to APRA.
Working with APRA, Allianz Australia said it recognised the need for reform and has embarked on a significant program of work to enhance its culture, conduct and governance. This involved a significant investment in Allianz Australia’s risk management, compliance, and corporate governance and conduct functions, the company reported.
Allianz SE, Allianz Australia’s parent company, recognised that it did not meet APRA’s expectations for robust oversight by an offshore parent of an APRA-regulated Australian insurance company and has taken vigorous measures to improve governance at its subsidiary, using its role as the ultimate parent of Allianz Australia to support Allianz Australia’s efforts to ensure that the program of reform is delivered.
Allianz Australia noted that its progress in implementing this program underpinned APRA’s decision in December 2020 to reduce from $250 million to $150 million the additional capital requirement applied to Allianz Australia in response to its Risk Governance Self Assessment.
Allianz Australia acknowledged APRA’s view that the effective implementation of the remainder of the program of work would be key to the removal of the remaining $150 million of additional capital.
Committee chair Senator James Paterson said, "The committee will consider three new powers proposed in the Bill for the AFP and the ACIC. They are:
Data disruption warrants to enable the AFP and the ACIC to disrupt data by modifying, adding, copying or deleting in order to frustrate the commission of serious offences online;
Network activity warrants to allow agencies to collect intelligence on serious criminal activity being conducted by criminal networks; and
Account takeover warrants to provide the AFP and the ACIC with the ability to take control of a person’s online account for the purposes of gathering evidence to further a criminal investigation.’
Due to COVID-19 restrictions, teleconference and video conference facilities may be used to connect witnesses to committee members. The hearings will be broadcast live at aph.gov.au/live.
THE EXTENSION of the Federal Government’s 50 percent apprentice and trainee wage subsidy will provide new job opportunities in the industry that is spearheading economic recovery.
"The $1.2 billion extension of the Boosting Apprenticeship Commencements (BAC) scheme is will also be a boost for economic recovery,” Denita Wawn, CEO of Master Builders Australia said.
“Governments around the country are harnessing the building and construction industry’s huge economic multiplier effect to accelerate the build to economic recovery. The extension of BAC will give employers confidence to take on new apprentices and trainees to help meet future demand for skills.
“Master Builders Australia called for the extension of employer support to take on apprentices and trainees in our Pre-Budget Submission especially given the major success of the program so far,” Ms Wawn said.
“Making the extended program demand driven is a good move that will support more people to take up pathways to careers in our industry as it leads the build to economic recovery."
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