Category: Australian News

Over half (52%) of Australian business leaders believe that a sustainability skills shortage is holding back their organisation’s energy transition, according to new research.

The survey of more than 500 business managers and decision-makers across corporate Australia found that 76% of businesses saw sustainable transformation as providing a competitive edge. However, it also highlighted that the majority are struggling with a lack of energy transition expertise and dedicated personnel to get their strategies in place.

The concerning findings are part of the new Sustainability Index: transforming intention to outcomes report from Schneider Electric, the global leader in digital transformation of energy management. 

“Corporate Australia is committed to energy transition, but our research shows that without proper support and intelligence, a significant proportion are struggling to make an impact on their emissions,” says Gareth O’Reilly, Schneider Electric’s Pacific Zone President.

Over a tenth (14%) of business leaders admitted they don’t know where to start in setting carbon emissions reduction targets. A similar number (12%) were also unsure how to create an energy usage data capture and reporting strategy to understand their current emissions.

The findings may explain why only 14% of respondents said their companies had developed and published a climate action plan internally. As well as why, only 11% had publicly shared an intention to reduce their carbon emissions and just 7% had announced any commitment to reach net zero.

“Energy transition is inevitable for all businesses, what we need now is quick and effective outcomes. Key to this will be helping businesses understand their emissions and what to do to reduce them.” says Mr O’Reilly. 

Currently carbon emissions are measured across three scopes. The first (Scope 1) covers emissions from a company’s owned or controlled resources. The second (Scope 2) are those generated from purchased energy, such as gas and electricity. Finally, Scope 3 emissions are created indirectly through a business’ value chain by third parties, such as its suppliers and end users. 

The data shows that anywhere between a quarter to a third of business leaders are struggling to understand their emissions across these scopes: 

• Scope 1 & 2: 
  • Natural gas (25%)
  • Refrigerants (25%)
  • Transport fuels (26%)
  • Other liquid fuels (30%)
  • Electricity (14%)
• Scope 3: 
  • Upstream leased assets (33%)
  • Employee commuting (26%)
  • Capital goods (24%) 
  • Business travel (21%)
  • Franchises (35%) 
  • Investments (25%)

“When you consider the breadth of carbon emissions a company can contribute to, it’s clear that expert skills are essential to effective energy transition,” adds Mr O’Reilly. “Encouragingly, businesses are identifying the quickest way to gain the expertise they need is through third parties.”

More than a third (38%) of organisations confirmed that they are receiving external partner support in decarbonising. This included over half (55%) of Australia’s large companies with 200+ employees, almost half (48%) of medium-sized companies and 29% of small businesses with less than 20 employees.

Companies that engaged third party experts were more likely to have implemented energy management systems (41%), IOT assets (40%) and specific software (35%). While companies which hadn’t gained assistance have lower levels of adoption (24%. 17% and 18% respectively).

Large companies were also most likely to have either identified their material risks and started to develop an action plan (35%), or to have already published one (23%).

“It’s make or break time for businesses to address energy transition and sustainability skills will be a leading determinant in those that get ahead and those that fall behind,” says Mr O’Reilly. “Businesses must secure their access to the decarbonisation expertise now, or potentially fall through the sustainability skills gap on the road to net zero,” he concludes.

For more information about energy transition and digitalisation visit www.se.com.

About Schneider Electric 

Schneider’s purpose is to empower all to make the most of our energy and resources, bridging progress and sustainability for all. We call this Life Is On.

Our mission is to be your digital partner for Sustainability and Efficiency.

We drive digital transformation by integrating world-leading process and energy technologies, end-point to cloud connecting products, controls, software and services, across the entire lifecycle, enabling integrated company management, for homes, buildings, data centers, infrastructure and industries.

We are the most local of global companies. We are advocates of open standards and partnership ecosystems that are passionate about our shared Meaningful Purpose, Inclusive and Empowered values. 

www.se.com 

About the survey: this study of 500 senior decision-makers investigates Australia’s corporate position on sustainability and energy efficiency, and the challenges and opportunities that companies are facing. Respondents came from SMEs and major corporates, such as Woolworths, IBM, Toll, Coles, and the Commonwealth Bank. They belong to a wide range of industries, including construction, manufacturing, retail, financial and insurance services, health care and social services, and professional services. Key facts:

• Over half (52%) of Australian businesses are struggling to find sustainability skills they need.
• Only 7% have publicly announced a commitment to reach net zero.
• 14% of business leaders don’t know where to start in setting carbon emissions reduction targets.
• Three-quarters (76%) of businesses see sustainable transformation as providing a competitive edge.
• Over one-third (38%) of businesses are recruiting external sustainability support to address their carbon emissions.

A new critical analysis has found Professor Emily Banks’ Australian National University review of vaping came to flawed conclusions and failed to achieve its objectives.

According to a peer-reviewed analysis published today in Drug and Alcohol Review, the Banks review is at odds with global evidence which suggests vaping nicotine is an effective smoking cessation aid and is likely to have a major net public health benefit if widely available to adult Australian smokers. Of all advanced countries, Australia is the most hostile to vaping.

The critical analysis comes as the government is set to crackdown on nicotine vaping, which will seriously impact adult smokers who can’t quit smoking using the available treatments.

Key takeaways from the critical analysis:

1.       The ANU review ignored evidence that vaping is an effective smoking cessation tool.

·       Vaping has proven to be effective in randomised controlled trials and this is supported by observational data, population studies and declines in national smoking rates

2.       The ANU study confuses association with causation in claiming that youth vaping causes teens to take up smoking.

·       Evidence suggests the opposite – that vaping diverts more young people away from smoking than encourages them to smoke.

3.       The ANU review focussed solely on the harms of vaping and disregarded the key question of relative risk – is vaper safer than cigarette smoking?

·       The critical message for adult smokers is that switching to vaping dramatically reduces their exposure to toxic chemicals, reduces toxic biomarkers (toxins in the body) and leads to health improvements.

4.       The ANU review did not consider the critical issue of the net public health impact of vaping.

·       Vaping has the potential to reduce smoking prevalence and improve public health more than any other intervention.

Please find the article here, an explanatory blog here, and statements from the authors below. All the authors are available for interview.

A recording of my statement is available here. 

“The Banks review ignored key evidence and was fundamentally flawed. It emphasised the small and potential harms of vaping but failed to acknowledge that it is a far safer alternative to smoking – the key issue for current smokers. It also ignored the compelling evidence that vaping is beneficial to public health overall and could save the lives of millions of smokers.”

–          Dr. Colin Mendelsohn
Clinician and academic in smoking cessation and tobacco harm reduction for 40 years

“The Banks review intended to examine the scientific evidence on vaping and provide guidance for future policy. However, we found several critical errors in their analysis, which meant the review’s key conclusions did not accurately reflect the science.”

–          Dr Alex Wodak AM
Emeritus Consultant, Alcohol and Drug Service, St Vincent’s Hospital Sydney

“The Banks review made a fundamental error in confusing association and causation, claiming that vaping increases the uptake of youth smoking. Even if vaping does lead some non-smokers to take up smoking, the overall impact is to significantly reduce smoking rates. Youth smoking continues to decline in countries where smokers are encouraged to vape, such as the United Kingdom and New Zealand.”

–          Emeritus Professor Wayne Hall

–          Centre for Youth Substance Abuse Research, University of Queensland

“By disregarding much of the available evidence showing vaping is an effective quitting aid, the study erroneously concluded vaping was of little benefit to smokers. The overall body of evidence actually tells a very different story, and shows vaping is probably more effective than other quitting aids, often working where other treatments fail.”

–          Professor Ron Borland

–          School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne

Reference

Mendelsohn CP, Wodak A, Hall W, Borland R. A critical analysis of ‘Ecigs and health outcomes – systematic review of global evidence’. Drug and Alcohol Review. 22 July 2022

Blog. The Banks review of vaping is flawed and misleading. 22 July 2022

Responding to comments by Anthony Albanese today around abortion, Greens spokesperson on Women Senator Larissa Waters said:
 
“I urge the Prime Minister to rethink his hasty dismissal of Labor’s 2019 position of requiring public hospitals to provide abortion services as a prequisute for Commonwealth funding.

“Abortions should be available through the public health system, and Albanese has the power to deliver that through using the federal funding lever. He shouldn’t avoid responsibility for it as he sought to do today.

“Access to safe, legal abortion remains a postcode lottery in Australia, with different rules, costs and availability depending on where you live. Some people are having to travel for hours at significant expense to access this basic healthcare service.
 
“The Health Minister should concurrently extend Medicare coverage to reduce out of pocket fees for abortion services performed in private practices.

“The Commonwealth can also facilitate access to medical abortions by allowing mifepristone to be prescribed up to two weeks later in gestation, in accordance with international best practice, and could also support nurse-led models of care for administering it. The Health Minister should also ensure that telehealth access is maintained.
 
“Including more long-acting reversible contraceptives on Medicare would make a significant impact in reducing unplanned pregnancies. 
 
“The Greens support calls for national consistency on abortion laws, provided they are best practice. The Women’s Safety Ministers should work towards that goal, and also ensure that the National Plan to End Violence Against Women addresses reproductive coercion.”

The Australian Greens Party Room has met and had its first discussion regarding the government’s Climate Change Bill and has empowered Greens Leader Adam Bandt MP to enter formal negotiations with the government on the Bill.

Areas of concern remain the adequacy of the target, the need for targets to be ratcheted up and for the bill to operate as a floor not a ceiling, the lack of enforcement mechanisms, and new coal and gas projects that would lift pollution.

Greens Party Room will continue to get updates on the negotiations, on the basis of which a final position on the bill will be reached in the coming weeks.

Adam Bandt MP said:

“The Greens will begin formal negotiations with the government on its climate bill, but we’re concerned that the government’s desire to open new coal and gas mines will make the climate crisis worse.

“Europe is burning and Australia’s environment is collapsing, but the government wants to open new coal and gas mines. You don’t put the fire out while pouring petrol on it.

“As well as the weak target that means more fires and floods, the Greens are concerned that the bill as drafted is a barrier to government lifting the weak 43% targets, isn’t ‘Dutton-proof’ against a future government that wants to lower the targets, doesn’t require government to actually do anything to cut pollution and allows more coal and gas. 

“We will engage in good faith negotiations with the government, and we hope the government will drop its insistence on having a weak target and opening more coal and gas. 

“The State of the Environment report and the Pacific Island leaders give the government all the justification it needs to do more. Our preference is to improve and pass this bill, but the government must come to the table.”

The Fair Work Ombudsman has secured court orders for a total of $36,000 in penalties and back-payment against the former operator of a real estate agency in northern NSW.

The Federal Circuit and Family Court has imposed a $4,000 penalty against David Stuart McElveney, a sole trader who formerly operated an agency based in Lennox Head trading as ‘One Agency Ballina-Lennox Head’.

The penalty was imposed in response to Mr McElveney failing to comply with a Compliance Notice requiring him to back-pay entitlements to a worker he employed as a real estate agent under a commission-only written agreement between November 2018 and February 2021.

In addition to the penalty, the Court has ordered Mr McElveney to pay the worker $32,000 in commissions owed, plus interest and superannuation.

Fair Work Ombudsman Sandra Parker said business operators that fail to act on Compliance Notices need to be aware they can face court-imposed penalties on top of having to back-pay workers.

“When Compliance Notices are not followed, we are prepared to take legal action to ensure workers receive their lawful entitlements,” Ms Parker said.

“Any employees with concerns about their pay or entitlements should contact us for free advice and assistance.”

The FWO commenced an investigation after receiving a request for assistance from the affected worker.

The Compliance Notice was issued in April 2021 after an inspector formed a belief that the worker had not been paid commission payments he was entitled to on the sale of two properties.

Australia is experiencing a significant increase in cases of the new BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants of the COVID-19 Omicron strain.

These variants are highly infectious and have an ability to evade the immune protection from either previous infection or vaccine. Although three or four doses of vaccine remain very effective at providing protection against severe disease from BA.4 and BA.5, vaccination alone is not effective at stopping infection or transmission of the virus from person to person.

All indications, including previous experience with the BA.1 Omicron variant in Australia in January this year, as well as recent experience with the BA.4 and BA.5 variants in other countries, along with our weekly forecasting reports, suggest that cases will continue to rise in Australia over the coming month.

This wave of infections is already leading to an increase in the number of people with COVID-19. This will increase pressure on our hospitals which are already experiencing high levels of patients, and absenteeism due to illness in staff. Due to the number of cases, we may also see a rise in the number of people dying with COVID-19, particularly among those who are at higher risk of severe disease, most notably people over the age of 80 and those who have not received all recommended vaccine doses.

We cannot stop this wave of infections, but we can slow the spread and protect the vulnerable. We have done this before and we can do it again. In fact, a range of measures and advice provided in the past two weeks gives us a clear, scientifically-based path to achieve these dual aims.

The Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC) has reiterated its advice on reinfection periods, testing and isolation, mask wearing, vaccine boosters and treatments and called on employers to allow work from home if feasible.

Employers should review their occupational health and safety risks and mitigations, and their business continuity plans. They should consider the feasibility of some employees working from home, wearing masks in the workplace and support employees to take leave when sick.

All of these recommendations are based on what we know works to either reduce the spread of the virus or protect those at highest risk of severe disease.

The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation has widened its recommendations on fourth doses of COVID-19 vaccine. Very pleasingly, this has had an immediate effect, with almost 560,000 fourth doses administered in the first week of the expanded rollout, compared with approximately 180,000 the week before – a threefold increase.

The Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee has also widened and simplified the criteria for the availability of oral antiviral treatments which can be prescribed by general practitioners and dispensed from community pharmacies. We do not yet have data on prescribing since the announcement of these changes but expect a major increase, given that the number of prescriptions had already more than doubled from 5,657 in mid-June to 13,441 in early July.

Last week, numerous measures were introduced to increase the protection of aged care residents. As part of this, I wrote to all residential aged care facilities to stress the importance of having readily available antiviral medications within 24 hours of a positive test and a comprehensive winter plan to protect residents against COVID-19.

Modelling and forecasting provide a range of possible scenarios which are completely dependent on what we do now. We know this from our experience of the past two years where we have all taken actions which have changed the course of history.

What has been predicted before has led to appropriate actions by individuals, communities and government which has led to fewer cases and protected the most vulnerable members of our community – older Australians, people living with a disability, those with chronic disease or lowered immunity and First Nations peoples. By working together, we can do that again. This is not about individual responsibility but concerted and sustained community action.

I encourage everyone who is eligible for their fourth dose and who has not yet had it to make an appointment as soon as possible to receive it. I also remind any Australian who has not had a third dose of vaccine that two doses of the COVID vaccines simply do not provide adequate protection against severe disease. Having the recommended vaccinations for your age group or risk profile is the single most important thing Australians can do to prevent severe COVID requiring hospitalisation or even death.

I also encourage everyone to follow the recent advice of the AHPPC and wear masks when outside the home in crowded, indoor environments, including on public transport. This is important to protect yourself and others.

Physical distancing, where possible, and following good hygiene practices provide additional layers of protection. Undertake a test if you have any symptoms and stay at home if you have COVID-19.

Check your eligibility for antiviral treatments with your usual health provider and make a COVID treatment plan so that you know exactly what to do to access that life saving treatment before you get sick.

Reducing the impact of COVID-19 is a shared responsibility for everyone. We can all play a role in protecting ourselves and our loved ones, our hospitals and the wider health system, those most at risk, and society as a whole.

Bushfire Survivors for Climate Action (BSCA) today welcomes the release of the State of the Environment report, and calls on the government to act urgently to cut emissions and keep our regional communities safe.

Australians are facing an increasingly high bushfire-risk environment that is driven by climate change. Bureau of Meteorology data shows there are 10 times more extreme fire danger days than there were in the 1960s.

BSCA president Jo Dodds said the report underscored the importance of making deep emissions cuts this decade.

“Our regional towns deserve safety and security,” Ms Dodds said. “We need to stop burning coal, gas and oil to reduce the risk of bushfires and other extreme weather events.

“I know too well what it’s like to experience the effects of a climate change-fuelled emergency, and call on our leaders to invest in solutions to reduce emissions – we know this will help keep our regional communities safe while also supporting their economic growth.”

Australia is steadfast in our enduring commitment to seek truth, justice, and accountability for the victims of the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17.

Today marks the eighth anniversary of the tragedy which resulted in the deaths of all 298 passengers and crew, including 38 people who called Australia home.

Our thoughts remain with those who lost their lives, their families and loved ones.

Since 2018, Australia has maintained that the Russian Federation is responsible under international law for the downing of Flight MH17. This is based on the strong body of evidence presented by the Joint Investigation Team.

Australia and the Netherlands are committed to our pursuit of accountability through our dispute against the Russian Federation in the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

We commend the progress in the Dutch criminal trials of four individuals for their alleged involvement and look forward to the delivery of verdicts.

Australia condemns Russia’s unilateral, illegal, and immoral aggression against the people of Ukraine. It is a painful reminder of the tragic circumstances surrounding the downing of Flight MH17.

While we cannot take away the grief of those whose loved ones died as a result of Russia’s actions, the Australian Government will pursue every available avenue to ensure Russia is held to account.

Today the National Cabinet met virtually to discuss the evolving situation with the COVID 19 pandemic and agreed several new measures.

The Commonwealth and all States and Territories remain committed to working together collaboratively to support the COVID-19 health response, as Australians continue to manage the impacts of this pandemic.

Chief Medical Officer Professor Paul Kelly provided an update on the pandemic, including new variants and their potential impact, and the impacts on hospital capacity and broader health system. Australia is beginning to see a new wave of COVID-19 infections driven by the BA.4 and BA.5 Omicron sub variants, which will increase the pressure on our health system.

In recognition of the risks associated with more infectious new variants through the winter period, the Commonwealth agreed to reinstate the Pandemic Leave Disaster Payment to 30 September 2022. Eligibility for the payment will be backdated to 1 July 2022, to ensure that anyone unable to work owing to isolation requirements in this period, without access to paid sick leave, is supported. Access to these payments will commence from Wednesday 20 July, with existing eligibility requirements to continue.

We have agreed to share the costs of the payment 50:50, between the Commonwealth and the States and Territories.

In addition the Commonwealth Government will also reinstate the Crisis Payment – National Health Emergency (COVID-19) until 30 September 2022, with eligibility also to be backdated to 1 July 2022. This will ensure people affected by COVID-19 isolation requirements who receive an income support payment or ABSTUDY Living Allowance, and who are in severe financial hardship, continue to receive support through the winter period.

The Commonwealth has further agreed to create a new, temporary telehealth item so GPs can spend longer with their patients to assess their suitably for oral COVID-19 antivirals. This will enable those most vulnerable to COVID-19 to quickly access medical treatments and help ease the burden on hospitals.

State and Territory Premiers and Chief Ministers also shared updates from across each jurisdiction, including noting initiatives such as increasing access to supplies of Rapid Antigen Tests (RATs).

All First Ministers agreed:

• Jurisdictions will utilise existing RAT stocks funded through 50/50 cost share arrangements with the Commonwealth to support the public health response.
• Jurisdictions and the Commonwealth will provide consistent health messaging encouraging Australians to follow the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee’s recommendations on health behaviours including wearing masks indoors, getting tested and practising good respiratory hygiene.

The National Cabinet remains committed to working together on national priorities, including supporting all Australians impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. National Cabinet will continue to meet as necessary.

The Australian Government will provide $1.5 million to support Indonesia’s response to the recent outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD).

The funding will provide at least 1 million FMD doses for Indonesia’s vaccination program, following a formal request for assistance from the Indonesian Government.

Indonesia’s vaccination program is focused on support for the small-holder farming sector, which makes up around 90 per cent of Indonesia’s cattle industry.

This support is in addition to Australia’s existing commitment of 435,000 Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD) vaccine doses that are currently being distributed to affected Indonesia provinces.

Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Murray Watt discussed Australia’s support with Indonesian Minister for Agriculture Syahrul Yasin Limpo in Jakarta today.

Minister Watt also met with Indonesian National Disaster Management Authority head and Chief of the Indonesian Task Force for Foot and Mouth Disease, Lieutenant General Suharyanto.

The Australian Government has also committed an initial $500,000 to Meat and Livestock Australia, responsible for coordinating support from Australian industry for the Indonesian feedlot sector’s emergency response to these diseases.

Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator the Hon Penny Wong said:

“Safeguarding the biosecurity of our region is a shared concern for Australia and Indonesia – this was something confirmed during the recent Indonesia-Australia Annual Leaders’ Meeting.

“The provision of 1 million vaccine doses to combat Foot and Mouth disease underscores Australia’s commitment to supporting Indonesia’s response to the outbreak.”

Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Senator the Hon Murray Watt said:

“During my meeting with Lieutenant General Suharyanto we offered to share Australian expertise on emergency disease management and biosecurity.

“The Albanese Government is taking a two-pronged approach to preventing the incursion of Foot and Mouth disease, first by strengthening biosecurity measures at the Australian border, and also by supporting efforts to curb the spread overseas.”