A quiet Budget night for sustainability

The 2015 Federal Budget could not have been more different to its predecessor, with the environment and sustainability sector barely rating a mention.

Whereas the 2014 Budget delivered cuts to, and the abolition of, several sustainability bodies, the government this year focused its funds on the Direct Action plan. Implementation of the plan will continue as forecast, with $1.5 billion over the next four years. The Climate Change Authority’s funding has also been extended for two years, by $6.1 million, while it reviews Australia’s climate policies.

Farmers will meanwhile receive over $300 million to get them through current and coming droughts, with Treasurer Joe Hockey announcing “an immediate tax deduction for new investment in water facilities [for all farmers] and a three-year depreciation allowance for all capital expenditure on fodder storage assets”.

“In addition, all farmers will be able to fully deduct the cost of new fencing from their tax bill,” Hockey said. “This initiative will help to improve productivity and environmental management of the land.”

But the Budget has received criticism from the Australian Greens, with Queensland Senator Larissa Waters saying it “ignores climate change and almost completely ignores the environment”.

“The Budget does nothing to tackle global warming, biodiversity loss and habitat destruction, or to protect our forests, oceans and World Heritage,” Waters said.

“Despite the challenges our environment faces, the Liberal Abbott government’s Budget fails to restore the 26% of the Department of Environment’s workforce that was cut in the last Budget.”

Waters acknowledged the government’s commitment of $100 million over four years for water quality projects on the Great Barrier Reef, announced some weeks ago. But she noted that the funding is not only “a far cry from the Natural Resource Management groups’ recommendation of $785 million for Reef water quality” - the funds have also been taken from the Green Army and National Landcare Program.

Environment Victoria meanwhile said the government missed the opportunity to crack down on highly profitable mining companies who are receiving government subsidies. This is despite Hockey’s statement that “we simply want people or companies who are avoiding their tax to pay their fair share”.

Environment Victoria Campaigns Director Nick Roberts referred to the Fuel Tax Credit Scheme - a $7 billion per year subsidy for diesel consumption. His organisation has been calling for the government to introduce a cap that would save around $2 billion each year by taking the subsidy away from huge mining companies with billion-dollar profits.

“A cap would … reduce a scheme that is currently subsidising over 8% of Australia’s total greenhouse gas emissions,” Roberts said. “This would save money, grow renewables and reduce pollution.”