Forestry industry backs call for logging in national parks
Sean Nicholls, Peter Hannam The forestry industry has accused the state government of failing to meet its commitments to timber supply and backed the recommendation of a parliamentary inquiry that national parks be opened up...
Logging looms in national parks
Sean Nicholls Logging would be allowed in NSW national parks and a freeze imposed on the declaration of new conservation areas under recommendations of a state parliamentary inquiry.
Bans lifted on fishing in sanctuaries
Sean Nicholls, Ben Cubby Every marine park in NSW will be reviewed, and bans on recreational fishing lifted in most marine sanctuaries, under major changes to environment laws announced by the state government.
Sean Nicholls
Ignoring concerns has led to a shambles
Sean Nicholls Five months ago the NSW government declared it had finally solved the vexed issue of coal seam gas in the state.
Dead in the water: O'Farrell buries coal seam gas plans
Sean Nicholls THE NSW government has caved in to community and political pressure over coal seam gas, announcing a ban on all activity within two kilometres of residential areas and industry clusters, such as...
Burke intended to approve coal mine before hoax
Sean Nicholls The federal Environment Minister, Tony Burke, flagged his intention to approve the controversial Maules Creek coal mine before Christmas, only weeks before it was the subject of a hoax media release...
AGL suspends coal seam gas wells application
Paddy Manning, Sean Nicholls and Ben Cubby AGL Energy has put its application to develop 66 coal seam gas wells in western Sydney on hold, after encountering strong community opposition and hostility from the federal Government.
Wind farms to pay fee and will be regulated for noise
Sean Nicholls, Ben Cubby LARGE wind farms will be licensed and their noise emissions regulated by the Environment Protection Authority under a plan to treat them as potential polluters like other industries.
Electricity profits up $100m, but users switch off
Sean Nicholls THE profits of electricity companies increased by $100 million in the past financial year and power bills are rising despite consumers using less electricity, an audit of state-owned energy companies...
Entire state up for grabs in coal seam gas and mining rules
Sean Nicholls FARMERS, environmental groups and miners have joined forces to condemn the state government's new regime for how coal seam gas drilling and coal mining may be carried out in NSW.
Premier's park hunting backdown the price of power sale
Sean Nicholls National parks in NSW will be opened up to recreational hunters as part of a deal between the Shooters and Fishers Party and the government to ensure passage of its electricity privatisation bill.
Ethanol plan will kill off unleaded, oil groups claim
Sean Nicholls Regular unleaded petrol will all but disappear from sale in NSW, becoming available at about one in 20 petrol stations if the state government proceeds with its mandate of ethanol blended fuel,...
Food zones for farmers in danger of coming a cropper
Ben Cubby, Sean Nicholls A key election pledge by the state government to fence prime farmland off from mining interests is in danger of collapse, with the minerals and gas industries refusing to concede that any part of the...
Bring on uranium exploration, says O'Farrell
Matt Wade and Sean Nicholls NSW Premier, Barry O'Farrell, has opened the door to uranium exploration in NSW days after federal Labor lifted its ban on exporting the nuclear fuel to India.
Residents complained of symptoms after leak
Sean Nicholls Eight residents of the Newcastle suburb of Stockton contacted a government hotline to complain of rashes and breathing difficulties after the leak of a carcinogen, hexavalent chromium, from Orica's...
Win for gas blockade as Santos pulls back
Ben Cubby, Sean Nicholls Coal seam gas drilling at a flashpoint site on the edge of the Liverpool Plains has been halted after the state's biggest coal seam gas operator, Santos, backed down, ending a three-week blockade by...
Robertson calls for halt on new coal seam gas licences
Ben Cubby, Sean Nicholls The Opposition Leader, John Robertson, is calling for the suspension of the issuing of any new coal seam gas exploration licences in NSW, including expansion of current operations, while an...
Robertson under fire for surging cost of solar scheme
Sean Nicholls The Opposition Leader, John Robertson, has been forced to defend his part in the failed Solar Bonus Scheme after an audit found it was so poorly designed it would have cost taxpayers almost $4...
Auditor-General reveals $4 billion blow-out in Solar Bonus Scheme
Sean Nicholls The controversial Solar Bonus Scheme would have blown out to almost $4 billion - more than 10 times its original estimated cost to taxpayers - had it been left to continue running as it was, a...
Stoner's solar bonus legal but questions remain
Sean Nicholls A former judge was commissioned to investigate claims that the Deputy Premier, Andrew Stoner, acted improperly in signing up for the solar bonus scheme shortly before its rebate was cut by...
