Highlights include reports on the CEFC, NGER and the Safeguard Mechanism, and an audit of the RET scheme. Jobs include positions with Defence, Gold Fields, Thiess, Canegrowers, and city councils in Melbourne and Adelaide.

This first issue of Tracker for 2019 covers national developments, and next week's will cover state and territory developments. Tracker will then return to its normal format of covering national, state and territory developments in each issue.

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• Upcoming events
• National round-up
• Jobs and appointments

Upcoming events:

• Safeguard 2.0 – a carbon price under Labor A 45-minute webinar on January 30, hosted by Reputex.
• Frontiers in environmental law colloquium A February 4 conference in Brisbane, hosted by QUT Faculty of Law.
• Responsible business strategy and the Sustainable Development Goals A February 5 workshop in Sydney, hosted by Asha Kayla.
• Preparing for power station closure A February 13 seminar in Lake Macquarie, hosted by the Hunter Environment Centre.
• Local government strategy and the Sustainable Development Goals A February 19 workshop in Sydney, hosted by Asha Kayla.
• Stand-alone power, large-scale solar and pumped hydro Three February 25-26 joint conferences in Sydney, hosted by Informa.
• Capturing the value of demand response A February 28 workshop in Melbourne, hosted by the Energy Efficiency Council.
• AEBN national conference – environment, climate and energy A March 1 conference in Melbourne, hosted by the Australian Environment Business Network.
• Risk to remediation A March 4 to 8 training program on site contamination and remediation in Newcastle, hosted by CRC CARE.
• Sports environment alliance summit 2019 A March 5 event in Melbourne.
• Inaugural hydrogen energy summit A March 26 to 27 conference in Melbourne, hosted by Informa.
• National acid-sulfate soils guidance – identification and assessment A March 28 and 29 short course at the Gold Coast campus of Southern Cross University.

National:

• The Clean Energy Regulator today released large-scale Renewable Energy Target market data.
• The Regulator late last month also released an update on the RET's small-scale technology certificate market.
• The Climate Change Authority has released a report on the NGER and Safeguard Mechanism schemes (see background here).
• The federal government has invited registrations of interest by January 23 to participate in its energy project underwriting scheme (see background here).
• The Australian Energy Regulator has issued its latest state of the energy market report.
• Federal Parliament's library service has released a research paper on the Safeguard Mechanism that applies to large emitters.
• The national Paintback used paint recovery scheme collected 4.3 million kilograms of unwanted paint and packaging in FY18, more than double the 1.9 million kilograms collected in FY17, says its latest annual report.
• A national lighting upgrade project that was used by a little-known company to successfully secure an ERF contract worth about $29 million has collapsed (see background here).
• The Auditor-General has released a new report on the administration of the Renewable Energy Target.
• A Deloitte review of the Clean Energy Finance Corporation has concluded the organisation is effective, having leveraged more than $7.8 billion in private finance for clean energy projects.
• Large emitters covered by the Safeguard Mechanism have until February 1 to again apply for calculated emission baselines if their first application was refused.
• NOPSEMA, which regulates offshore oil and gas facilities, has issued a new update on its efforts to improve consultation arrangements and transparency.
• The federal government has delayed the scheduled start-date for proposed reforms to its chemical assessment and approval scheme, subject to the Senate passing the reform bills (see background here).
• The Department of Environment and Energy has invited nominations by March 28 for new EPBC listings of threatened species and ecological communities.
• Environment Minister Melissa Price has stated species affected by fire regimes will for 12 months be given priority consideration for EPBC listing as threatened (see background here).
• The Department of Environment and Energy has issued EPBC approval for a geological repository for hazardous waste proposed by Tellus Holdings (see background here).
• The Clean Energy Regulator contracted to buy only 3.27 million tonnes of greenhouse gas abatement in the December ERF auction, far less than it agreed to purchase at previous auctions (see background here).
• The federal environment department has received an EPBC referral for the 46-turbine Kondinin wind and solar farm 270 kilometres east of Perth.
• The Department of Environment and Energy has again opted to use a low-level EPBC assessment process to decide whether to approve a controversial plan to clear land on Kingvale, a pastoral property in a Great Barrier Reef catchment (see background here).
• Submissions to an inquiry by the House Standing Committee on Agriculture and Water Resources into the impact on farmers of vegetation and land management policies are due by January 25.
• The Department of Environment and Energy is seeking information for inclusion in Australia's sixth National Report to the Convention on Biological Diversity, which will update the 2014 version.
• The Australia Institute has released a 'saved by the bench' report that describes the role crossbench senators played in preventing the abolition of the CEFC, ARENA and the RET.
• * This week's most-read story on Footprint's premium subscription service: The Clean Energy Regulator has granted Chevron and Inpex new rights to emit a total of 11 million tonnes of greenhouse gas annually without penalty or charge (trial our premium service here for access).

Jobs and appointments:

• Former Green Building Council chief executive Romilly Madew has been appointed chief executive of Infrastructure Australia.
• Dr John Hewson has been appointed the new Chair of Bioenergy Australia.
• The Green Building Council of Australia is seeking a Sydney-based chief executive officer.
• Queensland's Department of Environment and Science is hiring a senior investigator ($93,895 - $100,287).
• Victoria's Department of Environment, Land Water and Planning is recruiting a senior stakeholder and communications officer for its Victorian Energy Upgrades program ($96,942 - $117,293).
• Defence is seeking an environment and sustainability manager based in Townsville, with a merit pool to be created from applicants for similar roles in other locations ($79,870 - $91,238).
• NSW Planning & Environment is hiring a team leader, environmental assessments ($162,919 package).
• NSW Planning & Environment is also recruiting a senior investigator, based in the central west ($137,134 package).
• Gold Fields Australia is seeking a Perth-based senior environmental advisor for its Granny Smith mine.
• Canegrowers, which represents cane farmers, is hiring a Brisbane-based manager, environment and sustainability.
• Advisian is hiring a Perth-based senior environmental consultant.
• Meat processor JBS is seeking a Brisbane-based environmental sustainability officer.
• Civil engineering company McIlwain is hiring a Brisbane-based environmental advisor ($70,000 - $89,999).
• Thiess is recruiting a Hunter Valley-based environmental advisor for its Mt Arthur operation.
• Aquaculture business Tassal is hiring a Hobart-based environmental partner for its land-based operations.
• Victoria's Country Fire Authority is recruiting a Melbourne-based senior procurement advisor – environmental compliance ($95,811 plus 9.5% super).
• Unitywater is hiring a Sunshine Coast-based environmental advisor.
• The City of Adelaide is seeking a waste project manager (starting at $109,829 + 9.5% super).
• Adelaide City is also hiring a technical specialist – climate change and greenhouse gas inventories (starting at $109,829 + 9.5% super).
• The City of Melbourne is recruiting a sustainability officer – sustainable buildings (12-month position, $89,674 + 9.5% super).
• Consultancy Arcadis is seeking a sustainability consultant based in Melbourne.
• Greening Australia is hiring a Hobart-based operations manager.
• Farmers for Climate Action is seeking a chief executive ($115,000 - $125,000 subject to negotiation).
• NIB Health Funds is hiring a Hunter Valley-based sustainability manager.
• ANU's Energy Change Institute is recruiting research fellows for its zero-carbon energy for the Asia-Pacific project ($98,009 - $131,402 plus 17% super).
• The South Australian EPA is seeking a team leader, waste levy audit.
• Talis Consultants is hiring a Perth-based principal – senior waste engineer.
• Gympie Regional Council is recruiting a sustainability coordinator ($90,297 plus super).
• Climate activist group 350.org is hiring a Melbourne-based chief executive.
• The NSW Environmental Defender's Office is recruiting a senior solicitor.