The NSW Land and Environment Court has ordered Caltex to pay $78,000 to the Department of Environment and Climate Change for failing to control odours at the company’s Kurnell refinery during the 2006 Christmas holidays.
Meanwhile, the WA environment department has issued a $25,000 penalty to gold miner Barrick (Kanowna) Ltd following a tailings spill.
A NSW chemical firm will pay a total of $192,000 in penalties, clean-up costs and legal costs after sulphuric acid leaked from a tank not properly designed to safely store the substance.
It's Labor's first commitment period – with the Rudd government last night setting out where its climate change and environment cash will be spent over 2008-2012. New Budget climate measures will get $341.6 million in 2008-09 and a total of $2.3 billion over 2007-08 to 2011-12.
Meanwhile, Treasurer Wayne Swan says the review of the tax system – due to report by the end of 2009 – will 'look at the role to be played by environmental taxes'.
CE Daily looks at where the money will go and guides you through the maze of Budget papers.