Publications and Media Press Articles and Media Releases Publications and Reports

Press Articles and Media Releases

Media Release from the Australian Coal Association - 19 September 2008

Presentation to COALTRANS Australia, Brisbane, 29 July 2008
In this presentation, Mr. Hillman;

• sets out the ACA view on what should be the key considerations in implementing Australia's emissions reduction policy;
• tells about the coal industry's role in Australia's drive to develop low emissions technologies and what more needs to be done and;
• points to some particular issues for the coal industry arising from the Green paper proposals for an emissions trading scheme. 
  

ACA Welcomes Coal Council and Carbon Storage Taskforce
The Australian Coal Association today welcomed the announcement by the Minister for Resources and Energy, Martin Ferguson, of a National Low Emissions Coal Council and a Carbon Storage Taskforce as an important step in Australia’s drive to reduce carbon emissions and deal with the challenges of climate change...

Media Release from the Australian Coal Association - 28 July 2008

ACA Response to Emissions Green Paper
The Australian Coal Association today welcomed the release of the government’s proposed framework for dealing with greenhouse gas emissions but expressed concern at elements of the proposal related to fugitive emissions from the mining of coal. ACA Executive Director, Mr Ralph Hillman, said that the Government’s green paper provided industry and the general public with a detailed framework for debate on the best possible mechanisms for reducing Australia’s greenhouse emissions at least cost.

Media Release from the Australian Coal Association - 16 July 2008

Coal Industry Welcomes Garnaut Comments
The Australian Coal Association welcomes the release of the draft report by the Garnaut Climate Change Review and the recognition that Australia has an important role to play in a major global effort to develop low emissions coal technologies – particularly related to Carbon Capture and Storage.

Media Release from the Australian Coal Association - 4 July 2008

NSW Clean Coal Council to drive further research
The establishment of a Clean Coal Council in New South Wales would provide further support for low emissions coal technologies, the Executive Director of the Australian Coal Association, Ralph Hillman, said today.

Media Release from the Australian Coal Association - 4 July 2008

Range of Solutions needed for Climate Change
Ignoring cost-effective low emissions technologies for coal fired power stations would simply make electricity more expensive without benefiting the climate, the Executive Director of the Australian Coal Association, Mr Ralph Hillman, said today.

Media Release from the Australian Coal Association - 16 June 2008

ACA Welcomes Clean Coal Fund
The Federal Government’s $500 million clean coal fund is money well spent to protect Australia’s energy security and economic prosperity, the Executive Director of the Australian Coal Association, Mr Ralph Hillman said tonight.

Media Release from the Australian Coal Association - 13 May 2008

Greenpeace out of step
Greenpeace’s labeling of carbon capture and storage technology as “a scam” is incorrect and does nothing to contribute to the massive global effort to combat climate change, the Executive Director of the Australian Coal Association, Mr Ralph Hillman, said today.

Media Release from the Australian Coal Association - 5 May 2008

ACA Applauds Victorian Government Contribution to Low Emissions Future
The Victorian Government’s $127 million dollar investment in low emission coal technology, establishing a Clean Coal Council and investigating carbon storage sites, has been welcomed by the Australian Coal Association.

Media Release from the Australian Coal Association - 30 April 2008

ACA Rejects CFMEU Claims
Australian Coal Association Executive Director, Ralph Hillman, today refuted claims by Mining Union President Tony Maher that coal companies were not contributing enough to cleaning up the industry.

Media Release from the Australian Coal Association - 24 April 2008

Historic alliance calls for a national task force on carbon capture and storage
In an historic alliance, industry, union and environment organisations today called on the Federal Government to establish a National Carbon Capture and Storage Taskforce to combat climate change.

Joint Media Release from the Australian Coal Association, CFMEU, The Climate Institute and WWF - 16 April 2008 [pdf - 55KB]

ACA and NSWMC welcome NSW Government’s $100 million for Clean Coal
The establishment of a NSW Clean Coal Council has been welcomed as another step in improved coordination between government and industry in fast-tracking low emission technologies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from electricity production.

Joint Media Release from the Australian Coal Association and NSW Minerals Council- 11 April 2008 [pdf - 49KB]

Coal Industry Funds Revamped ZeroGen Queensland Clean coal Project
The Australian Coal Association today welcomed the announcement by Queensland Premier, The Hon. Anna Bligh, of her Government’s support for the two stage ZeroGen project to establish one of the world’s first large-scale low carbon emission power plants.

Media Release from the Australian Coal Association - 19 March 2008

Funds fired up for clean coal technology - Part 1
The Australian coal industry established the Coal 21 fund in 2006, with the aim of raising $1 billion over 10 years, in order to fund the development of clean coal technology. Coal 21's objective is to deliver these technologies to Australia by 2015. - Part 2

InvestorTV interview with Australian Coal Association Executive Director Ralph Hillman (Parts 1 and 2) - 18 December 2007

G8 workshop backs Carbon Capture and Storage Technology
The start of a clean energy revolution is one step closer following the conclusion of a series of G8 workshops in Calgary, Canada today.
Governments, industry, environmental NGOs and scientific representatives from over 15 key countries agreed to recommendations to accelerate the early global deployment of carbon dioxide capture and storage (CCS).

Joint Media Release from the Australian Coal Association and World Coal Institute - 29 November 2007 [pdf - 35KB]

Carbon Capture and Storage
The Australian Coal Association said today that recent comments decrying carbon capture and storage by Senate candidate, Dr Karl Kruszelnicki were inaccurate and ran counter to the evidence of thousands of scientists and engineers working on the technology globally and in Australia.

Media Release from the Australian Coal Association - 2 November 2007 [pdf - 24KB]

Coal industry welcomes progress in clean coal project
The Australian Coal Association and Queensland Resources Council have welcomed the announcement by the Queensland Premier that funding commitments for the state’s first low emission coal based power generation project have been finalised.

Joint Media Release from the Australian Coal Association and Queensland Resources Council- 17 October 2007 [pdf - 31KB]

Coal industry welcomes further development of low emissions coal based power in NSW
The Australian Coal Association and the NSWMC today welcomed the announcement by the NSW Government of further development of low emissions coal-based power generation in the State. The Minister for Mineral Resources, Mr Ian Macdonald, today announced the go-ahead for a pilot post-combustion capture trial at the state owned Delta Munmorah power station on the NSW Central Coast.

Joint Media Release from the Australian Coal Association and NSW Minerals Council- 27 September 2007 [pdf - 31KB]

Important Boost to Australian Collaboration with China on clean Coal Technology
The Australian coal industry welcomed the Prime Minister’s announcement today to commit A$20 million to collaborative work with China on clean coal technologies.

Media Release from the Australian Coal Association - 6 September 2007 [pdf - 22KB]

Coal Industry Welcomes Government Support for FutureGen
The Australian Coal Association has welcomed the Prime Minister’s announcement that the Australian Government would become a member of the FutureGen International Partnership.

Media Release from the Australian Coal Association - 5 September 2007 [pdf - 21KB]

Appointment of new Executive Director
The Chair of the Australian Coal Association, Mr. Dave Murray today welcomed the appointment of Mr. Ralph Hillman as the new Executive Director of the Association.

Media Release from the Australian Coal Association - 20 July 2007 [pdf - 20KB]

$400 million Commitment to Low Emissions Coal Technologies
in NSW
NSW coal producers will voluntarily make up to $400 million available over the next decade to support important clean coal technology demonstration projects in NSW. The funds represent the
proportion of the industry's national $1 billion plus COAL21 Fund expected to be raised through coal production in NSW.

Media Release 27 June 2007 - Joint Statement NSW Minerals Council (NSWMC) and Australian Coal Association (ACA)

Industry announces action on clean coal
There's been a mixed response to the coal industry's pledge to invest $1 billion in clean coal technology over the next decade. The Federal Industry Minister, Ian Macfarlane, has applauded the move...

Transcript from ABC AM Program - Saturday 12 May 2007. Includes interview with Mark O'Neill Executive Director of the Australian Coal Association. (External link).

Black Coal Mining Industry Makes Billion Dollar-Plus Commitment to Clean Coal Technologies
The Australian black coal mining industry has today announced the world's largest whole of industry funding commitment for research, development and demonstration (RD&D) of clean coal technologies aimed at combating climate change.

ACA/Queensland Resources Council joint media release 11 May 2007

Coal industry confirms world-leading commitment to support clean coal technologies
Australia's black coal producers have today confirmed their commitment to supporting clean coal technologies through the industry-wide COAL21 Fund they announced last year. The ground breaking initiative is raising $300 million over the next five years through a voluntary levy on coal production.

ACA/Queensland Resources Council joint media release 9 May 2007

The future of coal
To what extent is coal ingrained into the Australian economy? And it will be a major part of this country's energy mix for many decades to come? We ask Mark O'Neill , the Executive Director of the Australian Coal Association, what the future holds.

Counterpoint, ABC Radio National - Interview with Mark O'Neill Executive Director of the Australian Coal Association - 19 March 2007. [MP3 - 2.78MB] Transcript [pdf - 16KB] >>

Coal industry committed to support for clean coal research, development and demonstration
The Australian Coal Association (ACA) said today the industry would continue to build on its established commitment to the development of low emissions technologies for coal (clean coal).

Media Release from the Australian Coal Association - 25 February 2007 [pdf - 26KB]

ABC Perspectives - with Mark O'Neill
Imagine the consequences if all energy-rich nations decided they would no longer share their resources. This is exactly the path Australia is being urged to go down by those calling for an end to coal exports. More >>

Transcript from ABC Perspectives with guest Mark O'Neill - 14 February 2007 [external link]

Economy under threat from incredible responses to climate change
The Australian Coal Association said today hundreds of thousands of working families across the country needed reassurances that their livelihoods are secure.

Media Release from the Australian Coal Association - 9 February 2007 [pdf - 23KB]

Climate change too important for continuing distortions
Commentary on the impact of Australian industry on global climate change should avoid dangerous distortions if the public is to be well informed about our future choices on energy, technology and emission reductions, Australian Coal Association (ACA) Executive Director Mr. Mark O'Neill said today.

Media Release from the Australian Coal Association - 7 February 2007 [pdf - 17KB]

A reality that greenhouse idealists choose to ignore
If coal exports from the proposed Anvil Mine do not go ahead, not one molecule less carbon dioxide will be emitted to the atmosphere. This is because the overseas customers for the coal that would have been produced by the Australian mine will simply source it elsewhere.

Opinion Piece, Sydney Morning Herald - 30 November 2006

Nuclear Review confirms role of clean coal
The Uranium Mining, Processing and Nuclear Energy Review released today confirms the need for the future use of low emissions fossil fuel technology in Australia's electricity generating system if projected energy demand and emission reductions are to be met.

Media Release from the Australian Coal Association - 21 November 2006 [pdf - 20KB]

Coal industry welcomes action plans under the Asia-Pacific Partnership on Clean Development and Climate (AP6)
The Australian Coal Association has welcomed today’s launch by the Prime Minister of eight sectoral Action Plans developed cooperatively by the six members of the AP6 Partnership. The Action Plans have been developed with input from industry in each of the partner countries.

Media Release from the Australian Coal Association - 1 November 2006 [pdf - 20KB]

Coal industry welcomes $125 million federal funding for Queensland carbon capture and storage projects
The Australian Coal Association has welcomed today’s announcement by the Federal Industry Minister Ian Macfarlane of $125 million funding for two important carbon capture and storage related demonstration projects under the Government’s Low Emissions Technology Development Fund (LETDF).

Media Release from the Australian Coal Association - 30 October 2006 [pdf - 20KB]

Coal industry welcomes funding for low emissions technologies
The Australian Coal Association has welcomed today’s announcement by the Federal Government of $125 million funding for two important clean coal and solar energy demonstration projects under the Government’s Low Emissions Technology Development Fund.

Media Release from the Australian Coal Association - 25 October 2006 [pdf - 19KB]

Australian Coal Association position on emissions trading
The Australian Coal Association (ACA) has emphatically rejected comments attributed to it in today's Australian Financial Review indicating support for a set timetable for carbon emission trading.

Media Release from the Australian Coal Association - 18 August 2006 [pdf - 17KB]

Room for all in Australia 's energy future
The Australian Coal Association expects reliability, affordability, security of supply, general security of energy infrastructure, and environmental acceptability to be the key issues in the new debate stimulated around the use of nuclear power.

Media Release from the Australian Coal Association - 6 June 2006 [pdf - 21KB]

Coal Centre showcases the role of coal
The Australian Coal Association has congratulated coal producers and others involved in a new $9 million state-of-the-art international centre to showcase the Queensland coal industry to be built at Blackwater in Central Queensland.

Media Release from the Australian Coal Association - 4 May 2006 [pdf - 23KB]

Coal industry provides $300 million in world first approach to greenhouse gas abatement
The Australian black coal mining industry will provide up to $300 million over the next five years to work with the electricity generation industry to demonstrate promising technologies for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from coal-fired power stations.

Media Release with background from the Australian Coal Association - 16 March 2006 [pdf - 565KB]

Coal industry welcomes Low Emission Technology Demonstration Fund
The Australian Coal Association (ACA) today welcomed the formal launch by Federal Industry Minister Ian Macfarlane of the Low Emission Technology Demonstration Fund (LETDF).

Media Release from the Australian Coal Association - 11 October 2005 [pdf - 20KB]

Clean Coal: The Path to Major Reductions in Greenhouse Emissions
The need to stabilise greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at levels that would prevent adverse impacts on the climate is now a widely accepted imperative. The problem is global in scale, and solutions will be decades in the making. Meeting the challenge requires major changes in the way we produce and use energy.

Article by Mark O'Neill, Executive Director, Australian Coal Association in World Energy, Vol.8 No.2, 2005 [pdf - 332KB]

Greenpeace stunt does nothing positive for the climate
Greenpeace has today in Newcastle engaged in a pointless stunt which has contributed nothing positive to the serious effort to reduce greenhouse gases, the Australian Coal Association said.

Media Release from the Australian Coal Association - 27 July 2005 [pdf - 24KB]

UK shows NSW how make deep cuts in greenhouse emissions
There has been further recognition that deep cuts in greenhouse gas emissions cannot be achieved without clean coal technologies, Mr. Mark O'Neill, Executive Director of the Australian Coal Association said today.

Media Release from the Australian Coal Association - 16 June 2005 [pdf - 25KB]

Australian first in greenhouse gas elimination welcomed
Moves toward the development of 'near zero-emission' coal-fired power generation in Australia were welcomed today by the Australian Coal Association.

Media Release from the Australian Coal Association - 9 September 2004 [pdf - 26 KB]

See also: Backgrounder: Oxy-firing technology and CO2 capture and storage [pdf - 78 KB]

Coal industry's plans to clean up its act should not be lightly dismissed
Geosequestration of CO2 is a worthwhile aim in the face of the inexorable growing demand for energy, says Mark O'Neill

Opinion piece, The Canberra Times - 30 March 2004 [pdf - 344 KB]

Greenhouse Benefits from National Coal Initiative
An important step in Australia's long term response to climate change was taken yesterday in Canberra with the commencement of COAL21, a national initiative aimed at significantly reducing and eliminating emissions of greenhouse gases from coal based electricity generation.

Media Release from the Australian Coal Association - 28 March 2003 [pdf - 110 KB]

'Clean' coal may be the fuel of the future
The Australian coal industry - the world's biggest exporter - is moving to ensure its future is not destroyed by increasing concerns about greenhouse gas emissions and the wide application of the Kyoto protocols.

Article by Energy writer Nigel Wilson in the Weekend Australian March 15-16, 2003 [pdf - 67 KB]

Australian Coal Association Leads Joint Government-Industry Clean Coal Technology Mission To US And Canada
In early November 2002, a successful joint Australian government-industry mission traveled to the United States and Canada to advance collaboration and cooperation in the field of clean coal and zero emission technologies for coal power generation.

Article in the AusIMM Bulletin - Journal of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy - Jan/Feb 2003. [pdf - 79 KB]

The greening of the black stuff
Rarely a day passes in the Australian media without the words "coal" and "greenhouse" being linked in the commentary about climate change........

Article in Energy News, Vol. 20 No.3 September 2002. [pdf - 113 KB]

Underground movement's gas burial plot
Can we dispose of our greenhouse emissions beneath the earth?

Duncan Macfarlane reports in The Australian - 6 Sept. 2002. [pdf - 82 KB]

Plan for coal to be greener
Coal producers are to ask the federal Government for up to $50 million to help build a radical new power plant...

Article by Duncan Macfarlane in The Australian - 6 Sept. 2002. [pdf - 64 KB]

Governments Urged to Embrace Clean Coal Technology as Greenhouse Solution
The Australian Coal Association today called for for both State and Federal Governments to recognise that significant greenhouse gas emission reductions from the stationary energy sector would not be achieved unless the adoption of new clean coal technologies became their number one priority.

Media Release from the Australian Coal Association, Canberra - 30 April 2002. [pdf - 73 KB]

Coal set for greening in lower emission research
Queenslanders have a lot at stake in the search for new, cleaner ways to use coal, writes Mark O'Neill -

Brisbane Courier Mail - 15 Jan. 2002. [pdf - 77 KB]

Like it or not, coal's here to stay
Fossil fuels still have a long-term role to play, argues Mark O'Neill -

Opinion, Australian Financial Review - 21 Nov. 2001. [pdf - 69 KB]

Kyoto survives - after extensive care
180 countries - but not the US - agreed to a compromise political solution to break the deadlock between two groups of countries who face targets under the Kyoto Protocol meeting in late July. Could this affect the global coal trade?

Article from CoalTrans Magazine, July/August 2001. Includes commentary on Mark O'Neill's address to CoalTrans Asia 2001 Conference, Sydney Australia - 4 June 2001. [pdf - 108 KB]

Science holds key on warming
Politics and the Kyoto Protocol are just part of the challenge for a solution on greenhouse gases, says Mark O'Neill -

The Canberra Times - 26 July 2001. [pdf - 83 KB]