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Articles on Ian Macfarlane

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Ian Macfarlane, who was industry minister in two Coalition governments, is retiring from politics. Lukas Coch/AAP

Ian Macfarlane joins those exiting at the election

Former cabinet minister in the Howard and Abbott governments Ian Macfarlane has announced he will quit parliament at the election.
Former industry minister Ian Macfarlane had been in discussions with Nationals leader Warren Truss since the Turnbull reshuffle. Lukas Coch/AAP

Ian Macfarlane defects to Nats, who eye extra frontbench post

Former industry ministry Ian Macfarlane is set to defect to the Nationals, in a move that party sources say would entitle the junior Coalition partner to an extra frontbench spot.
Maurice Newman, chairman of the Prime Minister’s business advisory council, has written that climate change is a United Nations power grab. AAP/Julian Smith

Government’s RET compromise guarantees uncertainty for renewables

As the Abbott government prepares Australia’s post-2020 emissions targets for this year’s Paris conference, the chairman of the Prime Minister’s business advisory council has make an extraordinary intervention in the climate debate.
Australia has a long history of world class science, but a national science strategy will help boost engagement with industry. Steve Dorman/Flickr

Why a national science strategy is good for Australia

The government’s announcement of a national science strategy is good for Australia, particularly for promoting engagement between science and industry.
Research infrastructure, such as the H-1NF at the Australian Plasma Fusion Research Facility, enables our world leading science. Australian Plasma Fusion Research Facility

Securing the future of Australia’s research infrastructure

Australia needs to take a longer term view of research infrastructure funding in order to prevent it from becoming politicised.
Industry Minister Ian Macfarlane, seen here with the Anglo Australian Telescope at Sidings Springs, is known to have a deep interest in science. So what should expect now the word science is added to his ministerial title? AAP/Alan Porritt

Shaping 2015: The challenge for Australia’s new science minister

“What’s in a name?” was essentially the Australian government’s response when concerns were first expressed about dropping “Science” from the ministerial portfolio titles back in 2013. That same response…
Protesters say the government’s planned cuts to the Renewable Energy Target will endanger Australian jobs in the sector. AAP Image/NewZulu/Josephine Lim

Why fixate on 20% renewables? It’s never been the actual target

Labor has walked away from negotiations with the government over changes to the Renewable Energy Target, saying the proposed cuts of almost 40% are too deep. Industry minister Ian Macfarlane says he is…
The government knows that solar panel subsidies are very popular with voters. zstock/Shutterstock

The pitfalls of using renewable energy as a political football

Federal industry minister Ian Macfarlane has finally revealed his opening gambit on negotiations on the future of the Renewable Energy Target (RET). He and environment minister Greg Hunt have pledged to…
Industry Minister Ian Macfarlane and Prime Minister Tony Abbott are looking to put science at the centre of industry policy. AAP/Lukas Coch

Industry growth centres to link business and science

The federal government will fund industry growth centres in five sectors that will encourage better use by business of Australian research, as part of a $400 million innovation and competitiveness policy…
Panellists with Ian Chubb and MC Leigh Dayton at the Smart Science symposium. The Conversation

Australian ‘STEM’ research needs coherence: Chief Scientist strategy

Chief Scientist Ian Chubb today called on the federal government to “bring coherence” to research and innovation, otherwise the nation risks being left behind in the fields of science, technology, engineering…
Prime Minister Tony Abbott and Industry Minister Ian Macfarlane have drawn a line in the sand on industry assistance…or have they? Alan Porritt/AAP

SPC Ardmona decision is fiscal policy disguised as industry policy

Announcing the decision to refuse assistance to SPC Ardmona, Industry Minister Ian Macfarlane said: “I think it is a clear delineation of where this government believes we need to go with industry policy…
Brisbane’s annual City of Lights show, which is sponsored by an oil and gas company. Flickr/Wei Lun Koh (some rights reserved)

When will Australians finally stop wasting our energy?

From flicking on a light to travelling around town, our lives are utterly dependent on energy. That’s why it’s so surprising that Australia has been so bad at thinking about our country’s future energy…

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