Federal court dismisses landmark greenwashing case against Santos
Lisa Cox
A world-first greenwashing case brought by the Australasian Centre for Corporate Responsibility against gas company Santos has been dismissed by the federal court.
The case, launched by the shareholder advocacy organisation in 2021, challenged the veracity of Santos’s net zero plan and claims by the company that it was a producer of “clean” energy.
The ACCR, represented by the Environmental Defenders Office, alleged the gas company breached the Corporations Act by engaging in misleading or deceptive conduct in its 2020 annual report, a 2020 investor briefing and a 2021 climate change report.
Central to these allegations were three key claims by Santos that the ACCR argued the company lacked reasonable grounds for making: that it was a producer of “clean energy” and that natural gas was a “clean fuel”, that hydrogen produced by Santos with carbon capture and storage was “zero emissions hydrogen” and “clean hydrogen”, and that it had a clear and credible pathway to net zero by 2040.
Justice Brigitte Markovic dismissed the case on all grounds in a brief hearing on Tuesday morning and ordered the applicant to pay Santos’s costs. The reasons for the decision will be published on 23 February.
The case was heard over a 13 days in 2024. The ACCR holds shares in fossil fuel companies such as Santos to try to force them to meet the goals of the Paris climate agreement.
Key events
Caitlin Cassidy
Race discrimination commissioner says racism ‘pervasive’ across university sector
The race discrimination commissioner, Giridharan Sivaraman, said the findings of the study were deeply troubling and universities were falling short of their duty of care to students and staff.
Racism at university is not confined to isolated incidents or individual behaviour – it is systemic. Racism is pervasive across the sector, affecting many groups in serious ways … The attack on Camp Sovereignty, the antisemitic terror attack in Bondi and the recent alleged attempted bombing targeting First Peoples on 26 January in Perth – these are the horrifying outcomes when racism in our society isn’t addressed.
The report made 47 recommendations for the federal government and universities, including a national framework for anti-racism in tertiary education, better accountability and a more diverse leadership and workforce.
Only 11 universities were found to have advanced, standalone anti‐racism strategies.
Sivaraman said the report showed the “critical importance” of the federal government endorsing and funding key recommendations of the National Anti-Racism Framework, which the commission delivered in November 2024.
We cannot wait any longer as racism continues to impact the lives of many in visceral ways.
Racism is ‘systemic’ at Australia’s universities, report finds
Caitlin Cassidy
Racism is “systemic” at Australia’s universities, the race discrimination commissioner says, with a landmark report finding seven in 10 respondents have experienced indirect racism, rising to nine in 10 Palestinian and Jewish students and staff.
The Australian Human Rights Commission’s national study was commissioned in 2024 to investigate the prevalence and impact of racism at universities for the first time. The federal government received the report in December but it was not publicly released until Tuesday.
Of the 76,000 students and staff that were surveyed as part of the study, 70% had experienced indirect racism, including hearing or seeing racist behaviour directed at their community. Some 15% had experienced direct racism at university.
The rates were highest for religious Jewish and Palestinian respondents (over 90%), followed by First Nations, Chinese, Jewish (secular), Middle Eastern and Northeast Asian respondents (over 80%).
At the same time, just 6% of people who experienced direct racism make a complaint to their university, with many citing fear of consequences and low trust in university complaints systems.
Prime minister says government has ‘no sympathy’ for anyone with links to Islamic State fighters
Albanese spoke more about the 34 women and children with links to dead or jailed Islamic State fighters who were sent back to a Syrian detention camp this morning.
Earlier this morning he said the government would not assist with repatriation efforts. He added to ABC Radio Melbourne:
We have no sympathy, frankly, for people who travelled overseas in order to participate in what was an attempt to establish a caliphate to undermine and destroy our way of life.
It’s unfortunate that children are impacted by this as well. But we are not providing any support. And if anyone does manage to find their way back to Australia, then they’ll face the full force of the law if any laws have been broken.
Lanyon again calls for release of 85-year-old mistakenly kidnapped: ‘this incident is disgraceful’
Lanyon was asked about the current status of missing 85-year-old Chris Baghsarian. He said:
This incident is disgraceful.
It is clearly a case of mistaken identity and it shows the disregard that those involved in organised crime have for individuals. The fact Mr Baghsarian has been taken and not returned at this stage, despite the fact we have been very clear that you have the wrong person.
Can I ask that you show some respect, show dignity and ensure Mr Baghsarian is returned to his family.
Lanyon says restrictions worked ‘very well’, but time to get community back to ‘what is normal’
Lanyon said the recent protests had “very little” role in the decision to end the restriction on public assemblies, but said they were in place during Israeli president Isaac Herzog’s visit earlier this month because he had “significant concerns about the safety of the community” at the time.
He said:
I am satisfied that conditions that led to the extension last time do not exist now …
There was significant animosity towards that head of state. There was a need for a police force to ensure we provide protection to that head of state. There were large events that were planned around the visit of that head of state. We didn’t want there to be conflict between protesters and the head of state.
He added the restrictions had worked “very well”, but it was now time to get the community “back to what is normal”.
NSW restriction on public assemblies ends
The NSW police commissioner, Mal Lanyon, said the public assembly restriction declaration has ended after it lapsed earlier this morning.
Lanyon said at a press conference:
Whilst the public assembly restriction declaration has been lifted today, I want the community to consider … this is still a time for calm. It is two months out from the worst terror incident we have had in New South Wales.
Lanyon said he would continue to work closely with organisers to ensure public safety “sits alongside” public assembly.
Albanese teases announcement on high speed rail, says it ‘absolutely makes sense’
Back to the prime minister, who spoke to ABC News earlier this morning. Albanese was asked about the future of high speed rail in the country, saying the government would have an announcement on the matter “in a couple of weeks’ time”.
He added:
It won’t be open while I’m prime minister. But we’ll have an announcement in a couple of weeks’ time.
I think that it absolutely makes sense. We have a small population for a relatively big nation, an island continent. We are the only inhabited continent on earth that doesn’t have high-speed rail. And certainly Newcastle to Sydney to Canberra to Melbourne makes absolute sense.
It’s where most of our population is, along that corridor. What makes it financially viable is the economic development along the route as well.
Police concerned about ‘brazen’ nature of Greenacre shooting
Police said there is no ongoing threat to the community, but said they remain concerned about an attack taking place in the early morning.
We are concerned about this brazen attack. It is a brazen ambush of this male person who, from my understanding, was heading to his vehicle to go to work.
Hart said the victim lived at home with his wife and a number of children. He said he believes some family members were inside the house at the time of the shooting.
Police have appealed for information from the community after the attack.
Police say shooting in Sydney’s west this morning believed to be a ‘targeted attack’
NSW police are providing an update after NRL star Matt Utai was shot in a public shooting in Sydney’s west early this morning.
Supt Rodney Hart said the man, 44, had suffered a number of gunshot wounds, including a shot to the lower leg and to the upper shoulder/chest area. Police would not confirm Utai is the victim of the shooting, but said:
I want to reassure the community that we strongly believe that this is a targeted attack. I know throughout the media this morning a certain high-profile person’s name has been put out as the victim. Unfortunately, at this time I cannot confirm who that victim is.
The reason for that is that person is a victim of a violent shooting. He is currently undergoing surgery in hospital and our main focus at this moment, not only is to identify who is involved in this but to ensure he and his family are safe.
Federal court dismisses landmark greenwashing case against Santos
Lisa Cox
A world-first greenwashing case brought by the Australasian Centre for Corporate Responsibility against gas company Santos has been dismissed by the federal court.
The case, launched by the shareholder advocacy organisation in 2021, challenged the veracity of Santos’s net zero plan and claims by the company that it was a producer of “clean” energy.
The ACCR, represented by the Environmental Defenders Office, alleged the gas company breached the Corporations Act by engaging in misleading or deceptive conduct in its 2020 annual report, a 2020 investor briefing and a 2021 climate change report.
Central to these allegations were three key claims by Santos that the ACCR argued the company lacked reasonable grounds for making: that it was a producer of “clean energy” and that natural gas was a “clean fuel”, that hydrogen produced by Santos with carbon capture and storage was “zero emissions hydrogen” and “clean hydrogen”, and that it had a clear and credible pathway to net zero by 2040.
Justice Brigitte Markovic dismissed the case on all grounds in a brief hearing on Tuesday morning and ordered the applicant to pay Santos’s costs. The reasons for the decision will be published on 23 February.
The case was heard over a 13 days in 2024. The ACCR holds shares in fossil fuel companies such as Santos to try to force them to meet the goals of the Paris climate agreement.
Former NRL star Matt Utai in hospital after public shooting
Back to the report of a 44-year-old shot in western Sydney this morning: former NRL star Matt Utai is in hospital fighting for life after being shot multiple times, AAP reports.
The 2004 premiership-winning Bulldogs and Wests Tigers winger was shot outside a home in Greenacre, in western Sydney, at around 6am on Tuesday.
Police were told a 44-year-old man was shot outside the home by people inside an SUV, before the vehicle fled. The SUV was then found after being set on fire in Wiley Park, less than a 10-minute drive from where the shooting took place.
Utai, 44, was reportedly shot in the stomach and the leg. He was taken to hospital in a serious condition.
Police are set to hold a press conference on the matter around 9.50am.
Benita Kolovos
The CFMEU has cost Victorian taxpayers $15bn, a corruption fighter claims. How did he reach that figure and what happens next?
The Victorian premier will face mounting pressure in parliament this week over allegations that corruption involving the Construction, Forestry and Maritime Employees Union cost taxpayers up to $15bn.
The eye-watering estimate appeared in a redacted section of a report by corruption fighter Geoffrey Watson SC, which was tendered during a Queensland inquiry into the CFMEU last week.
The report centred on the CFMEU’s Victoria and Tasmania branch over the course of two decades, when it allegedly went from a union focused on workers’ rights to a “violent, hateful and greedy rabble” that “cultivated the company of underworld figures” and bikie gangs.
Here’s what to know about the report and the government’s view of it:
Australia will not assist in repatriating women and children stuck in Syria, PM says
Anthony Albanese said Australia will not facilitate or assist in repatriating 34 women and children in Syria who are the wives, widows and children of dead or jailed Islamic State fighters. The group were held for years without charge, and were recently forced to return to a detention camp in Syria after being released by Kurdish forces.
Albanese was asked about the Australians on ABC this morning, saying:
We won’t repatriate them. And indeed the government was taken to court by one of the non-government organisations saying we had a responsibility and they weren’t successful in that. My mother would have said “If you make your bed, you lie in it”.
These people went overseas supporting Islamic State and went there to provide support for people who basically want a caliphate …
While Australian citizens cannot be blocked from returning on their own, Albanese said he was firm in his stance that the government would not provide assistance to the cohort in Syria, adding:
We have a very firm view that we won’t be providing assistance or repatriation. Of course Australian law applies, and there are obligations that Australian officials have, but we want to make it clear, as we have to the people involved, that if there are any breaches of the law, then they will face the full force of the Australian law.
Man, 44, seriously injured after public place shooting in Sydney’s west
A man was seriously injured in a public place shooting in the Sydney suburb of Greenacre this morning.
NSW police said emergency services were called to the area in Sydney’s west around 6am amid reports a man had been shot outside a home by the occupants of an SUV before it drove away.
The man, 44, was treated at the scene by paramedics and taken to the hospital in a serious condition.
Police were called to the nearby suburb of Wiley Park a short time later after reports of a car fire. They have established a crime scene at both locations and opened an investigation into the matter, which they are treating as linked.
Albanese predicts One Nation surge may be shortlived amid ‘mess’ of mutual hatred on political right
The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, said the rise of One Nation has happened before, but past surges in the party’s popularity “all collapsed” after a few years.
Albanese was asked about Pauline Hanson and her party’s beefy poll numbers, but he told ABC News while people were “quite clearly frustrated” across Australia, One Nation may not be a bastion for that angst for long:
We saw it in 1996 when she was elected and 1998 she won double-digit number of seats in Queensland. No one made it to two years, it all collapsed. That’s tended to be what has happened.
We will wait and see what the relationship is between Pauline Hanson and Barnaby Joyce in a couple of years’ time – two very big egos put in one melting pot.
Albanese went on to say One Nation had alway been about “identifying problems” while promoting “division”, adding:
People are frustrated because the Coalition parties are such a mess. The Liberals hate each other and the Nats hate each other and the Liberals hate the Nats and the Nats are leaving to join One Nation.
It really is a bit of a mess on the right wing of politics at the moment. One Nation represent certainty – no solutions, but certainty of identifying problems.
