Latest news with #PaulFlynn
News.com.au
6 days ago
- Business
- News.com.au
‘Betrayal': Aussies fume over super truth
Members of an Australian superannuation provider are furious after the multi-billion dollar fund quietly backflipped on a decision to divest from coal mining despite claiming to be committed to reaching net zero emissions. AustralianSuper has become one of the largest investors in Whitehaven Coal, with shares worth about $395 million, disclosures from the end of last year show, despite previously divesting from the company in 2020. Whitehaven Coal – whose chief executive Paul Flynn pocketed an enormous $10.6 million pay packet last year, exceeding those of the Commonwealth Bank and Woolworths chiefs – has also come under scrutiny with claims he is heading up a company that is cashing in on an environmental crisis. Olivia Gardener is an AustralianSuper member who is 'angry' over the fund's decision to invest in Whitehaven Coal. The 28-year-old said where super funds are investing is a 'common conversation' people her age are having. Five years ago, she shifted to AustralianSuper due to its commitments to net zero but describes the Whitehaven Coal move as a 'betrayal'. 'The recent news has really disappointed me and made me quite angry as you put your trust in these institutions and they change it up behind your back,' Ms Gardener told 'I feel really disappointed. I think that AustralianSuper promoting themselves as an environmentally sustainable fund (in supporting the net zero goal) is false advertising and I'm angry. Do you know more or have a story? Contact 'I think a lot of members should be because these big funds are banking on their members' blind trust and that they won't keep track and call out their behaviour. 'I've moved funds for this reason and I'll do it again – it's really easy.' The return to investing in coal mining also makes the Melbourne woman fearful of the future and extreme weather events. 'I think there is this kind of narrative that investing in renewables is enough but divesting in coal and gas is what we need for a net zero future,' she said. Shareholder advocacy group and clean energy finance organisation Market Forces has slammed AustralianSuper's decision with chief executive Will van de Pol describing Whitehaven Coal as having a 'shameful wrap sheet in terms of environmental incidents'. He said AustralianSuper members have used Market Forces' website to send thousands of emails regarding the fund's fossil fuel investments over the past decade and many had contacted them over the recent decision. 'I think this investment from AustralianSuper into the biggest coal expander sends all the wrong messages about transition away from fossil fuels to renewables if Australia is to avoid the worst impact of climate change.' One of Australia's leading climate scientists, Australian National University Professor Sarah Perkins-Kirkpatrick, said a commitment to reducing emissions and investment into coal mining simply didn't match up. 'We can't get to net zero effectively and efficiently if we invest in fossil fuels and renewable energy is actually much cheaper,' Prof Perkins-Kirkpatrick said. 'The mind boggles, it's not setting the right message. I'm not the expert in finance but I can't see how it is a good business decision over the next few decades.' Meanwhile, Market Forces analysis found Whitehaven plans would result in coal production from its mines increasing by over 80 per cent by the mid 2030s. The projects would also result in nearly five billion tonnes of carbon pollution from burning coal, equivalent to running all of Australia coal-fired power stations until 2062. One of Whitehaven's most high profile projects is Winchester South, a proposed new open-cut coal mine in Queensland's Bowen Basin. Mr van de Pol said the project is inconsistent with limiting the global impacts of climate change and the 'devastating impact of supercharged fires, droughts and storm events which communities are already facing'. The mine is expected to contribute 583 million tonnes of greenhouse gas pollution, according to the company's environmental impact statement, which is more than Australia's national annual greenhouse gas emissions. Prof Perkins-Kirkpatrick said any new project will contribute to global greenhouse gas emissions which will stay in the atmosphere for hundreds of years. 'Any emission coming from any projects will stay in the atmosphere for centuries to come so we won't just feel the impacts next summer, it's the generations to come,' she said. Coal mining advocates argue it is still a crucial industry for the Australian economy. Industry lobby group Coal Australia said the country's coal industry contributed $99.3 billion to national and local economies in 2022-23 and is Australia's second largest export industry after iron ore. The coal industry plays a critical role in supporting regional communities, especially in Queensland and NSW, both by providing jobs and supporting businesses, it added. Environmental lobby group Lock the Gate's head of investigation and research George Woods was highly critical of AustralianSuper's investment decision. 'At this point, any investment in a company that is expanding coal production is an investment that assumes the temperature goals of the Paris climate agreement will not be met and we are tracking at a high global warming scenario,' she said. She said of millions of members, the average age is 40, 'so they will mostly be retiring in or after 2050 and the impact of climate change on the Australian economy will materially affect their retirement savings'. Whitehaven's pursuit of coal mining only as an 'entire business strategy built on the assumption of catastrophic levels of global warming', according to Ms Wood. Meanwhile, Mr van do Pol added recent research showed the top 30 super funds will take a 46 per cent hit to returns by 2050 if climate change goals aren't met. Market Force members had also raised concerns about Mr Flynn's enormous pay packet, Mr van de Pol said. 'Whitehaven's CEO remuneration policy is widely out of step with peers and unacceptably Whitehaven's CEO is being incentivised to increase coal production when we know coal production must rapidly fall to meet the climate goals Australia and the world has committed to,' he said. Mr Flynn joined the board of Whitehaven in 2012 and became CEO less than a year later. An AustralianSuper spokesperson said the fund is still committed to its net zero 2050 goal. 'That hasn't changed. The energy transition will not be linear. We regularly reassess investments in the energy and resources sectors for their ability to deliver value for members,' they said. 'AustralianSuper's 3.5 million members have diverse preferences and attitudes about what they want us to invest in. The fund offers members a number of investment options that give them choice.'
Irish Examiner
01-07-2025
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
One underage provincial title per decade key to Waterford development, says Paul Flynn
A Munster underage title every 10 years will keep the Waterford conveyor belt ticking over and keep the county's reservoir of hope sufficiently topped up, Déise legend Paul Flynn has said. Flynn served as selector with Saturday's All-Ireland minor-winning side, the same title he wore when working with the all-conquering U21 class of 2016. The points he made nine years ago he repeated at Semple Stadium on Saturday evening. 'You have to compete. Seán Power won a minor All-Ireland in 2013 and three years later the U21 was won, that team has been the backbone of the senior team over the last number of years. 'I said when we won the U21 in 2016 that if Waterford could compete in a Munster minor final every six, seven years, or win a Munster final every 10 years, and just keep the whole thing going and give everyone a bit of hope, all the coaches that had these young lads, and clubs and schools. That is the main thing,' said Flynn. In the nine years since, Waterford have failed to lift provincial silverware at minor or U20 level. In fact, there has been just a single U20 championship victory - and that over Kerry - in the nine years since. It is a record that made Saturday's All-Ireland decider a must-win for Waterford. 'The county, the underage set-up, it will give everyone a lift. It gives hope to everybody,' Flynn continued. 'It gives everybody a shot in the arm, the development squads underneath, teams above, everyone. The amount of older people here today, supporting Waterford for years through thick and thin at every level, it is just brilliant.' All-Ireland glory seemed an unlikely possibility on the evening of their no-show Munster final defeat to Cork. Flynn spoke of lads crying in the dressing-room afterward. Management quickly turned defeat into a positive. They'd come within two points of a highly vaunted Cork outfit despite not showing up. Imagine what they can achieve, players were told, if they turned up for the hour. 'The Munster final was by far our worst performance. We were standoff-ish, we didn't put any pressure on the ball or the man. We had tears in the dressing-room, and obviously that is part and parcel of it, but the good thing we had with that performance was we couldn't be any worse or play any looser for 45 minutes, and we still got it back to two points. That was the stick we used with them for the last couple of weeks. 'We didn't play well for an entire match until Kilkenny in the All-Ireland semi-final, and we played again today for an entire match. That was the difference in our performances between Munster and the All-Ireland series. We were in both halves in both matches and that was the winning of the All-Ireland semi-final and final. Fair play to them, they were brilliant.'
RTÉ News
19-05-2025
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Kevin McStay will be worried by Mayo's lack of energy
Paul Flynn believes that Mayo manager Kevin McStay will be most concerned by the lack of energy and his side's disappointed work-rate during their surprise defeat to Cavan at home. Cavan produced a stunning second-half display in MacHale Park to blow their All-Ireland series group wide open when they claimed a fully deserved 1-17 to 1-14 victory over Mayo. In truth, the scoreline was generous to Mayo, who were able to put a gloss on the game that their performance didn't deserve with an Aidan O'Shea goal deep into injury-time and a couple of late points. Cavan played to their strengths and were cruising to a comfortable win when they led by eight points after 70 minutes, while Mayo looked a shadow of the side that topped Division 1 in this year's league campaign. Speaking on The Sunday Game, Flynn claimed that the listless display will be a serious headache for McStay. " Cavan were by a distance the better team and the thing that will bemuse the Mayo fans and Kevin McStay's management team the most is just that lack of energy," he said. " Whenever about anything else, they would have to ask, 'What did we really do really well against Galway?' And it was: 'We outworked them, we stripped them, we didn't give them any time on the ball'. "That's just a basic fundamental that you'd expect from your team every time, and they didn't get it today. "Cavan outworked Mayo and that was the foundation for Cavan's win, that alongside the fact that their forward unit just wasn't clicking, the scores were coming from midfield. "Niall Carolan did a fantastic job on Ryan O'Donoghue and didn't allow him to have an impact from play. "So all the credit is to go to Cavan for this. But when Mayo do look at themselves, they'll be really disappointed with their work rate and the turnovers that they didn't get." Dessie Dolan was slightly more charitable to the Green and Red and claimed that the reason they looked so poor was because Cavan controlled the tempo and pace of the game at all stages. "Mayo didn't get rhythm because they weren't let get rhythm," he said. "I think Cavan, throughout the game deserved to win. "They were very competitive, they were brave on the breaks and defensively, they were well set. They were very organized throughout and then they got some great scores with some great leaders. "Is it a surprise that Cavan put in that performance? Yes, it is. Going down to Castlebar I don't think people gave them a chance. "People probably felt it should have been routine for Mayo, but Cavan were fully deserving of their win and it was an excellent performance from Ray Galligan's men."
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Overwhelming support from Maine lawmakers to require insurance coverage for PFAS blood tests
Though almost everyone in the U.S. likely has some level of PFAS in their blood, testing can show the specific level a person has. (Photo by TEK IMAGE/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY via Getty Images) Both chambers of the Maine Legislature have thrown overwhelming support behind legislation that would require insurance carriers in Maine to cover medically necessary blood tests for so-called forever chemicals. The Senate on Tuesday unanimously passed LD 582, which would require health insurance carriers to cover blood tests for perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, also known as PFAS, when they are deemed medically necessary. The House of Representatives then voted 115-26 in support of its passage Wednesday with backing from all Democrats and many Republicans. The bill will go back to each chamber for enactment votes before it can be sent to Gov. Janet Mills for final approval. Because the bill will require some funding, it also needs to be included in the upcoming budget. Thirty years ago, Rep. Paul Flynn (R-Albion) received a letter that the dairy farm next to his home would be spreading sludge on its land. At the time, he was told there was nothing to worry about. But like many Maine residents, he now lives in an area surrounded by PFAS, which are also known as forever chemicals because of their durability. 'This is something that has snuck up on us,' Flynn said on the House floor Wednesday. 'It is in front of us, and it is very, very real.' The Maine Department of Environmental Protection has identified more than 1,000 sites throughout the state that could be affected by former sludge application. The state has a robust response program that currently provides technical and financial assistance to more than 80 farms with varying levels of contamination. That work will continue thanks to legislation passed earlier this year enshrining the program into law. But contamination isn't just contained to the land. It can get into waterways, drinking wells and ultimately, people's bloodstreams. Exposure to the chemicals has been linked to health concerns including cancer, liver damage, pregnancy complications, increased cholesterol levels and more. Workplace exposure is high for firefighters, chemical manufacturers and ski wax technicians while communities exposed to spills of PFAS-laden products, like the one in Brunswick last summer, also face risk. The Environmental Protection Agency announced Wednesday it is changing the standards for certain types of PFAS in drinking water that were finalized under the Biden administration and could have lowered exposure for millions of Americans. While the federal agency is weakening the limit for some of the forever chemicals, it is maintaining others but delaying the deadline to meet the standards. Rep. Shelley Rudnicki (R-Fairfield) said she has had her blood tested three times since her community received notification of high PFAS levels. The tests showed high levels of the forever chemicals in her body. However, she said she couldn't support LD 582 because she doesn't believe in mandates. 'I'm not a fan, obviously, of the PFAS, but I'm also not a fan of the mandates, so I will be voting against this,' Rudnicki said on the House floor. She also raised concerns that the Health Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services Committee suggested the state use money from the PFAS Fund to help defray costs. Mills created the fund in 2022 to help address contaminated farmland and the Legislature appropriated $60 million for that use. The committee also amended the bill to prohibit insurance carriers from imposing any cost-sharing to cover the blood tests, and pushed back the start date to apply to health plans issued or renewed after Jan. 1, 2027. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
RTÉ News
28-04-2025
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Flynn: Louth trajectory must deliver glory in Leinster football final
And so for the first time in 15 years the Leinster football final will not feature Dublin. Meath and Louth will contest this year's decider on 11 May and it was the same two counties that featured in 2010, a game where Joe Sheridan's controversial goal gave the Royals a narrow victory. Now under the stewardship of Robbie Brennan, Meath caused a surprise when getting the better of Dessie Farrell's men in Sunday's provincial semi-final in Portlaoise. And while not wanting to gloat after the Dubs' defeat, Enda McGinley, speaking on The Sunday Game, said: "Dublin will be disappointed with the result tonight but everybody else in the country will be delighted and that's a Tyrone man saying they're delighted with the Meath win." It's not just Meath fans celebrating after the Royals dethroned Dublin in spectacular fashion in the Leinster SFC, according to Enda McGinley 📺 Watch on @rte2 and @rteplayer — The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) April 27, 2025 The Tyrone All-Ireland winner, no doubt echoing the views of many, feels that Dublin are not the force they once were. That said, he gave credit to Meath for they way they closed out the game at Laois Hire O'Moore Park. "Meath were fantastic but Dublin are not the team they were," he remarked. "They obviously lost key men over the winter and their performances have been hit and miss, crucially they have been a hit in Croke Park this year but a miss outside of Croke Park. "I think that fed into Meath believing in themselves this year. We've been used to teams giving Dublin a good fight, maybe in a winning position, and then Dublin grinding it down and seeing it out. There was an air of inevitability and that game felt like that today. Up in the room where we were watching it we were saying 'this isn't the normal Dublin team' and sure enough Meath got the critical scores at the end." Louth and Meath will head into the Leinster SFC final full of belief that they can be crowned provincial champions, but it's the Wee County that Paul Flynn fancies at Croke Park 📺 Watch on @rte2 and @rteplayer — The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) April 27, 2025 Fellow analyst Paul Flynn is now looking forward to the provincial showdown in a fortnight's time and fancies Louth, this after the Wee County saw off Kildare in Sunday's other semi-final. "Meath will probably go in as favourites after toppling the Dubs but if you were to ask me I think Louth will be the fancied team, " he said. "Louth got over the hoodoo when beating Meath in the group stage of the championship in Inniskeen last year. "They have leaders who stepped up today and Craig Lennon got two goals in that game last year. It's so exciting and it's about who can manage the occasion the best. For Louth it's their third Leinster final in a row which is really impressive. It shows their consistency at provincial level and where their trajectory is at. But now there are no more moral victories, they have to go and win it. That's what will be on their minds and they have to manage that occasion."
