Calls are growing for Australia to follow California's lead in banning petrol powered garden equipment to get users to move to electric alternatives.

In California, petrol powered lawn mowers, leaf blowers and similar gardening equipment is soon to be made illegal to cut down noise pollution and air pollution.

The founder of Planet Ark wants Australia to do the same.

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"It makes a lot of sense for Australia to follow California's lead on this," John Dee said.

He said electrical appliances were a much better alternative to the traditional petrol powered version.

"They're quieter, cleaner, and they're certainly a lot quieter on a Sunday morning."

Gary Hertog at Jim's Mowing is already using all electric equipment and he advises others do the same.

"Everything about it far outweighs petrol. Having to pull start a petrol mower 15 to 20 times a day as opposed to a single push of a button."

According to environmentalists, an hour spent using a petrol leaf blower emits the same level of pollution as driving a car from Melbourne to Brisbane.

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A Western Australian man has been charged after allegedly removing a monitoring tag from a great white shark and using it to set off warning buoys over a number of weeks.

The man, aged 48, is believed to have deliberately set off the buoys several times in the Albany area after allegedly removing the tag after catching the shark on a fishing trip.

He has been charged with stealing from the the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD), who administer the tags.

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"WA Police have charged a 48-year-old man with Stealing in relation to the alleged stealing of an "acoustic monitor tag" used in the tracking of Great White Sharks by the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD)," a spokeswoman told 9News.

The Kalgan man is due to appear before the Albany Magistrates Court next month.

It is not known why the man allegedly set off the warning signals, but it is believed he released the shark back into the wild after catching it.

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Shark monitoring systems are used across the country to better understand the movements and habits of the creatures, as well as to detect them when they near areas with a heavy human presence.

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In December last year, a massive great white shark was tagged off the coast of WA, becoming the second-biggest in the state's history.

The 5.3m female was just 10cm short of the record.

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A man who allegedly kneed a police officer in the face during violent anti lockdown protests in Melbourne last month has been tracked down by police.

The 40-year-old man from Ringwood East, in Melbourne's east, was arrested today and charged with assault police officer, intentionally obstruct police officer, resist arrest and other related charges.

According to police, an officer was on the ground trying to arrest another man who had assaulted a PSO when the Ringwood East man allegedly ran up and kneed the policeman in the face.

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The policeman sustained minor injuries during the incident, which took place at the anti-lockdown protest in Richmond on 18 September.

The man was bailed to appear in Melbourne Magistrates' Court on 15 March.

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The Queensland government is backing a key climate change target ahead of the COP26 climate conference.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk confirmed the state is formally backing net zero emissions by 2050 ahead of the meeting in Glasgow, which involves world leaders, high-level officials, activists and industry groups

Prime Minister Scott Morrison is yet to commit to that target, something the UK, US, European Union and every state and territory in Australia — acting individually — have done.

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https://twitter.com/AnnastaciaMP/status/1447751213542371330

The federal government insists it will "meet and beat" its goal of a 26 to 28 per cent cut by 2030, based on 2005 levels.

That's just slightly more than half of what the US is pledging and well below the UK and the European Union.

The Morrison government has said it will release a new plan on climate ahead of COP26, but its focus has been on "technology not taxes".

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Queensland has previously said it plans to power the state with 50 per cent renewable energy by 2030 and reducing emissions by 30 percent by 2030.

This week Prince Charles warned Mr Morrison and leaders of other countries thinking about skipping a critical climate conference that it's the world's last chance to act.

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In a BBC interview published on Monday, the Prince of Wales was asked specifically about Australia and Mr Morrison as he discussed climate change and the COP26 conference, which begins in Glasgow at the end of the month.

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When asked what he would say to a government such as Australia's that appears hesitant to make emissions reduction commitments needed to stave off devastating climate change, Charles replies: "You gently try to suggest there may be other ways of doing things, in my case.

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