One thing that never ceases to amaze me about climate change is the fear campaign that precedes any affirmative action that government decides to take. It really does get on my goat.
Case in point has been the opposition’s reaction and subsequent fear campaign regarding the introduction of a price on carbon which if legislated will commence on 1 July 2012. A price per tonne of carbon has not even been established, yet quotes of 6c per litre extra on petrol and $600 extra on electricity bills have been thrown around by Liberal scare mongers and radio shock jocks.
They also keep bringing up evil carbon polluters like India and China, yet China has the largest installed based of solar power in the world and a growing base of wind power and is doing active research in both areas. Meanwhile in Australia our investment in solar and wind R&D has been so low that we continually see researchers and companies close up shop and moved overseas. Both countries has far less emissions per capita than we do here in the ‘lucky country’, but I realise that they have much larger populations that count in the billions, than the paltry 22,580,965 citizens we have, but just imagine that they all had a lifestyle like we do, and an attitude to boot. We would all be up shit creek without a paddle.
It seems to me that Australians are content to scrabble around in the dirt and flog off the assets of future generations of Australians at rock bottom prices for little to no long term gain to the Australian community. We should be investing in the technologies of the future, like wind, solar thermal, geothermal and keeping some of the natural gas for ourselves to get over the large bump called peak oil.
A carbon tax is a price indicator to an open market is the first step in saying that this way of business is no longer acceptable. So well done Julia and Bob! I give credit were it is due. No Guts no glory. One for leadership which is sorely missing of late. Which is more than I can say for the other Coalition of wannabe Tea Party members. She changed her mind, which is not lying in my book.
Denial is fear based. Fear of everything that involves change. This country can’t be dictated too and run by fear campaigns from climate change sceptics. This is the kind of crap that I have heard lately;
- She lied…
- It will cost too much money…..
- It will wreck our economy…
- It won’t change anything….
- It’s a global government…
- Its not happening….
- Your all Lefties….
- The sky is falling!!!
Essentially they’re just cowards not willing to accept their role or look beyond their own self interest. I would rather back an intelligent liar than an absolute fool to run the country but better still, the more Indepentants and Green we can gather in Canberra, the better.
We absolutely must adopt a carbon price system as part of a wide range of changes and innovations to start to reverse the environmental damage wrought upon the planet by us foolish humans. I am embarrassed by our backward thinking on this most important of topics compared to the leading countries of Europe and elsewhere. And of course folks, people’s behaviour needs to change before it is too late, and the implementation of a carbon tax is phase one.
We’ll get over the problem of a new tax, we got over the GST, now that was an ugly tax. If there is no carbon tax, the levies on disasters will be much higher, long term.
Just my 2 bobs worth!
The whole fear campaign about prices rising makes me angry. The whole point about pricing carbon is to provide an incentive for manufacturers to think of and/or use “cheaper” production methods, and consumers to be frugal in their use of carbon heavy products. There’s no reason for cost of living to go up. We’ll just get less lazy about turning lights off when we’re not using them and setting equipment at power-saving settings. People (and companies) waste things that are free – we all know we do it – how many times do you give the waitress back the extra little tube of sugar? Just cutting back the waste will go a huge way to solving the climate crisis. And there are idiots out there defending their God-given right to waste as much carbon as they want! It astonishes me.
Well said, Gavin… and Linda!
So we’ll see you at the GetUp! gathering on Saturday at Treasury place will we? We’re hoping to get a bit of a group together from Ecofest to head up and show our support. Hope to see you there.
I have never been so disgusted and embarrassed at the carrying ons over ‘the carbon tax’. Our country is in the hands of school yard bullies and utter morons. The worst part, we helped to put them there.
For me it will always come down to one simple thing, it doesn’t matter whether you believe in climate change or not, you should be looking after and respecting your ‘Home’ and leaving it the best condition as possible for future generations.
At present we are not. And if the never ending pissing contest between political parties doesn’t stop, we never will.