A champagne socialist reflects on Western culture and the Universe... and whilst gazing at his navel, he comes up with a lot of useless lint. It is the fruits of this navel-gazing that form the substance of this blog.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has announced that Australia will aim to reduce its emissions by 5-15% in spite of urgings from economist Ross Garnaut to reduce by 20% and evidence that anything short of 25% will cause economic and environmental problems.

Rudd's 5% target is bad for the environment and bad for the economy. Even former Liberal leader John Hewson has pointed out that an ETS can create new industries and be positive for growth and jobs if handled correctly. The world's sea levels are not going to hold off from rising for a couple of years while we deal with the economic crisis. This has to be priority number one.


Comments
on Dec 17, 2008

Bad for the environment, I can see and possibly agree with.  Bad for the Economy?  Hardly.  Being green costs - it is not a cost saver (when you factor in only monetary concerns).

It would better serve the Greens if they at least stated the truth, and not outrageous hyperbole.

on Dec 18, 2008

John Hewson is hardly a Greeny! In Australia, the "Liberal" Party does not mean the same as being a small l liberal in America. Our Liberal Party is the Right wing conservative Party, our equivalent to the Republicans. Hewson is the man who conceived of John Howard's GST economic reform.

on Dec 18, 2008

Hewson is the man who conceived of John Howard's GST economic reform.

Bush was president when we blew the budget bailing out failed concerns.

The letter behind the name does not always indicate where their allegiances lie.  If he is in Rudd's government, he is suspect to his parties stated goals.