Wasn’t it brilliant to wake up to the news of a global deal to address climate change? This is cause for celebration. We have a goal and the world is working towards it. I feel proud to be part of a planet ready to battle this problem together. My six month old daughter will be told about this day when she is older; an important moment in history; the moment we, as a humanity, decided to help each other. This is the good news.
The bad news is, as usual, Australia’s Liberal National government who, despite the fact they seem to be wanting to take credit for being part of this deal, despite Julie Bishop’s smiling face being plastered all over the positive news stories about the Paris conference, are actually the exact opposite of helpful. This deal was done despite Australia’s hindrance of pathetic climate change Direct Action bullshit. This deal was done despite Australia being an early adopter of a Carbon Price, a world leader, and then reversing this action by becoming the world first in destroying it. If the Paris conference was a meeting of vegetarians, Australia is in the awkward position of having brought a lamb roast. A burned, tough on the teeth, inedible lamb roast that not even the dog is interested in picking out of the bin.
So sit down Malcolm Turnbull. You’re not part of the standing ovation welcoming this climate deal. Sit down Julie Bishop and go away Greg Hunt. You’re all an embarrassment. After all the talk about innovation and technological advances and new economy, it’s time you were held to account for the crap you have pulled on Australia and in turn, the world.
Don’t pretend your government isn’t chocked full of climate change deniers. Don’t pretend your government wasn’t elected on a platform of lies about carbon pricing. Remember how many times we heard ‘Axe the Tax’ out of the mouth of your previous leader, Tony Abbott? Remember the anti-carbon price rallies, where Abbott stood in front of ‘Ditch the Witch’ signs, where your whole party told the Australian public that Gillard had done the wrong thing in pricing carbon, when in fact she had done exactly the right thing? And don’t forget Abbott actually won the leadership of your party back during the Emissions Trading Scheme policy debate. We all know the deniers run your party, run your government and no fuzzy language from Turnbull about the need for action is going to change the history of what your government has actually done.
Your government, your cheer-squad in the Murdoch Press, your donors in the fossil fuel industries are part of the reason it’s taken so long for the world to reach agreement. We’re not going to let you forget this. You took us backwards. You delayed action. This is your legacy. No one should be congratulating you now.
So what’s going to happen now that there is an agreement? Firstly, you’re not going to get away with pretending Direct Action is going to make any difference to Australia’s carbon emissions. The world is watching and will be very keen to scrutinise the results of this crap, expensive waste of space policy in a way that Australia’s own media have been totally incapable of doing. In fact, there is a very good argument that the only way we’re going to meet our obligations from the Paris agreement is to reinstate a Carbon Price. So how that’s going to work? I’ll tell you how. You’re going to have to suck it up and admit to the Australian people that you misled them when you said the Carbon Price was bad for the economy. You are going to have to suck it up and admit Abbott, and everyone in his party who agreed with him and never crossed the floor to stop him destroying the Carbon Price, lied when they said the Carbon Price was bad for Australia. It’s not going to be easy, but you’re going to have to do it. The world is going to force you to do it.
So finally, finally today we have someone holding you to account. Australia’s media might think the sun shines out of the Turnbull government’s collective you-know-where and collectively refuse to point out the contradictory position Direct Action holds against the Paris agreement. But who cares about Australia’s pathetic media when we have a world agreement. Flaff all you like Turnbull. You’re being held to account. You’re being held to account by the world. You might think you’re Teflon Turnbull but you’re no longer Mr-smooth. And I can’t wait to see the mud finally stick.
