Being conned with bullshit
Until such time as the Prime Minister of Australia puts aside his belief in a literal truth of the Bible and listens to the same science that convinces him to place drugs on the pharmaceutical benefits scheme; as tells him that we are damaging our planet and its inhabitants to the point of extinction, then it is incumbent on us scribes who opine on such matters to keep the public up to date on what Scott Morrison; and other leaders are doing to destroy the planet.
Even if we find ourselves repeating our gloomy truths as often as the lie itself.
The old adage that if you tell the same lie often enough it will eventually be believed has never been truer than the one where we will meet our Paris target in a canter or the less-used one about Why should we do anything about our emissions when we only emit 1.3 % of the world’s total emissions?
I notice now that all government MPs, given that their boss tells these blatantly obnoxious lies, feel at liberty to do so themselves.
At the G7 the Prime Minister described himself as a “conservationist”. In Australia we know that all the evidence suggests he is an environmental vandal.
Have you ever thought about the fact that if Australia emits 1.3% of the world’s emissions, or thereabouts, then there must be other countries similar to us in size and stature, with much the same emissions? Well of course there is:
Image from Visualcapitalist.com
And that being the case, what might their total emissions amount too?
Well I found such a list and the total emissions are about 25% of the total. So that if Australia and all of those similar to us in output made an effort to reduce emissions then we would reduce the world’s emissions substantially.
Is there not a journalist who can ask this simple question of the Prime Minister?:
“Sir, you say that Australia only emits 1.3% of the world’s emissions and in lowering them we would hardly make any difference. Is that correct?”
“Yes, correct”
“Well then my question is this: If there are a number of countries who emit 1.3 %, or thereabouts, and the total is about 25% of the worlds emissions would you not think it in Australia’s best interests to encourage these countries to match us or even go beyond our target?”
An important point to remember here is that if exported “Australian coal was factored into Australia’s emissions,” as this article in The Canberra Times tells us, “our contribution to global emissions would be 4 per cent rather than 1.3 per cent. This would make Australia the world’s sixth-largest contributor to climate change.”
Why then are the journalists, media outlets, the scientists and others not telling us in the most forthright manner that this is what we should be trying to achieve?
All the government is doing by telling us that we can do nothing is just perpetuating a lie of omission.
The thing about the first lie is that at the original Kyoto meeting John Howard refused to sign up. Then as the curtain was coming down on the conference Australia was offered some rather remarkable concessions as inducements in the form of carbon credits, to join up.
Of course, if we use these credits it would make it much easier to reach our target but the world would rightly think that we were not making a serious effort.
In spite of the fact that all the government agencies saying that we cannot make our target and our emissions are continuously rising Scott Morrison insists that we will. No one knows what secret information he has, nor will he tell us. Worst of all though is that no one asks.
When the government’s own departments tell us that we haven’t a hope in hell of doing so and he contradicts them, who should we believe?
This article from the ABC Fact Check explains how the government is misleading or actually lying about how Australia will meet its Kyoto 2020 carbon emissions.
We all incur a cost for the upkeep of our health. Why then should we not be liable for the cost of a healthy planet.
It is a matter of great amusement to me to hear people call for – as they did on Q&A last Monday night – a common sense debate on the subject. I would have thought the debate had been overwhelmingly been lost by the right of politics a long time ago. Enough said.
A thought
The current destruction of the Brazilian rain forests, as alarming as it is might be, or could turn out to be, might just be the catalyst for an event of monumental proportions.
One that might force us into action. The lungs of the earth, as the rain forests are called, as I write are experiencing 7,300 fires and the illegal harvesting of the trees is beyond tally.
Something will have to give sometime.
My thought for the day
On the subject of climate change. Think about this. If we fail to act and disaster results, then massive suffering will have been aggravated by stupidity.
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Return to home pageLately, the fires in Brazil have had huge focus; yet, 2019 might be called the year of wildfires and purposefully lit fires.
Huge fires have happened in California, Siberia, and Europe. Currently there are very major fires in Angolia and Congo.
It is sheer recklessness to ignore what is happening around Earth in relation to climate change. Australia happens to be the third largest exporter of fossil fuels.
Lord, after 200 years of burning fossil fuel and land abuse(still clearing in Australia) by the white europeans. Why are we railing against Brazil (I would use the amazon but that is an american company according to google)
Love your thought,lord! After 200 years of racism against our Aborigines can we be critical of brazil? When our big gina and twiggy can rip the shit out of australia, indonessia having a burning time in borneo??
But you are so right to hope the world suddenly realises that global warming is killing now and our food supply is suffering but oxygen is a bloody sight quicker??
Love your use of ’emissions’ are these ‘greenhouses gases?
Wonder how long it takes to change a Csb to a Csa?
Meanwhile global warming is killing???
It is time to expose the beliefs that drive our politicians’ decisions and to challenge them openly?
ps,
ICAC:??? I see sino sam is back in the news.
Remember the list of lnp dodgy pollies? When will labor’s rorters hit the page?
pps thanks, bobby.
Our population is 1/300th of the world population and our emissions are only 1/77th of total world emissions so, per capita, we’re only emitting four times that of the average world citizen but , then again, we’re four times better than the aforementioned world citizen. How good is fair?
Well said Mr Lord.
We, who accept the climate sience as good common sense, have been having cpmm9n sense debate,, it is the deniers of climate science who defy common sense.
This debate goes on, and on, and on, and on, because common sense will not be accepted by the deniers who are just like the spoiled brats in the sweet shop – whah, whah, whah – I want, I want, I want!
is Jesus going to delay his return until the governments, apparently raised by his father, have allowed his earth to be completely uninhabitable due to the ravages of climate change. Or will the hell constantly referred to by Israel Polau et al actually be here on what is left of a ravaged planet? As Clive James maintains, ” Religion is an advertising medium for a product that does not exist.” Get on with some meaningful policies you hopeless Liberal arseholes before the whole planet becomes unliveable, where will your precious economy be then?
What is this bs about 1.3 %. Per capita Oz emits 16.75 tonne, China emits 6.18 tonne and Indonesia 1.81 tonne. Rekon there is a very big onus on Oz to reduce our emissions down to the world average and below. The world average is about 4.5 tonne. Just another take on Geoff’s comment…. Shit, better hide the ute.
I think its called “Leadership.”
LNP are still in the 20th Century.
Our ABC is, once again, editorialising news reports to be in-sync with the Murdoch world view.
The current ICAC investigation into political donations to NSW Labor was hearing evidence of ‘illegal’ payments, yesterday. This was how ABC News described things.
I think you need to be a judge or a magistrate to declare that something is ‘illegal’.
By this morning the ABC had become circumspect and news reports referred to ‘allegedly illegal’ donations, then ‘prohibited donations’.
Whatever: I grew up in the UK with a Tory mother and a Labour father. I learned to hear both points of view, and there were many overlaps.
In Australia, the Murdoch press dominates the media and the ABC is the only balanced outlet. It cannot afford to tell just one side of the story even though Murdoch does.
SO TO SUMMARISE –
Imagine the stench in the PM’s nappy, every time he opens his mouth, whichever end is looser – he is adding not 1.3% but 4% of Australia’s global carbon emissions (factor in our coal exports; and ADANI ain’t operating yet).
That makes Australia not a small insignificant contributor to climate change and extinction, but the 6th most destructive country on earth after Japan (4%), Russia (5%), India (6%), USA (15%) and China (28%).
If every other country of 1-2% emissions or less each decided not to bother like Morrison’s Australia ‘in a canter’ lie; let’s see now, that would be somewhere around 40% of the world remaining after the big six, adding to not reducing their emissions targets. Whichever end you look at it, it stinks!
Morrison’s argument is a f#cking joke and a lie!
MORE BULLSHIT BECKONS: MINING CONFERENCE AND THE ABC CLAPPED OUT – FIZZLED OUT…BANG!
Day three – Still here, still there in Melbourne!
Just had to laugh at the brain dead passing commentary from the ABC, ‘quieter today, I count only 100 protesters, nice to see it is more peaceful’ Ha ha ha ha… yes fabulous in-depth senseless comment from the ABC!
Can you imagine a day when the world finally crashes, temperatures hit 50 degrees, bush fires destroy whole nations, methane released into the atmosphere accelerates massive global storms and famine, population drops from 9 to 1.5 billion and the ABC News reader says, ‘quieter today, 1.5 billion counted, we need to keep the streets safe, hope you have a nice day’.
How to diminish an important story with a few thoughtless, dismissive, pointless, numbing words of ‘nice to see it is more peaceful today’ – Reality check: ABC News have lost the plot when it comes to the significance of this event. It was never about law and order! Wake up ABC News and smell the roses are dead! The protests were peaceful from the beginning, it was the police, government and your insipid mis-reporting that escalated and smothered us and this opportunity.
Fact is and anyone who goes to a 3 day conference knows, the last day is a dull day, not much happening, it is the back end, the final curtain, the less inspiring elements of the event which fail to capture the imagination. There are less delegates attending, basically by midday it fizzles out and in this case only the stupid stay. There is less incumbent on the protestant as this event itself implodes upon itself. The point that should be made is that this mining conference was a disaster, it was ill conceived, it was a tragic shame and the people called it for what it is. Courage to the people who gave their time so selflessly to save this planet from the disease of corporate greed and profit; who put themselves on the line and got arrested for peaceful protest and free speech, the civil and responsible kind….
Oh I’m sorry, did the ABC miss the significance of what just happened kissing and cuddling in bed with the government and law and order – hello honey how many humans did you eat today? Did the ABC fall asleep at the News desk seduced by the sensationalism of imaginary public disorder? Did the ABC have to fabricate the news, dress it up in the Emperor’s clothes as the empire crumbled?
California burns, Australia’s water is stolen from under our noses as the drought wrecks our national farming economy, the ATO steal wages from backpackers and farmers go under, the food bowl diminishes as Woollies and the private aged care sector go busting their guts for profit in a neoliberal climate of let’s throw all public funding at the gawping elephants of corporate greed and failed capitalism; and yes there is civil unrest in the streets almost everywhere you look in the world – But hey its just a public order matter!
No worries mate, it’s now raining in Queensland and ‘it’s so good to see it’s put a smile on his face’, rain on the plain with a smile on the dial, oh mate! Ultimate peace reigns when there is no-one left alive on the planet… Yes ABC News, no-one to listen to your clapped out rubbish!
Geez the government and mining sector got exactly what they wanted with less fizz than a BANG! But one thing’s for sure, they know we are here and we’ve had enough of it.
I do wish the Aussie version of America’s neo-cons would realise they are elected to serve, not to rule. The American federals might think that taxes are “tribute” to do with what they like.
We in Australia are part of the British tradition, where parliamentarians are just higher-paid public servants.
Not paid to serve their party. Not paid to serve foreign interests by selling us – and everything we owned – to foreign profiteers.
Paid to do as we want done with our money. And that means – bottom line – quality of life.
It means more money to schools, and hospitals and less to prop up billionaire’s coal-mining. It means water for farms, not monoculture crops on foreign owned land. It means money to the rural fire services so that they can afford proper training, vehicles and regular burn-offs.
Morrison should resign – and our electorial system return to its stricter standards to avoid false results. NO absentee voting unless you are actually out of the country, and voting at your consulate. One person, one vote. Our electorial system was the best in the world.
I only wish I could vote Murdoch out of politics.