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Between the devil and the deep blue sea

First – let’s settle one matter for once and for all.

There is no debate about climate change.

The scientists – whom we trust on virtually every other issue (so why not this one? – more on that later) – have told us it is real, they have told us why it is happening, they have told us what we need to do and they have told us what will most likely happen if we fail to take action.

From there it should be simple – but necessarily painful, because it means we have a lot of lifestyle adjustment to undertake in very short order.

Now – to why so many are refusing to accept the scientists’ findings.

Greed! Pure and unadulterated greed!

The fossil fuel companies – and that means the millions of individuals who have shares in those companies as well as their CEOs and directors – have been making massive profits from ever-expanding businesses, even after allowing for the significant amounts they have spent to misinform the public about the damage for which their product is responsible.

Coal mining, drilling for gas and fracking have all created major problems on the way by devastating landscapes, polluting air, land and water and – via black lung and mesothelioma, etc – killing some of those involved in the processes. They have employed fewer and fewer people as automation has taken over and affected more and more as the emissions from their products have released increasing quantities into the global atmosphere.

Wherever Australian coal is burned, the greenhouse gases emitted pollute the global atmosphere.

The scientists have described clearly the effects of those emissions on global warming.

They have detailed the influence on climate which follows, how this changes weather patterns, producing prolonged drought which dries out the terrain to an extreme extent, meaning that fires are more intense and more likely than has been the case in the past.

Anyone with access to the internet can find out for themselves exactly what the relevant scientists are arguing and can fact check dubious claims.

But at the same time as the climate scientists are pleading with governments to act on the issue, the fossil fuel lobby is pouring money into political party funds to encourage the decision makers to ignore the scientists’ arguments and open up more coal mines, frack new areas and drill for oil in pristine marine environments.

And the decision makers are choosing to accept the bribes and ignore their duty to govern for the benefit of the electorate.

The level of corruption in government has reached astounding levels. The Sports Grants rort has left many people convinced that the former Sports Minister has taken the fall for the Coalition cabinet. There are indications that the Prime Minister’s office was complicit in the method used by the Minister to apportion the funds, but by choosing the ‘conflict of interest’ issue, they have thrown Bridget McKenzie under the bus and saved their own skins.

You might like to Fact Check the following post I read on Twitter today (04/02/20):

 

Why is the Prime Minister so pig-headed in his refusal to even consider the submissions from the climate scientists?

Perhaps the inept comment last night on Q and A by Jim Molan “I’m not relying on evidence” (for climate change) says it all. The whole rotten lot of them are locked into a ‘belief’ that they can safely ignore the scientists because if they do so the money will keep rolling in! And tomorrow is another day!

Today the PM has announced a Royal Commission into the bush fires – a total waste of time and money because the ‘findings’ are already in the public arena and the almost certain recommendations have already been ignored!

What has been increasingly evident over recent years – certainly since John Howard was in office – is that being in government is not sought after for any socially responsible reason but purely for self- aggrandisement. (Like wanting to be the President of the USA – which once was the dream of all American males but is now the purview of billionaires!)

Many had high hopes with Rudd, but his micro-managing, fingers on every issue, no consultation approach was destructive. Gillard, despite all the brick bats thrown at her, probably achieved more that any other recent PM, but the constant undermining from her own party, let alone Abbott’s disgusting and continuous attacks on her, cut short a productive period of government. Since then it has been all downhill, with every leader being more interested in being Prime Minister than in looking after the needs of the country.

And at this moment, the country’s greatest need is a leader who accepts the facts of climate change and has the courage to create a non-partisan, National government to take the steps necessary to massively reduce the rate of emissions, and with it the rate of temperature rises.

And – NO – Australia cannot achieve a favourable outcome on its own but it can join the other countries which are already making far greater efforts then we are.

And – NO – we cannot undo the damage which we have allowed to happen but we can to some, possibly significant, degree limit the extent of further damage.

You never know what you can achieve until you try – but you will achieve nothing by failing to try!

And what we need to try in the immediate future is a civil disobedience campaign until this corrupt government is forced out of office!

Once more – this is my Resolution:

“I will do everything in my power to enable Australia to be restored to responsible government.”

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6 comments

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  1. whatever

    Scotty is on TV now, trying to hide his shitty administration behind the proverbial Whiteboard of patriotism.
    He is using the issue of suicide in the Armed Forces as some kind of media incendiary device that will blow away all the Bad News.

  2. Stephengb

    RosemaryJ36

    Once again you make the right call. RESIST.

    We need a central point, a website where we can all access to determine where and when we can gollowc our desire to RESIST.

    Is there such a web site?

  3. Stephengb

    Should there be a protest of “no confidence” in government policy, full stop.

    I mean, protest that asserts the people’s mandates not the mandate of a particular ideology.

    It is clear to me that the current party in government are intent on pursuing a mandate which is more about lining their own pockets by doing the bidding of the few.
    As a matter of fact I actually cannot recall any policies being put forward by the LNP during the may 19 election (so how they can have the hide to say they are pursuing or implementing their mandate is beyond me).

    I would have thought that, protesting in front of every Right Wing MPs Electoral Office when the MP is there would send a strong message that the MP is on the nose in that electorate.
    It would of course be very effect8ve toward a sitting MP, but a wannabe mp’s Electorale Office would suffice to give the message.

  4. Gangey

    “What we need (to try) in the immediate future is a civil disobedience campaign until this corrupt government is forced out of office!”

    The “mad monk” once told Australia “Good Government stats tomorrow”. Tomorrow never comes.

    The immediate future starts TODAY.

  5. Keith

    Withholding supply is a terrible solution, but in pretty well all spheres of government the LNP is lacking.
    Jim Molan was told not to have such an open mind otherwise his brain would fall out on Q&A. He may be brighter than he seemed, his role was to promote the views of the LNP owners … fossil fuel corporations. Molan really pushed the views of his LNP colleagues and appeared stupid. Morrison’s aim seems to be to warm Oceans and energise the atmosphere to spark up more extreme conditions.

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