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Day to Day Politics: A gift of lies before Christmas. But that’s Turnbull for you.

Friday 22 December 2017

Only a devious government with a “need to know” mentality tries to desperately hide news that is detrimental to it. Mind you, with this particular news they do it every year.

I speak of the figures relating to our greenhouse gas emissions. This year the Turnbull government decided to try to hide them by releasing the bad news on the same day as the ministerial reshuffle. If you haven’t seen them they were successful. The deceitfully dishonest bastards will allow the use of international carbon permits to over run its emissions reduction fund and loosen the current safeguard mechanism that sets limits on pollution as part of a review of climate policy.

An observation

“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.”

As Australia’s emissions reach record levels businesses will be able to increase their emissions as their production grows. Worse though is that our emissions will continue to grow to 2030 and further on.

The government in the previous two years has chosen to release the data almost on Christmas Eve. Why? Well, there is only one answer. They don’t want you to know the bad news. They would rather deceive you.

Here is the official emissions data and the data for both 2015 and 2016.

According to the Department of Environment and Energy – who conducted the survey – the government plans to keep the emissions reduction fund, the centrepiece of the Direct Action policy. There are no costings so I expect the Government will tell us just how much of our money they will put into it in the next budget. At the moment the taxpayer pays for carbon abatement, not the big polluters.

An observation

“If we’re not raising new generations to be better stewards of the environment, what’s the point?”

The report was expected to be a bit tougher on polluters but this is the complete opposite telling business to “address the risk of potential constraints on business growth raised by a number of stakeholders through the review”. There is a clear direction to “increase production, supporting business growth”.

All the countries of the world constantly fight internal corruption and Illegal activities. Countries break agreements, treaties and constantly bicker about who is right and wrong. Pacts are mindlessly broken. All have their own best interests at front of mind. They are more interested in nationalism than internationalism. Wars are being fought over all manner of disagreements.The UN Security Council rarely agrees on major disputes.

Against this picture of world-wide self-interest, in Paris it was agreed that the nations of the world would take individual ownership of their carbon reduction efforts. There will be no compulsion, no binding commitment. It’s all based on goodwill. Do what you want, using whatever method you want,when you can, and if your budget can afford it. Certainly don’t let it hinder capitalism’s March.

So there you have it. The government, led by the Nationals, has declared that it has no interest in reducing our emissions.We will not reach our Paris commitments. And to think that once upon a time we were world leaders. We had a tax that was working.

An observation

“In terms of the environment. I wonder what price the people of tomorrow will pay for the stupidity of today.”

But really the time has now come for the end of the lying, all the crap, and the government must tell the Australian public just how it intends to meet our Paris commitment. It’s time for Turnbull to get “fair dinkum” as we Australians are fond of saying.

The government will now have to make it clear to the public just how it intends to really reduce our emissions and how it intends to pay for it.

At a time when the evidence shows that 2015 turned out to be the hottest year on record our levels of carbon dioxide from burning fossil fuels, deforestation and land clearing keep climbing.

In fact, every year from 2009 to 2015 was hotter than 2008:2017 will likely be ranked either side of 2015 as the second or third hottest year on record, with 2016 still in top spot.

Despite the evidence climate-science deniers continue to peddle their false claims.

An observation

“How can one man hold the future of the planet in his hand while the remaining leaders kowtow to him?”

We live in a world that is already experiencing the effects of a changing climate. Mankind, other animals and the flora and fauna that help us exist are already experiencing the ever-increasing effects of extreme weather, droughts, heatwaves, storms, melting ice and rising sea levels.

For the life of me, I cannot understand people who accept science in fact and use it every day somehow become brain-dead when it comes to climate science. However, lay people like me who believe in the existence of climate change cannot honestly claim to know the veracity of the science for ourselves but are happy to delegate this task to climate scientists. Laypeople simply do not have the knowledge to adjudicate on the issue.

On the other hand those who deny the overwhelming scientific consensus seek to justify their belief by attaching themselves to a minority of science skeptics with obscure qualifications or worse to right-wing shock jocks and journalists with no scientific training what so ever. These people (like you and me) have no way of evaluating the volume of data produced by the various scientific institutions.

An observation

“America may be the most advanced technological nation on earth but its social progress on matters of great moral importance is still fighting its way out of the dark ages when mysticism was rampart.”

If I do not support the 95% of scientists, every major scientific institution and the research that is constantly peer evaluated I am obliged to accept the alternative. That is that I should take seriously the likes of Andrew Bolt (a journalist), Alan Jones (I’m not sure how you would describe his contribution to society), Lord Monckton (a discredited something who was once a lobbyist for the tobacco companies), Nick Minchin and Tony Abbott (both politicians). In fact, Minchin is on the record as saying that climate change is a left-wing conspiracy to replace communism. None of the aforementioned people has a background or expertise in climate science.

Now that’s not to say that they should not have a view and that that view should not be considered as should any laypersons if they are of that ilk. But surely, we must respect the science otherwise; you put into question all science.

My thought for the day

“Science has made in my lifetime the most staggering achievements and they are embraced, recognised and enjoyed by all sections of society. The only areas that I can think of where science is questioned is in the religious fever of climate change doubters, conservative politics and unconventional religious belief.”

18 comments

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  1. johno

    On the environment, I watched a show a few days ago on SBS about plastic in the oceans. I have also heard that by 2050 there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish. Our dreadful lack of respect for a system that helps sustains us is stupid beyond belief. Meanwhile we keep taking from the ocean. Like the super trawler that wanted to operate down near tassie. The bullshit goes on.

  2. Freethinker

    At the end of 2017 I ask myself, which administration/government is the worse, the Turnbull’s incapable or Trump’s irrational ?
    I hope that something will happen in 2018 to remove both from the world political landscaping.

  3. Wam

    Selamat pagi, tuan John, apa kabar?

    Loved your piece today especially your thought.

    The climate change doubters less than 25%.

    Australia public and parliamentarians are ruled by religious beliefs at an inverse ration

    Tim Walberg “I believe there is a god greater than us and if there is a real problem he can take care of it”.

    This is the cry of those who know god is the cause of all things on earth and will destroy the earth sometime. How (atom bombs, hurricanes, pestilence, 40 days downpour etc) and when is up to him.
    Do you know a christian who doesn’t believe in the trials and tribulation before the second coming?
    Have you had a conversation on climate change with a religious person?
    The vast majority of male politicians dragging money for ‘cabinet’ positions are catholic.

    Climate change is a ‘mouth’ not ‘mind’ topic.

    Like the Pope, catholics in my circle, are pro-climate change action but in parliament the rabbott rules.

    ps you are spot on johnno even coral has ingest plastic. Saw a kid’s film on the shopping bags floating out to sea awful things should be banned.
    Tuna will go the way of the hylacine???

  4. Oscar

    Nick Minchin would be one of greatest conman and scoundrel’s of all time.

  5. Ella miller

    I LOVE the AIM Network. Thank you for informing us during the year. Merry Christmas to you all and may “THE FORCE BE WITH YOU AND YOUR PEN’ sorry computer. Happy LNP free New Year.

  6. Kronomex

    I see our gutless gubmint abstained in the UN vote. What a non-surprise.

    http://www.smh.com.au/world/mother-than-100-countries-defy-trump-vote-for-jerusalem-un-resolution-20171221-h08ze4.html

    Now the US, in it’s childish petulance and overbearing arrogance is threatening to cut funds to any of the countries who DARED vote agin them. The Donald is going to need a new mobile as he throws twitter tantrums.

    As long as political parties are resting comfortably deep in the money laden pockets of the corporations we will see no action on anything that interferes with profit, profit, and more profit. Heads will pop up above the lip of the pocket throw meaningless words about the environment, jobs, economy, etc, into the air then duck back down again.

  7. Harquebus

    “We will not reach our Paris commitments.”
    We were never going to.

    “In terms of the environment. I wonder what price the people of tomorrow will pay for the stupidity of today.”
    What people?

    “For the life of me, I cannot understand people who accept science in fact and use it every day somehow become brain-dead when it comes to climate science.”
    John Lord.
    Your attitude toward renewable energy is your answer. Some will believe, or disbelieve, anything.

    Otherwise, a great piece today John Lord. I hope many read it.

    We can’t have science messing up capitalists ideology. What would happen to all of the rich people job creators?

    “There is no point in saving the planet if we ruin the economy doing it.” — former NSW Premier Morris Iemma

  8. Jagger

    Well John, you wouldn’t be happy about Turdball’s latest act of bastardry with his reshuffle, dropping Science from Cabinet and leaving it in the hands of a junior minister. Yep, that’s Mal, agile and innovative.

  9. OPPOSE THE MAJOUR PARTIES

    The same sex marriage survey was timed to distract from the signing and renegotiation of TPP II. If Trudeau had not absented himself from the signing cerermony we would never have known the LNP”s devious plan to execute it and, once signed, the economy would have gotten worse for ordinary folk and the only explanation they would have heard from the LNP for that would have been dole bludgers. The LNP is an inherently evil and criminal organisation whose intent is to facilitate the misappropriation of public assets and resources by wealthy private interests.

  10. Jack Straw

    Couldn’t agree with you more OPPOSE !

  11. MikeW

    Bit of a typo there John, you forgot the question mark after: Andrew Bolt (a journalist).

  12. Peter F

    Even the ‘Snowy 2’ proposal is a means of prolonging the use of coal, as they will ‘discover’ that we need coal fired power stations to pump the water back up. (I use the word ‘discover’ advisedly, since they will use as their claim that only coal can provide the energy necessary)

    Fortunately for us, the general population are moving away from the coal fired power generators much faster than the coalition have admitted.

  13. jim

    LNP induced Sky high power prices, JOHN HOWARD: The President and I this morning witnessed the signing of an agreement for the supply of LNG by an Australian consortium to China worth $35-billion.
    .http://www.abc.net.au/pm/content/2007/s2026329.htm. A fixed price with No end date or an open ended LNP jonie Howard. deal.

    The gold-plating is hitting us hard

    ABC 2015, The tragedy of higher electricity prices has been playing itself out quietly in households across Australia, where people have become increasingly indebted to electricity companies. In NSW alone, the Australian Energy Regulator says about 108,000 households have an average outstanding electricity debt of $529, which many simply can’t afford to pay. Last year, a record 33,000 NSW households were disconnected – that rate has doubled in just five years.

    But that’s not all. The tragedy of gold-plating is that it happened right on the eve of the biggest energy revolution since the electric light bulb. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-11-10/hill-the-great-energy-con-that-is-costing-us-billions/6924272

    Clean coal is not only crap it is totally the fossel economic / energy LIE it is is a piece of the fossil-fuel marketing spin repeated by the LNP ad nausea .
    Snowy 2 is also crap….. Coal snowy 2 would emit added emissions via water evaporation of storage ergo wasted energy .
    Please always put LNP last.

  14. Pappinbarra Fox

    QUOTE: This is the cry of those who know god is the cause of all things on earth and will destroy the earth sometime. How (atom bombs, hurricanes, pestilence, 40 days downpour etc)
    Well it’s tried the 40 days downpour and it didn’t work so now I guess it is firing up the desert earth strategy.

  15. 2015terry

    It seems that Donald Trump is on a course to wreck the United Nations if it fails to agree with his bizarre philosophy on life.

    Overnight in the UN General Assembly,128 countries voted in favor of the resolution rejecting President Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, 9 voted against, 35 abstained.

    Australia forcefully made its feelings known…………… by abstaining.

  16. guest

    With regard to Climate Change, Graham Lloyd continues to publish debunked denier claims with no attempt to consider alternative views. Yet The Australian newspaper rages against those whom they perceive to be biased.

    Lloyd’s article (19/12/17) entitled: “Cosmic rays, solar activity have greater impact on climate models” refers to claims made by Professor Henrik Svensmark of The Technical University of Denmark, who says that increased levels of CO2 have a warming impact, but says that cosmic rays and solar activity have 5-7 times more impact than climate models suggest. Something about the formation of clouds reflecting the sun’s rays to create cooling – and a warming effect when there is less cloud.

    He arrived at these conclusions by experimenting with a cloud chamber for 3100 hours over two years. This experimentation makes claims counter to the mass of measurements and computer modelling carried out by scientists over decades.

    There were some 625 comments to this article. Some commentators were highly delighted and claimed it blew apart the claims of IPCC scientists. Other comments set about demolishing Svensmarks claims.

    Tony Eggleton (2013) in his book makes mention of Svensmark (p. 35):

    “Tests of this theory by comparing cloud cover and cosmic radiation in recent times have failed to support it. One study in Finland over the years 1996-2008 examined sudden bursts of cosmic rays and found they played at most a minor role in aerosol production and subsequent cloud cover. Another study concluded that the hypothesised effect is too small to play a significant role in current climate change.” And he provides the names and dates of scientists who have examined Svensmark’s claims.

    What we have to note here is the age of this debunked claim by Svensmark and the extent of the debunking. But also the readiness of people to accept the Svensmark claims because it fits their denial mentality.

    Which explains why the political approach to Climate Change here in Oz is in such a muddle and confusion when vested interests have so much influence – such as Murdoch to sell his newspapers and politicians who support the coal industry.

  17. Harquebus

    Something that I have just read concerning the U.S. media and reporting climate change.

    “Worse still, both Fox News and The Wall Street Journal ran more pieces that disputed a climate-hurricane link than pieces that acknowledged it.”
    https://www.mediamatters.org/blog/2017/12/20/2017-was-a-terrible-year-of-climate-disasters—-and-too-many-media-outlets-failed-to-tell/218890

    I have just begun to read the comments and found this:

    “the First Law of Climate Science Deniers: they are ALWAYS dumber than they first appear.” — classicalmusiclover

  18. Florence nee Fedup

    Just a thought. The looney right claims going down the track of renewals replacing fossil fuels will send the economy bankrupt. What we see is the reality of the financial world over riding this governments love of coal by refusing to bankroll coal in anyway, This includes likes BHP, AGL & many more moving out of coal.

    At beginning of last century we seen the horse age disappear. This century the disappearance of relying on fossil fuels.

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