Man up, Morrison
You will never hear a Coalition politician say we caused this problem, we must fix it. You will never hear them say this approach hasn’t worked, we must change it.
Since John Howard unexpectedly won the 2001 election, wedge politics is the Coalition MO and Scott Morrison is a devotee.
But when you use that approach, you can never take responsibility for anything, as demonstrated so pitiably by the climate change debacle.
Yesterday, Scott Morrison trotted out this old chestnut.
“To suggest that with just 1.3 per cent of global emissions that Australia doing something differently, more or less, would have changed the fire outcome this season, I don’t think that stands up to any credible scientific evidence at all. If anything Australia is an over-achiever on global commitments.”
How Morrison can continue to make this claim flabbergasts me.
In 2016, we were the fifteenth biggest emitter in the world. If we don’t have to worry about our measly contribution, then neither do 180 other countries including the UK, Turkey, Italy, Poland and France, all of whom have smaller emissions than us, and I am not talking per capita.
If we add in emissions embedded in our exports, our contribution to global emissions rises to 3.6%, which would make us the 5th highest emitter.
Suggesting any contribution towards emissions reduction by us would be too negligible to be worth it is like saying the anchor guy in the tug of war is heaps stronger than me so I won’t help.
Global carbon project executive director and CSIRO research scientist Pep Canadell described it as “the tragedy of the commons.”
“Because all the individual contributions are small no one feels responsible. Another way to put it is on my next tax bill, because my contribution to the country’s revenue is so small, that it doesn’t matter if I don’t pay.”
It is humiliating for Morrison to continue to boast that we are overachieving our targets.
One sentence in the latest quarterly emissions data blows that claim out of the water.
“Australia’s emissions for the year to March 2019 were 0.5 per cent above emissions in 2000.”
Ummmm… Scott… we promised that they would be 5% below 2000 emissions level by next year. Putting Angus Taylor in charge of this stuff is probably a bad idea since his office seem to have trouble with numbers.
The emissions data for the June quarter must be released before the end of this month. The most important sentence in it will be the update on that target, along with seeing if emissions have risen again as they have every year since carbon-pricing was removed in 2014.
As everyone is trying to explain to you Scott, climate change doesn’t start bushfires, it just increases the risk, the intensity, the length of the season, and the number of days where catastrophic conditions combine.
I really hope the global community calls out our government on their lies. No carryover credits, no accounting tricks, no special consideration about land-use changes. Man up, tell the truth, and start working towards fixing it or expect sanctions from the countries who are actually reducing emissions. Or legal action from parties damaged by negligent inaction. Insurance will become unaffordable. What then as natural disasters intensify?
I am so sick of these twerps. We need action yesterday, not ball-passing. You are seagulling, Morrison. Pick up the ball, have a run, and be strong enough to take a hit.
Like that’s gonna happen.
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Return to home pagePutting aside his nonsense, illogical claims re being such a small contributor – our efforts don’t matter etc and then consider that intellectual position from an ethical perspective. Remember Morrison did boast he:
Just imagine if a Man of the Faith said: I am against adultery but only on a Sunday, because that’s the day God rested. Or a judge who said: I hate murderers except those who have good intent. etc.
The idea that anyone can claim to live by certain ethical principles and yet say but not at particular moments or not when it’s inconvenient is just hilarious. And immoral!
Having said that – Morrison is a good (effective) politician – which says so much about our own lack of ethical insights.
Morrison is that kid on the side of the pool who says 1,2,3, jump….and doesn’t jump. He’s the guy who looks around to see how others are reacting before he decides what he will think. He’s the kid who says wasn’t me, was the other guy. He’s the kid who runs when the ball goes through the neighbour’s window.
I am sure that he is even more amazed than me that he got the captain’s gig. Giving himself a nickname says a lot.
I can’t imagine how my tiny tax bill will have any benefit to the surplus – perhaps I don’t need to pay it.
When Morrison passes on – some body parts will rise to heaven while others will descend into hell – as for the remainder – they will be in a never-ending search for an ethical compass. (And some are extremely worried that spelling standards are in decline.)
JudithW, make a stand. Refuse to pay the GST on your next ice-cream and use Morrison’s ‘rationale’ when the police arrive. And make sure the Media are forewarned.
Those robodebts are miniscule compared to the mulitnational tax evasion bill. Don’t pay them.
My medicare levy is a drop in the ocean of health costs. It wouldn’t even pay for one cesarean. I want out.
Does this mean we can stop paying for politicians to fly across the country in private jets to attend telethons (that happen to coincide with sporting events they want to see)? Sit back…wait for the big guys to kick in millions.
It doesn’t matter if I throw litter out of my car,it’s only one piece. . .
It doesn’t matter if I sell my eccies , I’m only a small dealer . . .
It doesn’t matter if I chop down 10 trees, there’s plenty more . . .
We could go on and on with this list.
Every step counts, every ounce counts, every drop counts. Every country making its best effort will count.
Keitha Granville re eccies. Had to Google it.. I learn something new each and every day. Obviously I had a very sheltered childhood.
But it reinforces my point re decline in spelling standards. Lol. Not sure where this will end re western civilisation.
MN,
eccies weren’t a thing when we were kids. Pot, trips, alcohol, tobacco, heroin. on the other hand…..
The 60s and 70s were pretty out there. From personal observation, things started turning conservative again in the 80s.
Just a thought re Morrison’s claims and perhaps a resulting Principle.
But only if it’s big,.
KL – I never indulged. (That’s what I told my offspring. But they didn’t believe me.)
MN,
As Scott Morrison will tell you, I am sure any dabbling you did/do is negligible in the grand scheme of things. A couple of Hail Marys and an Our Father should suffice. Not sure about the speaking in tongues thing.
We are only a small co2 emitting country when you disregard all the fossil fuels we export all over the world (coal and gas) and the co2 emissions from our bush fire
our lord has been on about truth for years and it would be incumbent on him to say scummo is telling the truth about science.
Morrison also is working on the plastic problem. That means for sure he will be helping our Indonesian neighbours sort out their problem with our plastic rubbish. How good is Scotty.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-11-22/indonesian-food-contamination-from-imported-australian-rubbish/1171700
This PM is no leader. A leader would set an example for other countries of a similar or smaller size to follow. Sometimes it feels like wouldn’t it be great if like dirty bath water we could just throw everybody out of Parliament and start with a new selection of people with actual real life experience that is similar the the average person. Not a huge fan of lambic but at least she has actually lived a similar existence a lot of us before getting to Canberra.
On plastics, an Australian company called Licella has developed a low-temperature method of recycling unseparated plastics.
Licella have opened their first commercial plant utilising this process not in Australia, but in the UK because ‘the government grants and policy environment are much more favourable than in Australia.’
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-11-20/scientists-may-have-found-solution-to-plastic-recycling-problem/11679326
IKR, Trump used that one last election.. Drain the swamp of Washington. Sigh
The slut from sylvania’s recent smirkectomy has energised the liar from the shire, back bolder than ever, his desire to share his ignorance, lies, hypocrisy and cruelty re-energised. Meanwhile, reality is about to kick the door in, leaving no turd unstoned,
Though, it seems, the alt-right are well ahead in spreading their poison to the young. Last Saturday’s good weekend mag (SMH 16/11) has a story titled The kids are not alt-right. “Cutesy frogs, funny memes, catchy tunes . . . Our teens may be tech-savvy but far right extremists have become more so, dressing up racist, sexist and violent posts with the dark humour kids find cool.” By Zoe Beaty.
A disturbing read, particularly with the example being set by our glorious leaders. I’m hopeful that when the other boot falls, when the penny drops, that the eagle of doom shits copiously on the smirking jerk’s head.
How we change this situation I have no idea, that we need to urgently is beyond doubt. These turds must go.
Beautiful this morning, the dolphins came out to play, showing us all how to surf a wave and Valkyrieduk being in the right place, right time to rescue an injured ring tail possum from the road, causing momentary gridlock. Her actions seemed to give permission for others to assist stopping traffic and rescuing a very disoriented critter.
It’s moments like these the cretin from Cronulla wants destroyed, those moments when a person shows compassion, love and care for those in need.
You disgust me, morrison, and all that follow you. Not one of you deserves to be among humanity.
Vikingduk,
Labor infuriate me too. They allow themselves to be wedged by these cretins instead of taking over and leading the narrative.
If I was Albanese, I would every day be pointing out that under a Labor government, emissions dropped. As soon as the Coalition took over, they started to rise again. I would also point put how much power prices have increased since the repeal of carbon-pricing. I would be calling them out every time they uttered the words “Labor’s debt” by saying, we tackled a global financial crisis and won – you, on the other hand, have run up over $240 billion in debt during a time of global recovery which has seen disposable income in Australia drop. I would be comparing wage rises under Labor governments to the malaise that this lot are dishing up. I would be countering the jobs creation narrative with the fact that there are more people unemployed and underemployed now than when the Coalition took over. I would be reminding everyone that their broadband speeds will be limited because of the Coalition’s decision to use a copper network that was obsolete 15 years ago.
There is SO much ammunition but Labor are too busy reacting to attacks from the government to prosecute their own case. It makes me want to scream. Get rid of whoever is advising you on marketing strategy Anthony. They are crap at it. Talking points should inform members, not give them phrases to repeat ad nauseum.
KL, for ages I’ve been urging Albo to sack Labor’s “tacticians” and “strategists”. But it seems he’s hired more of them. I think their advice is “Don’t raise your head above the parapets because the Libs might shoot at you.” Instead they should be advising him to jump out of the trench and lead a full-blown attack on these frigging liars. And scream at them while you do it. Simultaneously, lead a charge against the MSM. Be relentless. As soon as they start with “Yeah but, Scomo says…” , skewer them! Make them wince and twist in pain. Stockpile more ammunition than they have. Labor needs to be so loud and frightening that the Libs and the MSM must be continually in retreat, firing harmless shots over their shoulders! FFS!
James,
It would be so easy. The franking credits changes were too hard for the public to understand – so are carryover credits for emissions reductions.
Just keep showing the line that says we are above 2000 emissions levels and then make the government try to explain their dodgy accounting that NO-ONE else is using. Keep bringing it up to get the attention of the public and the attention of the world media.
Stop quoting Morrison and Canavan and Taylor about ‘cantering’ and start quoting the departmental reports – feed them to world press.
Kaye Lee & James Cook. Yes, agree completely. This conversation doesn’t just happen here regarding Labor’s pathetic efforts, lnp clones is a common refrain. What’s to be done? I don’t think we have the luxury of time waiting for these traitorous incompetents, these damned politicians, to wake the f#ck up.
We’ve called the tune and now the piper wants paying. It might be worth remembering this beautiful planet doesn’t need our species to survive. We, those that care, need to find a way out of this horror show, sooner rather than later. What that is is beyond me. Violence will not be the answer, though I am enraged by these politicians, there must be a way. Mustn’t there?
I don’t consider Labor an LNP clone. Their policies have been infinitely better at the last three elections. They are just crap at dealing with, let alone attacking, the Coalition narrative – they ‘bitch and fold’ (I hate that phrase but it is a succinct way to express my frustration at their inability to deal with the wedge game).
Perhaps their ” advisers” are IPA shoe-ins, dedicated to keeping the ALP appearing weak, flustered and continually on the back foot! Politicians with charisma, passion, belief in their convictions and a vision for the future don’t need advisers to tell them what needs to be done.
The last election campaign had us screaming…so many opportunities for Labor to skewer the stream of shit pouring from the opposition and what did they do? Apart from an occassional splutter, sat on their hands and appeared to say nothing of any import. There are people with fire and passion there, there must be, but it still seems like a tired old boys network contemplating it’s navel when, as Kaye said, there is so much material they could attack with..
Let’s drop by Scotty’s place and each of us pee 1.3% by volume into his pool.
As an aside – Hasn’t been much from MMT for a while. Here’s an article that adds approval.
As for the way forward:
Many in our area are collecting plastic bottle tops and lids for ‘Lids for Kids’ for prostheses for children who have lost legs or other appendages thanks to the wars the West has waged in far away countries. The kids may rejoice that our coloured plastic lids are collated, melted and turned into plastic hands or feet in a Melbourne factory.
Very mixed feelings about the above- the rednecks are happy to collect, as I am, but the ambiguity of the whole thing has not struck all participants it seems.
Scomo is a twerp , a nincompoop, a nitwit.
In conclusion : some independents and all Greens MPs are fully aware of the impending catastrophes and do their best. But there is no proportional representation in Australia.
Good article and follow up posts Kaye …
Labor needs to get on the front foot and stick it to this LieNP “government”
There is absolutely no shortage of areas where they are totally vulnerable.
Matters Not: Oh MMT! Hurrah! I thought it was all to do with people’s construction of reality which did not align with the MMT mantras.
Even the 3-sector financial identity, which is COMPLETELY independent of fiat currencies and depends on simple accounting is so hard to explain to people. Various people who should “know better” have been known to “disagree” with it. Or they try to “validate” it by plugging numbers into it. That is like “validating” (a+b)^2 = a^2 + 2ab + b^2, by plugging various values of “a” and “b” into both sides of the identity and seeing if the two sides match!
However, if the BoE says something about bonds issued for fiat currencies spending new money into existence, everyone takes notice. Until yesterday, they would have laughed at you, but now the BoE has said so. Cheers, we take one step at a time! Yes, bonds are “printed” into existence, the same as fiat currencies. The only difference is that bonds pay interest, while currency does not. Government “borrowing” with the sale of these bonds is not real borrowing. Government simply gives the “lender” a slightly different (more desirable) financial asset in return for the currency that it “borrows”. The owner of those bonds can do with them whatever it would have done with the currency. Why this is done is another story.
It’s very simple once you get your head around it. Terribly hard if you have spent a lifetime being brainwashed that the government is like a household and must “earn before it spends”.
I won’t go on. Those who want to, can “get it”. However, they might then rush to say that government deficits don’t matter. They do, but not in the way the neoliberals would have you believe. So things get a little more complex, as they usually do. You can recite E = mc**2 endlessly, but the Special Theory of Relativity is a little more than that when you get to the nitty-gritty.
I am over spending my last few years trying to explain things to those who have no desire to understand. The Hahn-Banach Separation Theorem, for example is much more satisfying as an object of study. And I don’t need to explain it to anyone except myself! 🙂
totaram re:
Exactly! And that’s what the article is all about – the (mental/theoretical) reconstruction of what was/is a particular (economic) construction of reality. MMT is and allows a new construction of economic reality. A MODERN one. Nothing to get too excited about because new theories are developed all the time AND from a new theory, a new reality is created (or mentally) constructed. I suspect you now construct a different economic reality than you did before seeing the economic world through MMT eyes.
In science, it’s what Newton did – you know mentally constructed what we now call Newton’s Theory of Gravity. It was his new theory that changed the way we see every mass attracting every other mass in the universe. It’s from theory we get facts. No theory no facts. Can’t count ‘red’ objects with a theory of ‘redness’. (But that’s for another day.)
Nevertheless, I hope you found the article ‘useful’ – at least in the political sense.
On the political front, an article from Norman Abjorensen re Labor is well worth a read.
More here.
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/6496464/labor-needs-to-go-back-to-the-future-to-succeed/
Totaram, no more algebraic nonsenses.
this is an adult site.
More likely of course your mathematical examples will shame a number of people, most of all myself.
More good summarising from Kaye Lee, including what we dun in the seventies,
I have been interested in the MMT discussion (and potential) for years but, for me, it always gets distracted by MMTers not caring about accounting and making statements that misrepresent how things work currently.
eg MMTers always conflate the government and the RBA like they are the same thing. They are not. They say the RBA is the currency issuer. They are not (unless we are talking the miniscule contribution of hard cash). They say the government can never be in overdraft. That is incorrect. There are very specific rules regarding overdraft on government accounts which belies their assertion that taxation is the destruction of money. I can accept that it is the removal of money from circulation but it is credited to a government account which is then debited when the government spends. Any temporary overdraft, a rare occurrence, attracts interest charges and must be extinguished basically immediately and the way they do that is to issue more AGS.
I have never really understood the claim that taxation creates demand for a currency in a world where we don’t work with cash. It’s only people or businesses earning money in Australia that have to pay tax so they already have Australian dollars. If you have to have aussie dollars to pay a bill here, then wouldn’t our exports create much more of that demand? Can’t they just do it all electronically using exchange rates?
I have also never had a satisfactory answer to the risks of this spending. I can accept that it can be beneficial whilst there is unused capacity in the economy, but I am not savvy enough to know what the implications might be for exchange rates, for example. And I am concerned about governments’ ability to use money wisely for productivity enhancing projects or improving general standard of living rather than political boondoggles if there are no constraints (other than productive capacity). Mind you, that is not the problem of MMT and it is a problem that exists already.
But these are not really important issues – more just the annoying little things that bug me. The concept is interesting but the calibre of our politicians also makes it rather frightening – this lot would be out building coal-fired power stations everywhere and giving US armaments manufacturers even more kazillions for war toys.
Paul Walter: I do apologise. I am sorry if any sensitivities have been hurt by the use of algebra and other such nasty ideas. I can imagine that the notion of an algebraic identity would have people running for the hills.
Kaye Lee: “eg MMTers always conflate the government and the RBA like they are the same thing. They are not.”
Ha ha! Did you not see how the governor of the RBA suddenly changed his tune after a meeting with the treasurer? Who appoints the governor? Did you read about how they want to renegotiate “the agreement” between the government and the RBA? No more to say.
The rest of your stuff is the usual obfuscation which I will not deal with. Please wallow in your confusion if you like. You keep repeating this guff but fail to go and read the reams and reams of stuff about it that is available to those who are interested. There are whole books on the subject. I will not attempt to summarise. I have tried and only met with ridicule. So no thanks, have a nice evening!
Of course the government and the RBA work in tandem. I am, as usual, talking about the accounting rules they have set to do that. They could be changed. When or if they are, then the conversation will be different.
What you call my “usual obfuscation” was just me outlining the difficulties I still have. Telling me to “wallow in my confusion” does absolutely nothing to alleviate them….as usual.
To tell me to go and read the reams and reams of stuff suggests that I haven’t which is completely wrong. I have read the reams and reams of stuff. I am told over and over again to listen to the same video and read the same blog…which I have done. These are the questions that remain for me AFTER doing those things.
It is a real pity that MMTers get so defensive when asked questions by people who are genuinely interested. It indicates to me that they do not have the answers I seek.
Suffice to say, when you dismiss my questions by saying I am “repeating guff” that you won’t waste time on, I will remain confused. I have never ridiculed you. Nor have I ever dismissed you as peremptorily as you have done my questions – something I often encounter with MMTers who just repeat a mantra rather than address questions. I am not trying to prove you wrong. I want to learn and am telling you the bits I don’t understand yet.
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