Climate Change

Up until this week, the Government's official position has been that they are "sceptics" of the link between greenhouse gasses and climate change. (As with Iraq), they ignored the real evidence given by experts, and decided they would do nothing. Suddenly, the Stern report comes out, putting climate change in the the context of the economy - calling it the biggest Market failure ever - and all of a sudden, the message seems to have finally gotten through. THe Coalition still have no concrete policy, but are doing their level best to throw something together, in what has become possible the most rapid U-turn in Australian politics. Still, it makes me angry to think that they can sit there and pretend nothing is wrong, becaue they don't want to deal with it. Put it in terms of dollars, and suddenly, they are interested.

Their argument for not signing Kyoto is hollow - "we won't do it unless everyone else does it". This is a classic example of Howard relegating Australia from being an International leader (as it was under Hawke and Keating), to an International (read U.S) follower. Its a denigration of the standing of this nation.

To John Howard, and his other pasty-white ministers - I hope you all die from skin cancer.