Rudd Flunks Climate Change.

[Matilda]

Following his election victory in November 2007, Australia and the world hailed the change in
Australia's attitude towards climate change, as Kevin Rudd vowed to make action on climate change
a priority. It was one of the two major platforms that the Labor Party campaigned on, the other
being Workchoices.

Britain's Guardian newspaper had this to say:

"Australia's prime minister-elect, Kevin Rudd, moved swiftly yesterday on an election promise to make climate change a priority, marking a significant shift in his country's attitude towards fighting global warming.

The Labor leader, who ended 11 years of conservative rule in a decisive election win on Saturday, held meetings with government officials about signing the Kyoto pact on cutting greenhouse gas emissions, the treaty that his predecessor, John Howard, refused to endorse."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2007/nov/26/australia.climatechange

But today, the ABC reports:

"The Federal Government looks likely to tie its plans for cuts to greenhouse gas emissions directly to the actions of other countries."

(snip)

"There is speculation the Government will leave Australia open to a 25 per cent cut in emissions by 2020 if there is a strong international agreement, but will hold to a smaller target if there is no international consensus."

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/12/11/2443362.htm


This puts the Rudd Government in exactly the same "we will if they will" position held for so long
by John Howard. It's a pathetic cave-in to the coal industry and corporations, who want nothing to
interfere with their profit margins.

Why does Australia always have to follow? Wouldn't it be nice if just once, Australia could take
the lead?

Fortunately for Rudd, the Coalition still have their collective head in sand, and don't want any
action on emissions targets before 2012, so it leaves only the Greens, as always, to wave the flag
on behalf of the environment.

Rudd and his pissant sycophants, Penny Wong and Peter Garrett, just don't get it. This is really
about the survival of the planet as we know it, not short-term politics.

I am seriously pissed-off with Kevin Rudd.