As predicted, the Rudd government continues to pursue Big Business- and fossil fuel friendly-policies while showing the usual mere PR ‘concern’ for climate change, and not even that for Peak Oil. Money speaks louder than PR words. The proof of the pudding is usually in the Federal Budget. Being ‘fiscal conservatives’ , the Labor budget continues corporate welfare/socialism. There is no talk of cutting and redirecting the $10 billion per year given to subsidising fossil fuels in Australia. On the contrary.

Consider the budget figures. For every dollar for research into renewables, two dollars will be spent on the corporate ‘clean coal’ farce. For every dollar spent on tackling climate change, $28 will be spent on fossil fuel subsidies and $44 on military spending. Funding of the Department of the Environment has been cut by $50 million. Road transport and coal export infrastructure has been again favoured over rail and non-road transport. (Source: Jill Redwood, Potoroo Review, Winter 2008, p. 14).

In their more adult moments, most people probably intuit that Government is the handmaiden of Big Business. Our taxes are being used to fund coal expansion and thus our own destruction. Renowned US climate scientist James Hanson has proposed putting the CEOs of the big oil companies on trial for crimes against humanity, given their years of denial and successful outright sabotage of any tackling of climate change. Perhaps a good case could also be made for their political representatives in government to join them there? A million dead Iraqi men, women and children for imperial oil region control (and the right to continue increasing global warming) is surely another crime against humanity. Unfortunately however, such a court does not (yet) exist.

 

peter General

For your enjoyment is a short video made from the inspiring 2007 Walk Against Warming.

Andy General