Note that, despite the government’s protestations that the fossil fuel industry is not subsidised, the latest G20 report shows that since the Paris agreement in 2015, fossil fuel subsidies in Australia have increased by 48%! Amongst the G20 countries, Australia tops the list in this respect.
Note that we recently learned that businessman Geoff Cousins and his good friend Bob Carr had to by-pass the Morrison Government when they successfully petitioned the Chinese Ambassador to ensure that China’s Banks refused to finance Adani. They did it again when they convinced the Ambassador to prevent insurance companies covering Adani’s operations in Australia. This government was not happy with Cousins and Carr.
There are so many examples of this Government’s total disdain for action on Climate Change – I purposively have not included some of the most publicised examples – and it is obviously its inaction is designed to extend the lifetime of fossil fuels and therefore to stand in the way of reducing Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions.
And that’s without any reference to a Deputy Prime Minister and those in the National Party that appear unable to take the appropriate steps to ensure that those it purports to represent are assisted to make a just transition to an inevitable low emissions future.
In the meantime, Scott Morrison’s good friend Rupert Murdoch is getting involved again. Less than 24 hours after the Grattan Institute released a policy document calling for Australia to follow in the footsteps of the EU and effectively ban sales of new petrol and diesel cars by 2035, the Murdoch Media came out blazing. “It’s another hoax,” said Sky News commentator Alan Jones.
In the meantime, this Government has just released the Intergenerational Report. This report about the future of young people in Australia does mention climate change, but it appears that the government pressured the authors to ensure that this section of the report contains no projections. Fits very well with the Federal Environment Minister, Susan Ley taking legal action to challenge the Federal Court’s decision that she owes a duty of care regarding climate change to young Australians.
John Hewson, you were indeed a leader and you still are. I salute you in calling out one of your own.
*The author is a member of the Metung Science Forum – a forum for progressive science and evidence-based discussion of climate change and related issues for the people of Metung and surrounds.