Loading ...- Category:
- Soap Box
- Author:
- Phil Scott
- Posted:
- Thursday, 14 May 2009
It has been a political week. First, Kevin Rudd announced his promised emissions trading scheme would not start next year after all. It will ease itself in -” like an ex-priest from St Stanislaus -” in 2011.
Wasn’t that the year John Howard picked for his own fatally compromised scheme? Makes you wonder why we voted him out.
Rudd wants the ETS legislation passed in a flash, but the Senate will not be rushed. Why even discuss a 2011 emissions scheme now, argued Malcolm Turnbull, when we can give ourselves time to get it right?
Sure, let’s give ourselves all the time we like. You might think time is something we don’t have much of in relation to climate change, but you’d be wrong.
To their amazement, scientists have noted that global warming has come to a complete standstill since the international economic crisis. The environment simply recognised there was a bigger problem to sort out, and put its deterioration on hold. When the civilised world comes out of recession, the climate will begin changing again and we can worry about it then -” unless something happens to speed up global warming: say, if the Taliban get hold of Pakistan’s nuclear weapons and let them off. (Like that’ll ever happen!)
Speaking of polluters, I’ve been giving the humble motor car some thought.
Today’s cars still run on the 19th century model, burning fuel for energy. So old hat! By contrast, look at the telephone (invented by Alexander Graham Bell in 1876). It has been made tiny, cordless, digital, and enhanced with all the snazzy time-consuming features in the world. Bell wouldn’t recognise an iPhone if it vibrated against his inside leg.
If we can make an efficient 21st century version of a phone, why can’t we make an iCar?
This was Budget week. Treasurer Wayne Swan has been warning us it would be tough, would involve sacrifices, and suggested we’d all have to do our bit.
Treasurers always say that beforehand, so when the budget measures are announced they appear milder than expected. (Not Paul Keating. When he was Treasurer his basic attitude seemed to be -˜you’ll suffer and like it’.)
As it turns out, the 2009 Budget is very good for gays. For instance, there’s the $40 million dollar initiative to make sex-on-premises venues energy efficient.
The atmosphere in those joints is thick with steam, chlorine, amyl and a certain level of methane -” enough to power a generator and render outside electricity unnecessary. If it works, sling rooms will be introduced into schools and hospitals.
I also liked the Government’s new initiative to make religious institutions pay taxes, along with the removal of religious exemption from anti-discrimination laws in the interest of creating more jobs. Tough but fair. After all, we’re in a recession.
There’s even money for Centrelink’s -˜sensitivity training’. From July 1, recognised bondage masters will take all staff through a comprehensive sensitising program.
Tags: kevin rudd, Malcolm Turnbull, Wayne Swan
