The Truth About Carbon Pricing (or carbon “Tax” if you read Murdoch papers)

There are many lies being spread about carbon pricing, usually by those with an agenda, either that or they can’t read.

First of all: it is not being applied yet – any business that claims it is sacking workers or raising prices now because of the carbon pricing, is blatantly lying and ripping off consumers. The pricing goes into affect from 1 July 2012.

Second: Unlike the GST which put a 10% tax on just about everything you buy, with little options for finding non-GST affected products; Carbon pricing will only be on the top 500 polluting companies. If you don’t want to pay for a product which has carbon pricing attached, simple… buy a product that is Less polluting.

If you don’t want to pay carbon pricing, choose products with less impact. Simple. Third: opponents of Carbon pricing say that it is unfair, unlike GST which is fair and balanced. No. The reverse is true. GST disproportionately affects those on lower incomes, who spend a larger proportion of their income on GST taxable products, while those that attract no-GST tend to be luxury items (which had other taxes removed in exchange for the GST). If you don’t want to pay carbon pricing, choose products with less impact. Simple. If you want to continue to screw-up the environment, that is your choice. But you pay for the privilege.

Our planet should belong to all of us, not just those who can afford to pollute it. As it is now, those who can afford to buy more things, are doing a greater proportion of damage to our air, our water, our limited resources, our planet, our life-support system. That would like saying: it is okay for a rich person to beat the stuffing out of you, because if you can afford to sue them, they have can afford the compensation. Ignoring the damage done in the meantime.

Fourth: But what about our pensioners? They worked hard all their lives and now they won’t be able to afford heating or food? WRONG. Those on low-incomes, including pensioners will be compensated. And like each and every one of us, as consumers they have a mighty power, it’s called the dollar vote – the power of choice, if they don’t want to pay for the carbon price, all they have to do is choose a different product.

Fifth: Prime Minister Gillard is not personally benefiting from this – We Are. Our children, our grandchildren, our nation, our Pacific neighbours whose countries are disappearing under water, even as I type.

Australia has about 0.3% of the world’s population, but contributes about 1.5% of total greenhouse gas emissions. This puts Australians among the highest per capita emitters (source: Australian Bureau of Statistics). We are the country that is creating the mess, it is our responsibility to clean it up.

For much more detailed – and legally accurate – information, see ACCC – Australian competition & Consumer Commission: Carbon price claims

And if you think you are getting balanced, accurate information from an unbiased media, because media is neutral – read this: How Murdoch’s Aussie Papers Cover Climate Change by NPR in US America
Here is just a taste of that article…

The Australian has aggressively opposed the Green Party’s agenda of addressing climate change through greater regulation and taxation of pollution. Two years ago, the paper vowed in an editorial that it would seek to destroy the party at the ballot box.

text by @redglitterx
use of Sir Henry Parkes image, or the coin, is in no way intended to imply that Parkes, or the treasury would in any way endorse the contents of this post or blog

Art – Climate Crisis And The Doomsday Clock

click for larger image
text of image: climate crisis, with image of the doomsday clock approaching midnight
photo by @jot_au

ABC wants you to change your mind about climate change

The ABC website is running a survey to gauge viewers opinions about climate change.

http://www.abc.net.au/tv/changeyourmind/

And so far, those dismissive of climate change are out in front – by a long way. 80% when I voted. (68% dismissive + 12% doubtful)

What a complete farce – of course the climate change deniers will vote en masse to skewer the results, unless that was the objective, was it?

Which is interesting because I don’t remember surveys being done to get peoples opinions on any other science, such as physics, botany, geology, mathematics.

Although I am sure it is only a matter of time before we start canvassing whether the earth is flat or should creationism (intelligent design) be taught in science classes.

When did this scepticism about science take hold in the public debate in Australia. It’s not philosophy, it is not something where everyone’s opinion is entitled to equal air time on the national broadcaster.

Nor, is this 70s style conciousness raising where I feel becomes more important than I know especially when said by someone who has spend a career studying issues as compared to, say, an office worker, or banker, or a Cardinal, who think their opinion should hold as much weight as climate scientists.

This is climate scepticism on par with Murdoch’s News Limited. But there is a difference between News Ltd and the ABC, News Ltd are trying to make a profit, promote the agenda of their own, sell advertising space, create fear, and keep the people voting Tory. As much as we might not like it, News Ltd have a duty to maximise profits for shareholders, not save the planet. And if for some reason, action on climate change became profitable for Murdoch, then News Ltd may probably start getting alarmist over lack of action.

But from the ABC, what is their agenda? This is beyond mere scepticism, this is heading into rabid climate change denial territory.

This is not balance, this is agenda setting. It is no longer objectively reporting news, ABC are actively trying to change opinions and beliefs.

Can we now finally stop the myth that the ABC has a left-wing bias?

disclaimer: the number 99/100 used in this image is not based on any real information, but I feel it to be true, it is my opinion

image by @redglitterx
text by @redglitterx
references to ABC, News Ltd, Rupert Murdoch, and Climate Scientists are in no way intended to imply that they would in anyway endorse the contents of this blog, but I don’t know, I haven’t asked them

Art – Back To The Fifties: Life Under An Abbott Government

caption: climate change? refugees? female prime minster? minerals resource rent tax? Be alert not alarmed – the sky will not fall

image created by @redglitterx

Extreme Weather Or Mining Magnates, Which Will Liberal Leaders Care About?

Liberal and National politicians across the country are cutting back on programmes designed to help the environment, but have their hand out for Federal – taxpayer – money when it comes to cleaning up after extreme weather events attributed to changing climate.

Barry OFarrell in NSW is cutting back on climate change programmes. Ted Baillieu is slashing renewable energy targets while expanding coal power.

Can-Do Campbell it turns out is Can’t-Do when it comes to protecting the environment. One of his first points of business was the closure of the $430million Queensland Climate Change Fund. Probably one of his second points of business was checking with Clive Palmer, to see if that was acceptable, possibly.

Yet, when it comes to floods, bushfire, cyclones, it is Liberal leaders who have their hands out waiting for Federal funds to aid communities devastated by these natural disasters.

The warning from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change overnight that human actions are leading to more deadly and costly extreme weather events should give Liberal leaders from Tony Abbott to Campbell Newman pause for thought, the Australian Greens said today.

“The climate scientists’ warnings are getting louder, our weather is already getting more extreme, but Tony Abbott, Ted Baillieu, Barry O’Farrell and Campbell Newman are setting out to undermine climate action,” Australian Greens Acting Leader, Senator Christine Milne, said.
source: here

One thing that gets forgotten, or obscured when politicians are making decisions that affect our lives – it is not just the environment, the climate, the planet. It is all of ours, it is our planet, not just the faceless billionaires. So turning over the care of the planet to the very people who profit from its destruction does not make much sense, and even less sense is the voters who support those moves.

image, digital manipulation by @redglitterx
text by @redglitterx
additional text IPCC EXTREME WEATHER REPORT SHOULD GIVE LIBERALS PAUSE FOR THOUGHT

Media Watch – Is the ABC becoming Australias’ loudest voice in climate change denial?

Jonathan Holmes of Media Watch, takes a look at the Australian Environment Foundation in last nights episode (Media Watch 19 March 2012)

The ABC, it seems, is giving an uncritical soapbox to faux environmental lobby groups, funded by climate change sceptics, that are nothing more than a front for the IPA.

The publicly-funded organisation is giving, not only free advertising to a lobby group, but are championing the work of climate change deniers.

The 15-minutes of Media Watch, highlights the complete laziness of Australian media, including Your ABC to take press releases at face value, rather than investigating the contents of those press release, they are not even investigating beyond the name of the group putting out the press releases.

The comments on the transcript page show that Australia has collectively lost its sanity.

Media Watch is also available to download free on the itunes.

text by @redglitterx