|
November 6, 2011
Life should become a bit easier for the Gillard Government when the Senate passes the 18 clean energy bills tomorrow. The Clean Energy Future package means that there is going to be a (low) price on greenhouse gas emissions thanks to the Greens. They dragged the ALP back to what it had turned away from when it went weak at the knees from the political pressure of no no no.
The recent lift in the ALP's primary vote in the polls should continue to slowly rise as the Coalition positions itself to dismantle the reforms and the Gillard Government begins to be defined by what it has achieved.
The battle to shift the Australian economy to a low carbon one has barely begun. The old energy companies will continue resisting the need to reduce their emissions and to demand a ransom for close down their coal-fired power plants.
Surprisingly, we hear little from them about investing in carbon capture and storage (CCS), or geosequestration; nor any talk about Australia's natural advantages in fossil energy providing an opportunity for Australia needs to be at the international forefront of research and development in this technology. Innovation is not their business.
This energy sector and the carbon-intensive sectors isn't even working to reduce their emissions; nor investing in emission reduction activities such as energy efficiency in buildings and operations. Nor are they prepared for carbon markets.
Update
The Senate passed the carbon legislation Tuesday afternoon. It will soon be law. The Opposition has lost the carbon debate. They are now on the wrong side of history. It's a historic day. The public debate now moves on.
he ALP continued its modest gains in its primary vote in Newspollwhilst dissatisfaction with Abbott is increasing. Is the political tide starting to flow the other way? The ALP can just slug it out over the mining tax and carbon pricing as the Coalition starts to bleed votes from its strategy based on complete and total negativity.
|
The media and those that watch it tend to get less critical and cynical as we approach Xmas. I think Gillard is somewhat off the hook for a while.
I expect she will be standing next to lots of ozzie flags holding beers for the next 3 months.