Creating a better future

Citizens Assembly? More Consultation On Climate Change? Didn't we do that years ago?

Being an optimist I thought that maybe Julia Gillard might be a bit different and act on Climate Change and that the upcoming election we would see a credible climate change policy from a major party.

So the news coming out today on Julia's announcement for a citizens assembly which include up to 200 volunteers who would work alongside scientists and advise government on climate change doesn't really make sense to me for the following reasons:

We already have consensus on climate change it was the 2007 Election

Didn't we have 20/20 vision summit? What happened to that?
What are 200 volunteers and scientist going to come up with what we already don't know?
Did we do this for the GST? Mining Tax or any other important issue?
Isn't this the role of the Department of Climate Change Environment & Energy Efficiency?

To me it is just another disappointment in a long list of back downs, back flips, delay, deny, weak-minded and poor political leadership on this issue.

Please someone tell me I am wrong and give me hope in the upcoming election! What do you think of this?

Tags: Citizens Assembly, Climate Change Policy, Julia Gillard

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Comment by James Vosper on July 26, 2010 at 1:11pm: Lee
You are right. The easiest way to dodge a hard question is to say that we will have a debate about it later and get the people to decide. The people did decide in 07 and the first action the elected government took was to sign Kyoto. A strong policy on climate change and energy efficiency is needed now and I urge people to lobby their local representative to make this known.

Comment by Tristan Knowles on July 24, 2010 at 10:09pm: Disappointing isn't it. This has got to be one of the worst policies out of Labour in recent times . Labour needs to get rid of all its policy advisors and start fresh I reckon. I understand this is election driven but who are they going after? People who are concerned won't like it and people who aren't concerned are exactly that. I think they've just put this one in the too hard basket and probably polling 'told' them that climate and environment wasn't going to be a big election issue. How things can change in just a few years!

Comment by Kim Davidson on July 24, 2010 at 2:23am: Hello Lee and Change2 positive supporters),
This is my response to your message on 23rd of July 2010 (I am happy for this to be published on the Change2 Web site).
Firstly I am much ticked about not being invited to the 20/20!
Secondly we really need to ask ourselves.. Will any elected leader provide a satisfactory solution to climate change? My answer is NO! We had Kevin Rudd who took it on himself to make many hard decisions? This did not please the miners and the rest of the big end of town. We all need to acknowledge that corporations run this country. This is why Tony Abbott is in a very win-able position?" Corporate greed is the scourge of our society"? We need look no further than Uncle Sam where 99% of the wealth belongs to only one percent of the people. The GFC was caused by greedy corporations NOT governments! Think about it?
I have been a member of the Greens for a few years now. I am not saying that they are perfect, however they are my personal choice. Bob Brown has stood in front of more bulldozers than I could mention. At the same time people used to mock the greenies. It took a lot of courage to do that several years ago. (Therefore I respect Bob Brown highly). I will be voting Greens, because I care about my vote. On polling day for the past few years I hand out Greens "how to vote cards" at my local polling booth. I have met a few of the Greens candidates in the Brisbane (during meetings etc). I find they are resonably worthy candidates.
Just a few extra things worth considering.
Media do not always report the facts. Who owns all the news papers and Sky news etc? (Murdock)
No government will ever please 22 million Australians. (Least of all – the big end of town).
No matter which party succeeds- There will still be the same ole public servants?
Finally: If Julia Gillard wishes to consult 150 people about climate change? I say “Why not”? (I hope she asks for my opinion).
The real way to tackle Climate change is by education, innovation and encouragement, which leads to job creation and reward for positive and safer use of renewable resources therefore creating a greener form of industrialisation. Is this achievable? Perhaps.. (However I think we need to also convince 1.6 billion Chinese and the multinationals who exploit them).

Kind Regards
Kim Davidson.

Comment by Carolyn King on July 23, 2010 at 7:31pm: I'm an optimist too but I think you are right, sadly. On all points. Julia Gillard is trying too hard to be seen to please everyone. That means not much will happen for a while... Too much talking, not enough action. ho hum

Comment by Robert Swinton on July 23, 2010 at 5:42pm: Lee,

In my opinion it has nothing to do with meaningful Climate Change Policy and everything to do with trying to win an election. By offering to have yet another talk-fest they avoid offending any factions (apart from those who are genuinely committed to trying to change.) Moderates think that they are doing something about it and the nay sayers see another opportunity to white-ant future policy decisions.

Imagine running the selection process for the two hundred "volunteers"! Alas, I doubt that the process has any chance of "moving us forward" on climate change.

Rob