Hello all. A long time between drinks indeed. I've been wrapped up trying to finish this book that I'm writing, but anyway, I'm back!
There's been a lot of debate over the last few weeks about the government's proposed carbon tax. It's a contentious issue, and everybody seems to have an opinion on it,so I'm going to throw my hat in the ring here. I went along to the pro-tax rally up here in Brisbane last weekend. 4000 people turned up in support, which tells me that there are a lot of people out there keen for green energy and looking after our big blue home better.
I do like the tax in theory. Apart from a small percentage of dinosaurs and rich businessmen, (and the federal opposition, it seems), who still refuse to believe the facts concerning the effects that carbon emissions are having on our climate, I recokon 95% of people want to see a move away from fossil fuels towards the renewables like solar, and at least a concerted effort to clean up our act in general. The government has proposed that the top 200 polluters in the industry sector be made accountable for the damage they are doing, and pay for it accordingly. And why not? It is they who are doing the majority of the damage to our environment and our air supply, and they are making a good deal of money in the process, so I see no problem with that proposal.
I am worried about this thing though. I just can't bring myself to trust it. I think it has been rushed in without any real planning, I mean it is two months at least since the scheme was announced, and still there is nothing more than hearsay on what it all actually means, what the rate of tax will be or where the money is going to go. I am worried also about the stipulations regarding to be the accountability of the big corporations. This is big business that we are talking about here. These bastards will lie and cheat and steal and just about do anything to keep their profit margins in the green, make no mistake about it. The majority of these companies do have the money also to avoid downsizing their operations, and therefore avoiding reducing their carbon emissions.
I also have doubts about what exactly the government will do with the money gained from the scheme. Common sense would dictate that the money be used to directly fund invenstments in the renewable energy sector and possibly more rebate schemes like the successful solar rebate scheme. This, however, seems unlikely. At best a fairly small cut of the money will be used to make substantial moves forward in this direction. Most likely the money raised will go towards the government's plan to get the nation's budget back to surplus. Funny that. As long as the budget is in surplus it appears, at least figuratively that all of the country's financial issues are sorted and everything is fine and dandy. What the figures don't say though is that the rest of us have less money than we used to. But that's another story altogether.
Unfortunately I feel that the all too likely scenario to come out of this whole fiasco will be this. A relatively small reduction in carbon emissions, higher prices for consumers across the board, escpescially for energy, and fairly poor return towards renewable energy. The government is too cozy in bed with the big polluters because it is ultimately they who are in the drivers seat of the nation's economy.
I have to say that I think this tax will be a failure. I hate to say it and I hope i'm wrong. It will probably make life a little tougher for little result. That being said, I hope that it goes through. Otherwise we are back at square one. At least the foot is in the door now to a cleaner future. Let's get this thing happening and see how it goes and move on from there. There is a long way to go with this fight, so let's take a look and see what happens I reckon. Maybe another rise in energy rates is exactly what we need. Everybody is already pissed off about the price of power these days, so I see another rate hike will do nothing but encourage more people to become involved in the debate and get behind green energy. It's going to be shockingly mismanaged, you can count on that, but at least Gillard is doing something in the name of positivity for once in her life.
Go carbon tax.
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