Just three days ago I listened as a former CSIRO scientist said that neither the Government nor the Opposition had the policies or the courage to implement changes to our society that would enable us to play our part in doing what we can to address climate change.
Ms Gillard’s idea that to 150 “ordinary people” take on what is actually parliament’s responsibility to decide how we should approach climate change is blatant procrastination on a matter than should have been considered and answered, as best we could, years ago.
I’m unsure what the Opposition’s plan is as it has not been clearly articulated, although earlier this year Mr Abbott said the Coalition would fight climate change with a $3.2 billion plan to plant 20 million trees, give solar panel rebates to a million homes and put ugly high voltage electricity cables underground.
Nice rhetoric Mr Abbott, but within that I’m sure it will be business as usual, when what we need is deep and meaningful changes to how we live and that demands decisive, courageous and visionary leaders who can imagine an Australia well beyond their lifetime.Author and the Director of The Urban Research Program at Griffith University, Brendan Gleeson, only recently said that over consumption was not at critical as over production. Subsequently, that need for production and within that the valorization of products results in fossil fuels and resources disappearing at an alarming rate and so the worsening of climate change.
Mr Gleeson said we need a leader who is prepared to institute policies that restrain consumption, but not civil liberties.
The changes needed to enable our society to survive will either be instituted by a courageous and visionary leader and if we don’t act then the world will use its casting vote to shock us into reality.
Gillard and Abbott epitomised what “was” needed, but what we “will” need was not to be seen on Sunday night.
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