The $8.5 Billion a Year Baby

16 November 2009

 

When are we going to have a discussion about how much the CPRS is going to cost? Paul Keating won the 1993 election by saying to voters regarding the proposed GST “if you don’t understand it, don’t vote for it.” Hewson could not figure out the cost of a cake but if he were to give an answer, the most he could of ever been was 10% out. Who knows what anything will cost with a CPRS.

Under the UN’s current proposal and the proposal being pushed at next month’s summit in Copenhagen, developed nations will be required to contribute 0.7% of GDP annually to a new committee which will be made up of 9 people. This committee will go about enforcing the climate treaty that nations are set to sign in Copenhagen. Under the proposal, massive fines will apply to those nations who go beyond their carbon quota and for Australia this will add up to at  least another $1.5 billion annually, though this is based on a conservative carbon price.

 

Just 1 of the 9 seats on the committee will be a member of a developed nation, even though they are the nations footing the bill. So my question is why is no body asking serious questions of this scheme? We have no true idea as to what the CPRS will cost Australian domestically and no one is discussing the merits of handing at least $8.5 billion annually to a body we have virtually no control over, which is run by the UN whose record could only be described as patchy at best.

The quality of debate on the ETS has been nothing but terrible, with fear not reasoned arguement seeming to of taken control. Everybody wants to care for the earth and pass it on to the next generation in better shape than what they found it, though this does not mean that CO₂ causes global warming. Whilst many claim the debate is over, no real evidence has been produced, just discredited computer models and opinions. To introduce the biggest tax in the nation’s history with little evidence is incredibly brazen. Just 60 scientists created the IPCC’s report on climate change and even they are only 90% sure that climate change is happening and that man is responsible. I am open minded regarding climate change and believe that we need to do something if CO₂ is found to be heating the earth but no one is producing actual evidence.

Whilst we focus on the need to provide future generations with a sound environment we forget that we also need to provide them with a strong economy, an economy which provides everyone decent healthcare, education and security. So before jeopardising the health of the Australian economy and jeapodising our ability to provide for future generations, how about genuine debate and genuine inquiry. For if we jeopardise the education and health of our children, they will want to know why and for that, our government better have a damn good reason.