Comments on: Liberal distortions a return to Howard’s climate fear tactics http://www.crikey.com.au/2008/06/24/liberal-distortions-a-return-to-howards-climate-fear-tactics/ now with extra source Sun, 12 Feb 2012 10:29:37 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Peter http://www.crikey.com.au/2008/06/24/liberal-distortions-a-return-to-howards-climate-fear-tactics/#comment-1440 Peter Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000 #comment-1440 Unfortunately Milne reproduces here the alliance that has formed between neoliberals such as Garnaut and the conservative environmental movement. Serious action to stop climate change needs to be based on the recognition that emissions trading is a con: not only are its effects on equity disastrous (effectively it's a more regressive form of taxation than the GST, except in the unlikely event that its implemetation coincides with some other progressive change to the tax / transfer system), but the market mechanism it relies upon leaves the door open for just the sort of short-sightedness we have seen from the Coalition. <br /><br />Short of radical social change (which is not exactly on the cards), we need to base climate change policy on taking the principle of 'polluter pays' seriously. That is, rather than utilising the equivalent of a tax that hits the poorest consumers hardest, we need to increases taxes on the _profits_ of polluting firms (as well as immediately scrapping subsidies paid to them), phase out polluting industries through direct regulation, and spend the revenue on developing replacement state-run green industry and public transport. This is hardly very radical - after all, it wasn't that long ago that all energy utilities were state-owned.<br /><br />In part because of the light green - neoliberal alliance, this position is getting absolutely zero media attention, but there is a thriving academic literature on the pitfalls of carbon trading. See especially: http://www.thecornerhouse.org.uk/summary.shtml?x=544234 Unfortunately Milne reproduces here the alliance that has formed between neoliberals such as Garnaut and the conservative environmental movement. Serious action to stop climate change needs to be based on the recognition that emissions trading is a con: not only are its effects on equity disastrous (effectively it’s a more regressive form of taxation than the GST, except in the unlikely event that its implemetation coincides with some other progressive change to the tax / transfer system), but the market mechanism it relies upon leaves the door open for just the sort of short-sightedness we have seen from the Coalition.

Short of radical social change (which is not exactly on the cards), we need to base climate change policy on taking the principle of ‘polluter pays’ seriously. That is, rather than utilising the equivalent of a tax that hits the poorest consumers hardest, we need to increases taxes on the _profits_ of polluting firms (as well as immediately scrapping subsidies paid to them), phase out polluting industries through direct regulation, and spend the revenue on developing replacement state-run green industry and public transport. This is hardly very radical - after all, it wasn’t that long ago that all energy utilities were state-owned.

In part because of the light green - neoliberal alliance, this position is getting absolutely zero media attention, but there is a thriving academic literature on the pitfalls of carbon trading. See especially: http://www.thecornerhouse.org.uk/summary.shtml?x=544234

]]> By: Bev http://www.crikey.com.au/2008/06/24/liberal-distortions-a-return-to-howards-climate-fear-tactics/#comment-1441 Bev Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000 #comment-1441 Well said Christine. I was disgusted by the Opposition's tack on this yesterday. I can see one big scare campaign coming up and will the media take the bait and make it adversarial. And the Govt. should have made more of the report released yesterday. Perhaps they will when Garnaut finally reports.<br />But can we expect an honest appraisal of it by the media - hopefully will be well expressed by the Govt. and factually and thoughtfully presented by the media.<br />Probably hoping for too much with most of the media but let's keep the Govt. on track to urge us to feel good about making a decision for our kids and grandkids. Well said Christine. I was disgusted by the Opposition’s tack on this yesterday. I can see one big scare campaign coming up and will the media take the bait and make it adversarial. And the Govt. should have made more of the report released yesterday. Perhaps they will when Garnaut finally reports.
But can we expect an honest appraisal of it by the media - hopefully will be well expressed by the Govt. and factually and thoughtfully presented by the media.
Probably hoping for too much with most of the media but let’s keep the Govt. on track to urge us to feel good about making a decision for our kids and grandkids.

]]>