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In an email yesterday to Opposition MPs and Senators, backbencher Wilson Tuckey blasted Opposition Leader Malcolm Turnbull’s “arrogance” and “inexperience” on the Emissions Trading Scheme issue.
As for the Double Dissolution that holding out on the ETS could provoke, Tuckey’s message seems to be: bring it.
Here is the email, in full and unedited:
Sent: Tue Jul 21 12:58:50 2009
Subject: Emissions Trading Scheme - Confidential
The issue of the arrogance and inexperience of our Leader on the issue of the Emission Trading Scheme has to be addressed.
As a simple example of the negative politics of an ETS has anyone asked why Labor now titles it’s legislation the ‘Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme’.
As this note goes to all Members I insist that those who support the ETS should write me a detailed response as to how a Government process of selling certificates to pollute will guarantee that Australia will automatically reduce its emissions. One as versed in business as our Leader knows full well that judgements will be made on the commercial basis of “can I pass this cost onto a captive market” or “should I run down my existing investment and leave town” for greener pastures such as China, where Government investment is going to achieve the emissions reductions for me, or the USA where the science could be disproved* before their Claytons ETS is implemented and that’s assuming it can pass the Senate, considering 44 Democrats in the House of Representatives voted against even this Claytons Bill.
Just in case you didn’t know or don’t care, the total vote in the Congress was 431 with the numbers being 219 for and 212 against, so the Bill only passed by 7 votes with 44 Democrats crossing the floor. If the same pattern of voting is followed in the Senate, where the Bill needs 60 votes to advance, and the Democrats have 58 votes, the Bill will be defeated or further diluted.
Another myth is the proposed massive job creation arising from a Derivates Trading Scheme not a Renewable Energy Scheme*. What is more every Green Energy job that cannot reduce the cost of energy is just a further burden to the economy.
There are no amendments to the ETS that will make it work. By its nature, it is either a simple job destroyer or must be so generous as to fail in its purpose.
I can think of no better issue upon which to fight an election be it early or on time.
All that is needed is to differentiate the ETS from the Climate Change response.
I talk to many people and get stopped in the street and in the airport by people who recognise me. Not one has directly raised Climate Change nor do they do so when they are asked to independently list the areas of their concern.
An ETS is a job destroyer and they are worried about that, hence the ACTU 1 million jobs campaign which even Sharryn Burrows can’t make sound convincing.
HON WILSON TUCKEY
In the Crikey subscriber email edition today Bernard Keane will nominate the Liberals Malcolm Turnbull should now reject. Not a subscriber? Take a free trial here.
* Bolding indicates emphasised text in original email. Crikey is not sure whether the highlighting was intentional.
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15 Comments
“In the USA where the science could be disproved”.
The science of anthropogenic global warming has been going on since at least the 1930s. Wilson is going to be disappointed.
Why would anyone in their right mind, raise the issue of Climate Change with Wilson Tuckey? If I noticed Wilson Tuckey in an airport lounge (eg Qantas Club) I’d turn and run the other way.
If it’s good enough to retire High Court Judges at 65 then it’s about time the same applies to Federal politicians.
Yes but he’s essentially correct.
1.It won’t work
2. It will contribute to unemployment and diminishing wealth and it is dishonest to suggest otherwise
The funny thing about this story is not the content of the email, but the claim Wilson Tuckey sent it.
Last time I had the (dubious) honour of being in Wilson’s office, he did not have a computer on his desk. When I asked one of his staff why this was, they said Wilson did not know how to use email or the internet and made his staff print out each email and send replies on his behalf.
If this bloke doesn’t know how email and the internet works, what are the chances he understands climate change and complex models of global weather patterns?
I’m considering travelling to Canberra airport next sitting date to confront the old fella…
Well Walter, it probably went like this as Wilson stood behind a staffer’s chair: ” Geez I can’t stand that little upstart. Can you type a message? I want those words to stand out. I always thought it stood for Cardiac Pulmonary Resuscitation. Who’s the head sherang of the unions these days? How do you spell Sharan Burrow…it doesn’t matter they’ll know who I mean? When will the media get it? Now file it on my office spike.”
I have a suspician this email actually came from Godwin, as an attempt to make amends to the ALP…
Some members enjoy being in opposition. Wilson Tuckey is old, he would rather enjoy the stress free existance of opposition rather than having to do some real work, which is why he undermines his leader. If the libs and nats want a chance of winning the next elction, they need to dump Tuckey.
Wilson should sit down and start writing out The Wilson Tuckey Dictionary (by hand of course). First definition - “Arrogant: anyone who disagrees with Wilson Tuckey”.
All jokes aside, sometimes when I’m confronted by the ignorance and pig-headedness of the climate change denialists, I despair for the future of humanity.
What has Australia gained from Tuckey’s years of experience and his well known humility?
The silence is so deafening I can hear it from here.
He’s simply preaching to his base
JamesK, good to see you back. You’ve been quiet lately, I hope all is well.
1. Agreed, it won’t work very well.
2. It will contribute to unemployment and diminishing wealth. Probably true also. But that is not, and never has been, the question. More honest would be ‘Will it contribute less to unemployment and diminishing wealth than doing nothing’. Garnaut doesn’t think so, and so we proceed on this basis.
JamesK, I’m sorry to see that your iconic apostrophe has been amputated. Was the operation painful and is it possible to make a full recovery after such a trauma?
JamesK??? Where have you been? Hope everything is well with you. Linger longer next time.
Cheers
Venise.
love him or hate him….we need him , and we need the hansons of the world in our political landscape..
i mean what would comedians use for material if we only had tunbulls and rudds. well maybe im wrong.
anyway i love them they keep us all balanced . who hasnt got an uncle like wilson or a neighbour like pauline . thats what i love about being an australian