6/26/2014
via free republic
WHAT on earth possessed climate change champion Al Gore to share a stage with mining baron and — at least until yesterday — climate change dinosaur Clive Palmer?
Does the former US vice-president realise that, with his 12 minutes on stage, he has helped dismantle the toughest climate change response on the planet, leaving Australia, in all likelihood, without any carbon abatement scheme?
Gore has either been duped into thinking Palmer is an environmentalist or he has been handsomely paid for his bizarre appearance. Or both.
What is certain is that the man who refashioned himself as a celebrity by embarking on a climate change crusade — earning the nickname the Goracle, an Oscar and a Nobel Peace Prize along the way — has endorsed a self-proclaimed billionaire who owns dirty-coal leases, a polluting nickel refinery and was hit with overdue charges on his own carbon tax liability.
The inconvenient truth for Gore is that he has become part of yet another failed stunt designed to provide Palmer with a cloak of legitimacy.
Clive Palmer is an Australian mining magnate (sometimes referred to as a billionaire, he probably falls short of that, but he's certainly worth hundreds of millions) who last year spent an exceedingly large amount of money getting himself and a few others elected to the Australian Parliament under his Palmer United Party banner - himself in our House of Representatives, with three Senators due to take office next Tuesday, along with a fourth Senator who has agreed to act in caucus with PUP (a representative of the Australian Motoring Enthusiasts Party (AMEP)). With the way the Senate is balanced, PUP's four Senators have significant power, and so therefore does Clive Palmer. The conservative Liberal-National Coalition government needs PUP support to pass any bill in the Senate that either Labor or the Greens (or both) try to block.
When Palmer came out to make a speech yesterday accompanied by Al Gore, the left wing media went rather crazy about how he had suddenly come around to their view on climate change and global warming. Presumably Al Gore thought so as well, or he wouldn't have been on that stage. But as the details are emerging today, what is pretty clear is Palmer has agreed to axe the carbon tax, in exchange for a deal on carbon pricing that will, unless other major countries also decide to introduce similar carbon pricing, lead to a carbon price of $0.00 in the short term - and quite likely for the long term as well.
[To explain the balance of power situation for those who may be interested - there are 76 Senators which makes 39 a majority. After Tuesday, Labor will have 25 Senators, and the Greens 10, given them 35 if they vote together to the Coalition's 33. There are three individual Senators from the Liberal Democratic Party, the Democratic Labor Party, and the Family First Party, who will often support the Coalition on most issues (though they are entirely free agents who will certainly be using the balance of power to the advantage of their constituents, all three lean more right than left on most issues - there are exceptions, for example, Family First are big supporters of welfare state ideas) giving the Coalition, 36 reasonably reliable Senate votes. There's one genuine Independent, Senator Nick Xenophon who can easily vote either way. If PUP/AMEP support goes to the Coalition, it will often be able to pass legislation even if Labor and/or the Greens work to block it - so Palmer and his party matter).]
CLIVE PALMER CONFIRMS PARTY SUPPORT AXING CARBON TAX
Mr Gore commended Mr Palmer's address as an 'extraordinary moment' for the world: 'In which Australia, the United States and the rest of the world is finally beginning to confront the climate crisis in a meaningful way.'
He said Mr Palmer's plans were 'significant' in supporting the world moving to solve the climate crisis and the Palmer United Party supporting the continuation of the renewable energy target, the Clean Energy Finance Corporation and Climate Change Authority and reintroducing an emissions trading scheme under his stipulated conditions.
'While I will be disappointed if the immediate price on carbon is removed, because it is a policy which I believe to be ultimately critical to solving the climate crisis, I am extremely hopeful that Australia will continue to play a global leadership role on this most pressing issue,' he said.
He said Mr Palmer's proposals were all 'high effective' in reducing carbon emissions. With that, Mr Palmer announced they had to go to an 'urgent dinner' and left before any questions could disturb the lovely atmosphere. 'We'll be back later', he said.
Sorry to say, but I'm really none the wiser.
source
via free republic
WHAT on earth possessed climate change champion Al Gore to share a stage with mining baron and — at least until yesterday — climate change dinosaur Clive Palmer?
Does the former US vice-president realise that, with his 12 minutes on stage, he has helped dismantle the toughest climate change response on the planet, leaving Australia, in all likelihood, without any carbon abatement scheme?
Gore has either been duped into thinking Palmer is an environmentalist or he has been handsomely paid for his bizarre appearance. Or both.
What is certain is that the man who refashioned himself as a celebrity by embarking on a climate change crusade — earning the nickname the Goracle, an Oscar and a Nobel Peace Prize along the way — has endorsed a self-proclaimed billionaire who owns dirty-coal leases, a polluting nickel refinery and was hit with overdue charges on his own carbon tax liability.
The inconvenient truth for Gore is that he has become part of yet another failed stunt designed to provide Palmer with a cloak of legitimacy.
Clive Palmer is an Australian mining magnate (sometimes referred to as a billionaire, he probably falls short of that, but he's certainly worth hundreds of millions) who last year spent an exceedingly large amount of money getting himself and a few others elected to the Australian Parliament under his Palmer United Party banner - himself in our House of Representatives, with three Senators due to take office next Tuesday, along with a fourth Senator who has agreed to act in caucus with PUP (a representative of the Australian Motoring Enthusiasts Party (AMEP)). With the way the Senate is balanced, PUP's four Senators have significant power, and so therefore does Clive Palmer. The conservative Liberal-National Coalition government needs PUP support to pass any bill in the Senate that either Labor or the Greens (or both) try to block.
When Palmer came out to make a speech yesterday accompanied by Al Gore, the left wing media went rather crazy about how he had suddenly come around to their view on climate change and global warming. Presumably Al Gore thought so as well, or he wouldn't have been on that stage. But as the details are emerging today, what is pretty clear is Palmer has agreed to axe the carbon tax, in exchange for a deal on carbon pricing that will, unless other major countries also decide to introduce similar carbon pricing, lead to a carbon price of $0.00 in the short term - and quite likely for the long term as well.
[To explain the balance of power situation for those who may be interested - there are 76 Senators which makes 39 a majority. After Tuesday, Labor will have 25 Senators, and the Greens 10, given them 35 if they vote together to the Coalition's 33. There are three individual Senators from the Liberal Democratic Party, the Democratic Labor Party, and the Family First Party, who will often support the Coalition on most issues (though they are entirely free agents who will certainly be using the balance of power to the advantage of their constituents, all three lean more right than left on most issues - there are exceptions, for example, Family First are big supporters of welfare state ideas) giving the Coalition, 36 reasonably reliable Senate votes. There's one genuine Independent, Senator Nick Xenophon who can easily vote either way. If PUP/AMEP support goes to the Coalition, it will often be able to pass legislation even if Labor and/or the Greens work to block it - so Palmer and his party matter).]
CLIVE PALMER CONFIRMS PARTY SUPPORT AXING CARBON TAX
Mr Gore commended Mr Palmer's address as an 'extraordinary moment' for the world: 'In which Australia, the United States and the rest of the world is finally beginning to confront the climate crisis in a meaningful way.'
He said Mr Palmer's plans were 'significant' in supporting the world moving to solve the climate crisis and the Palmer United Party supporting the continuation of the renewable energy target, the Clean Energy Finance Corporation and Climate Change Authority and reintroducing an emissions trading scheme under his stipulated conditions.
'While I will be disappointed if the immediate price on carbon is removed, because it is a policy which I believe to be ultimately critical to solving the climate crisis, I am extremely hopeful that Australia will continue to play a global leadership role on this most pressing issue,' he said.
He said Mr Palmer's proposals were all 'high effective' in reducing carbon emissions. With that, Mr Palmer announced they had to go to an 'urgent dinner' and left before any questions could disturb the lovely atmosphere. 'We'll be back later', he said.
Sorry to say, but I'm really none the wiser.
source
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