Tonight’s Q & A , with its likely focus on climate change policy, will hopefully challenge the Gillard Government’s do-nothing evasion of leadership with the planned citizens’ assembly to further delay action by looking at climate science and the “case for action” through the eyes of 150 randomly selected people – as if the science were not already convincing, the case for action not already compelling and urgent. While the Rudd Labor Government didn’t have the numbers to pass a weak emissions trading scheme, the Gillard Labor Government seems set to ignore the numbers she is likely to have post-election to pass a much stronger one.
So what’s the local link? Back on 30 June, the Northcote Leader reported that Julia Gillard’s “meteoric rise” was, according to Labor sources, largely due to energy & resources minister – and local federal MP for Batman – Martin Ferguson.
In her first week as prime minister, Gillard and Ferguson were pictured side-by-side, congratulating each other on the watering-down of the RSPT – a great day for the mining industry, not so good for the rest of us. So far there is every sign that they are closely aligned on the action plan that will deliver us years more denial and delay on renewable energy, and an ongoing unseemly rush to dig up and sell off every last tonne of fossil fuel.
There’s no sign of Ferguson moving off the front bench and if we take a look at some of his recent comments on fossil fuels and climate-related issues we have to wonder if there is any substance to the ALP policy at all. Have a read of these, and we think you’ll agree that it’s an “F” for Martin Ferguson on climate, and that means an “F” for Julia Gillard.
- Ferguson, who was busy granting further off-shore oil exploration licences before the conclusion of Australia’s Montara oil spill inquiry, recently spoke to ABC Radio National’s Background Briefing program, revealing his reluctance to release the inquiry report in the aftermath of the US Gulf Coast oil spill disaster. Where’s the report, Martin?
- Speaking recently on ABC TV’s Insiders program, Martin Ferguson stated that, in his opinion, the coal capacity of NSW and QLD was set to double over the next decade – this after Guy Pearse wrote in The Monthly that Australia was on track to become the world’s largest exporter of carbon, ahead of Saudi Arabia. A fossil-fuel dependent Australia is set to lead the world in exporting carbon, and is already the world’s leading exporter of coal.
- Following G-Biz writer Paddy Manning’s recent article on the very poor prospects for carbon capture and storage (CCS), a spokesperson for Ferguson attacked renewable solutions, commenting that the recently released Zero Carbon Australia 2020 Stationary Energy Plan faced “serious practical hurdles“. This despite the fact that the plan uses totally proven technologies that are working today – including concentrated solar thermal and wind – in stark contrast with CCS. Take a look at ABC Four Corners September 2009 program, “The Coal Nightmare“, and, more recently, “A Dirty Business“, the story of the impact of coal mining in the Hunter Valley.
- Back in April, Ferguson met a small group of climate campaigners in his Preston electorate office. From a safe climate perspective, his views were far from reassuring. Read about them in Crikey, and in an extended version at Northcote Independent.
These are just selected highlights, but we hope you agree they go some way to explaining why Julia Gillard has already caved in to a resources industry that isn’t even paying its fair share of tax, let alone for its climate and broader environmental impacts.
It would also explain why, despite the enthusiasm of Julia Gillard to pass a weak ETS when it was on the table, she is now back-tracking through further useless “consultation” when much stronger, science-based climate action is set to become politically possible. Gillard knows there is already a consensus for climate action. She should know that, to use a word from her first press conference, Australia will be no “sanctuary” from climate change if we fail to take effective science-based action.
So, what can you do? You can contact Martin Ferguson to ask him why he supports the exploitation of fossil fuels at the expense of our health, our environment, and the world’s climate. You can ask him to show you the evidence he relies on to suggest that carbon capture and storage is anywhere near the maturity of solar, wind and a range of other renewable technologies suited to Australia. You can ask him where he stands on the science of climate change, international leadership, and a strong price on carbon that will drive the transition of Australia towards a more sustainable, safe-climate future. If you live in the federal seat of Batman, ask him why he is your local member for global climate damage.
Finally, Martin Ferguson isn’t the only candidate in the running for Batman, so make sure you ask every candidate just what their climate policies are, and then make sure you Vote Climate!
You can follow the Twitter conversation about Martin Ferguson and climate via the #F4Ferguson hash tag.
