Judging by the rhetoric, the Gillard Government is apparently no longer introducing a new tax, it is now preparing for a ‘clean energy future’. I suspect they are trying to convince themselves of this as much as turn around hostile public sentiment toward Gillard’s broken ‘no carbon tax’ promise.
It is clear that the public’s opinion toward Gillard and her government is as sour as an out of season lemon. Not only have the public tuned out the monotonous drone of Gillard’s inane and repetitious ponderings, but what they do hear they simply do not believe.
Historically, no matter how politically poor a particular government was, there was always some enduring respect for the office of Prime Minister. And while every individual to hold that position brought with them the failings of the human condition, most (if not all) respected the office itself and lent to it what dignity they could.
This began to change under the Rudd administration and has simply got worse under his successor.
We now have a Prime Minister who is not considered credible or trustworthy and is not respected by the Australian people. Australians are tired of being told that wasting billions of dollars is justified, new and higher taxes make us better off and that carbon dioxide is pollution. None of which are true and anyone with an ounce of common sense knows that to be the case.
That’s why the ‘clean energy future’ mantra is falling flat. Australians know that this is simply code to cover up Gillard’s broken promise not to introduce a tax on carbon dioxide. This is a tax that will increase the cost of living, disadvantage Australian industry and won’t make a jot of difference to climate change – every point of which is unanswered or unchallenged by the government itself. The fact that our taxpayer dollars are being used to fund such misleading propaganda only deepens the wound.
One of the most extraordinary facts surrounding this entire debate is that after months of planning there has still been no public release of Treasury advice of the economic impact of this new tax at the starting price of $23 per tonne.
Treasurer Wayne Swan talked up the supposed benefits of a $20 per tonne carbon price but that is a long way from the starting price and a very long way from the expected $29 price in a couple of years time.
This is just one more example of how the Gillard Government is not levelling with the Australian people. We know that they are trying to spin and trick us into thinking this tax is in the national interest when it clearly is not.
As jobs are lost, industries are closed or moved offshore and electricity supplies come under pressure, we can only ask: why? What will be the benefit to our nation? It is a reasonable question because after all isn’t that what governments are supposed to do: act in the best interests of their citizens?
The government and their paid mouthpieces will tell you that it is to prepare ‘for the future’. Well, based on how well this government has prepared or implemented any project ostensibly done ‘for the future’ (pink batts, school halls, border protection, national debt…) they will be hoist on their own petard.
I suspect the Australian people will help them do exactly that at the next election.
Cory Bernardi is the author of seven books and has been a member of the Australian rowing team, a publican, an investment portfolio manager and spent nearly 14 years as an Australian Senator.
