I’ve been involved in a little debate with rightards over at No Minister on the subject of anthropogenic climate change. It’s pretty much the usual we say – they say sort of stuff. It made me wonder what they will say when their heroes in the ACT Party start supporting the government’s position on climate change — that it is true and that something urgently needs to be done to address it.
The ACT Party will be looking forward to a face-saver when Parliament’s Emissions Trading Scheme Review Committee eventually grinds out its report. Denial, denial, calls of fraud, and more denial have been the tune played by the ACT Party and its supporters whilst in opposition and in the party’s first few months in government. Hide said in Parliament just last year:
“the entire climate change and global warming hypothesis is a hoax, that the data and the hypothesis do not hold together, that Al Gore is a phoney and a fraud on this issue, and that the emissions trading scheme is a worldwide scam and a swindle”
Strong, unequivocal words. But Rodney and the other ACT Party pollies know they need to change their position now that they:
- are in government,
- have ministers who are not allowed to mislead Parliament and
- have to make decisions based on truth and facts rather than bluster, corporate propaganda and hot air.
- need to keep John Key happy
John Key, true to form, has already flip his flop on the issue. In May 2005 told Parliament that Kyoto and the entire climate change concept was “a complete and utter hoax.” In November 2006 he said with a completely straight face, ”I firmly believe in climate change and always have.” Before the election, Key promised to:
- proceed with an emissions trading scheme that would include agriculture.
- set up and legislate for an emissions reduction target for New Zealand (National’s environmental climate change policy),
- honour New Zealand’s Kyoto Protocol obligations,
- support international efforts to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions,
- support the emissions trading legislation because it “believes that a well-considered carefully balanced emissions trading scheme is the best tool available to efficiently reduce greenhouse gas”
- amend the law within 9 months of being in office. (Thinks: that August deadline is beginning to look pretty tight)
So, grit your teeth, shine up your fake-bronzed visage and imagine you’re the ACT Party leader. You need to to change your position to fall into line with your boss the Prime Minister. But how can you do it whilst claiming that you’ve had the correct position up till now and retaining the support of your fanatical followers who also want to be able to save face? Easy!
- Set up a Committee of MPs, witht eh task of to talking about about whether we should have a carbon price, and whether human-induced climate change is actually an issue
- stack its Terms of Reference full of elements that will enable a volte-face hors de danger, and
- ensure there’s plenty of time (see item 10 in the ToR), so you can say enough in the intervening time to get yourself off the hook.
This select committee can easily delay the implementation of the emissions trading scheme, provide Key with a face-saver for breaking his 9-month promise, and save Rodney’s hide.
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