Journalist asks Nationals to concede defeat on carbon tax.
Cartoon: By Pickering.
As seen below, the carbon tax passed the Senate vote today, something that was always going to happen after the House of Representatives, (something of a misnomer at present) passed it. A bill that is opposed by 60+% of the population was rammed through by a minority government out of desperation for Green support.
This tax will do nothing to cool the planet, nor will it stampede the Chinese and Indians into doing the same. These countries are run by relatively sane people and are unlikely to emulate the mistakes of Australia.
Interestingly, during the press conference held by the Nationals one of the Canberra press gallery asked Barnaby Joyce if it would be best to just concede defeat on the issue. That’s a little like asking Labor why they repealed Work Choices rather than accepting it:
BARNABY JOYCE – We will take a few questions and I know you have quite a few people to talk to and you have also got a storm coming, not that I would be too worried about raining on the Greens' parade, so to speak.The opposition has given an undertaking to repeal this tax and have put the government on notice on this well before the tax was passed. There is no logical reason why they should surrender and allow this stupidity to continue.
JOURNALIST – Isn’t it time you conceded defeat?
BARNABY JOYCE – No it’s not, absolutely not, our people would hold us in absolute contempt if we were step back from the battle that is before us. We will absolutely, excuse the operatics; "gird our loins" because we are going to make sure this is taken to the election. The Australian people have a right to have a referendum on this, it is still coming, it is the election and at the election they will have the chance to have their say as to whether our nation should be run by the Australian Greens or run by the Australian people, as to whether we should be guided by Al Gore or guided by the promises our Prime Minister makes.
The Canberra Press gallery which along with the Greens and Getup are the only friends Labor has left to them, should wake up to the fact that the next government has the right to undo what this government has inflicted.
That's got to be one of the stupidest things ever asked by a journalist. Surely the principle that no parliament may be bound by its predecessor applies to Australia too? What would be the point in elections to get rid of a lousy government (I know, I know) if the opposition morons had to accept any and all stupid ideas passed by the incumbent morons? We might as well have one party government and bloody be done with it. What an idiot!
ReplyDeletePS Love the way the Fairfax mob haven't opened comments on this article: Carbon-tax law Abbott proof, PM declares. I was going to leave one to the effect that this sets a dangerous precedent. No doubt they and their readers think this is A Good Thing but if it was a Liberal lead minority government bringing in something loathed by the left and generally opposed by the nation - let's imagine something extreme and repulsive like disenfranchising aborigines - and trying to legislatively prevent its repeal, wouldn't they be crying foul? You bloody bet they would. What's good for the goose is good for the gander, and even those who think the carbon tax is a good idea should be opposing the way it's being done if only because the next time they may be on the receiving end. Can't help thinking of Lenin's useful idiots.
ReplyDeleteThe principle that no parliament may be bound by its predecessor does apply to Australia, thats why Gillard and Brown put the roadblock in the way.
ReplyDeleteOddly, Fairfax used to be a crusading media group who's expose of the Khemlani loans affair brought about the end of the Whitlam government. They now seem to be only a sad suppurating shell of a once great organisation.
Curiously the ABC's reporting on the media inquiry, you know, the one about 'accuracy in reporting' and all that shit, have stuffed it up themselves. Mike Connor of Quadrant is left wondering how Robert Mann replaced him without his knowledge. Bwahahahahaha.