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What a week. What a 6 months. What a year.
After a traumatic climate crisis event at the beginning of the year, and with many more to come, you would have thought it would’ve given the coalition government pause for thought on its emissions strategy.
Hypothetical Prime Minister: “Whoa — the whole country’s on fire! Holy smokes Minister for Emissions Reductions. It could be time to reduce emissions.”
Hypothetical Minister for Reductions: “Not yet Optimus Prime Minister, we’ve got to make good on some promises to donors to enrich my family’s friends”
Hypothetical Prime Minister: “No way, Minister for Reductions. The people won’t accept us wilfully accelerating climate change as their houses burn to the ground.
Notional Bushfire Recovery Agency: Did you want to sign off on that budget I sent though to help those —
Hypothetical Prime Minister: Shhh, we already made that announcement 102 news cycles ago.
Hypothetical Minister for Reductions: You’re right Hypothetical Prime Minister — We’re going to need a massive distraction”
Novel Coronavirus: “Hello Boys! Where can I put my stuff?”
Hypothetical Prime Minister: Chuck your bags in any state run by Labor — thanks for coming.
Back in April, when the Parliament wasn’t going to sit for six months, the government thought the best way to handle the Coronavirus was to form a decrepit team of fossil fuel executives to the run the country.
You know like The Avengers — but the thing they were avenging was a liveable planet.
It was odd.
Largest ever health crisis = Fossil Fuel executives. OF COURSE!
Little did we know (that is to say we knew) 6 months on, a brand new gas plant would be sold to us.
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Not only did the bloke they install to run the National Covid Commission used to be the head one of the biggest minerals extractions companies — he has the name of a super villain. NEV POWER:
— and a couple of days later, more announcements, such as Federal Government support for solar and wind projects will be withdrawn because “they don’t need it”.
It’s almost like that our government has severe brain damage. Because at this point they are an intentionally malevolent force.
Why would you remove an economic mechanism to encourage renewables at a time the world needs it most? BUT still build a greenhouse gas accelerating gas plant — for all the job it will bring — it’s going to make life for everyone worse.
It was a big week of announcements that was topped off with an address to the National Press Club from Andrew Liveris (National Covid Commission) simultaneously chastising the government for its lack of leadership on climate, and simultaneously celebrating the idea of a new gas-powered plant — INSANITY — You can read my angry tweets about it here:
Anyway — as you can tell I was so furious I misspelled Dow — and I’m struggling to be funny about it
Yours in fury.
Dan Ilic
PODCAST
On the podcast this we speak about Regular Government Gaslighting, and shareholder activism with Brynn O’Brien from the Australasian Centre for Corporate Responsibility. Also we have Veronica Milsom, who has a brand new podcast out, Zero Waste Baby. We also have TikTok wunderkind Blake Pavey who is coming for all our jobs.
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If you enjoy the podcast, chip in with Patreon. We’re at about 70% of covering the costs of making the show each week. Every little bit helps. You get to watch the live video recording of the show on Thursday nights at 8pm, and access our Discord community – it’s kind of like a chat room where we bounce ideas around for the writing of the show throughout the week.
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Thanks:
Big thanks to The Bertha Foundation, our Patreon Supporters and RODE Mics. Jacob Round, James Colley and David Bloustien.