02 February, 2009

Rudd, sweat & shiting me to tears [Environment protection]

From Paul Kelly in the Weekend Australian:

"In Rudd's view, social democrats must use a ressurected State Power to regulate markets, strike a better balance between public & private interests, embrace Keynesian economics, correct for a market failure from the financial system to climate change and invest more in education, health, unemployment insurance and retirement incomes - while supporting open markets and withstanding attacks from the extreme Left and nationalist Right."

In Rowan's view, for too long the previous regime and the current social democrats are under-valuing the intrinsic worth of ecosystems, the environment and human rights. The public sector appears to be entrenched in policies and personnel from the Howard era. The private sector is under-regulated and there are inadequate incentives or penalties (carrot or stick) to drive a more sustainable and humanitarian society. It is obscene that Executive salaries are 100s times those of production staff. It is a travesty that water and non-renewable (fossil) fuels are rammed through a linear economic system as quickly as possible.

"He (Rudd) shuns any embrace of old-fashioned socialism. For Rudd, Labor's task is to hold the middle ground - between state socialism and free-market fundamentalism. He argues thet the failure of neo-liberalism (Thatcherism) has made the state the primary actor; it must save the financial system, stimulate the economy and impose a new global regulatory regime."

I would argue, that if the Australian Government is going to push for re-regulation of the financial sector, there has to be an accompanying push for Environment Protection. Fair trade can only be fair if there is a mechanism for Environmental Protection and fair wages.

3 comments:

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  2. The Australian Federal Government is about to announce another bloody multi-billion dollar package this week expected to include a fast track for a combination of infrastructure projects....

    There is an opportunity to stop doing things we have always done & start building and re-building the systems that will see us break our dependencies on fossil fuels, including:
    * iconic public mass transportation systems (heavy rail, light rail, mono-rail);
    * decentralised renewable energy generation systems;
    * decentralised/community/suburban water harvesting & recycling systems.

    Please lobby the Federal Government not to invest in:
    * more bloody infrastructure for motor vehicles;
    * clean coal (akin to healthy cigarettes);
    * energy intensive dams & desalination plants.

    Rowan Barber
    www.carbon-counters.com

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  3. Little boxes made of ticky tacky...

    I hope they are going to build energy efficient housing....read on

    Minister for Public Works, Housing and Information and Communication Technology
    The Honourable Robert Schwarten
    03/02/2009
    Schwarten welcomes Rudd Government's stimulus package for housing


    Queensland Public Works and Housing Minister Robert Schwarten today applauded the Rudd Government on the $42 billion Nation Building and Jobs Plan which includes building 20,000 new social housing dwellings across Australia.

    Mr Schwarten said in his 10-year perspective as Housing Minister this was the best news the battlers of Australia trying to find a place to rent had ever received.

    "I congratulate the Rudd Government," he said.

    "This is a Labor Government which would rival the efforts of the Chifley Government in addressing housing shortages in Australia.

    "It doesn't get any better for Labor Government's than to help those in need to put a roof over their heads and this announcement does just that."

    Mr Schwarten said as the Minister responsible for construction in Queensland the announcement by the Prime Minister also hit the nail on the head.

    "The building industry dollar travels quickly through the community and can go around as much as seven times.

    "Helping the poor of Australia to find sustainable rental accommodation and providing jobs in the building industry are both true Labor values.

    "I congratulate this Labor Prime Minister and Treasurer, both Queenslanders, for the strength they've had in carrying this decision through and the foresight they've shown.

    "They've put together what I believe is a remarkably economically sensible, sustainable and socially responsible outcome," he said.

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