Labor Abandons Principle for Politics So What's New

[silverfaun]

So Labor will not stand against the repeal of the disastrous CT but will try to flim flam the voters that it will cling to it's ETS & hope the voters will go down this tragic path with them again.

With all that's been written, post Labors massive loss, they still haven't faced the real reasons for their demise, their policies stunk, could not pass the smell test & the voters repudiated them.

In April 2010, I had to brief Kevin Rudd before the news conference in which he would announce he was postponing his pursuit of a carbon price.

That morning the Herald had broken the story before Rudd was prepared. He was burning with rage, not just over the leak but, I suspect, over his own decision. He sincerely believed in carbon pricing and was furious at himself and his colleagues for putting politics over principle. He was a man divided.

In the news conference, he attempted the impossible: to argue the government remained committed to carbon pricing, just not right now. Voters are quick to sniff a rat, and the whiff of one clung to the air like raw sewage: either Labor had the courage of its convictions or it didn't. This was the beginning of Rudd's end.

Labor seems about to repeat history. It is time to learn from Rudd's error. If the rumours are to be believed, Labor will announce it will allow Tony Abbott's repeal of the carbon tax but retain its faith in carbon pricing, in principle.

They are not against all carbon prices - just this carbon price.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/comment/labor-abandons-policy-at-its-peril-20131030-2whav.html#ixzz2jFA6RKlH

[lurker17260]

As you (or another of your group) keep telling us, it's over - Labor lost the election - the LNP is in government - get over it.
It's becoming tiresome.

[lakeland27]

 If they give abbott enough rope to hang himself (which is what this is about)  they can re-introduce carbon trading when he's out again.

there isn't much point making an ideological stand when LNP proxy parties such as PUP enter the senate in june/july and rubber stamp abbotts no -action stance.

in the meantime the greens will gain plenty of new support as the situation grows more dire, and at the end of abbotts tenure an ETS will be reintroduced . so its temporary, but has the added advantage of taking the sting out of bozo's attack.

However, if enough pressure is brought to bear from within the party and scientific community he may still tell abbott where he can stick it .

[***super_nova***]

Yes, but in the long run Australia will pay  a huge price for being left behind the world. 

[lakeland27]

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@***super_nova*** wrote:

Yes, but in the long run Australia will pay  a huge price for being left behind the world. 

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 of course.  repealing the tax will cost more than leaving it in place, i suggest you sign the online petitions that will emerge if shorten goes ahead. i will be, and i'll be contacting the local member too.

i think it possible labor will vote to allow it through the lower house (no choice there) and let it  stall in the senate until next year.

[lakeland27]

The major parties are headed for a Senate stalemate on the future of the carbon tax, provoking the likelihood the Government will need to call a double dissolution election to scrap the tax by the July deadline.

After a meeting today, Labor leader Bill Shorten said his frontbench had unanimously voted to oppose the Federal Government's existing plans to repeal the carbon price, unless it included a move to an Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS).

This is at odds with the Federal Government's long-held plans to replace the carbon price with its Direct Action policy that does not link to overseas emissions reduction schemes.

Mr Shorten says he is confident the Labor Caucus will endorse his position.

"We believe the best, most cost-effective way to deal with carbon pollution is through an Emissions Trading Scheme," he said.

"If our amendments are not successful, we will oppose the Government's repeal legislation in line with our long-held principle position to act on climate change."

Mr Shorten says Labor does not have any faith that there is credible science behind the Coalition's Direct Action policy.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-11-01/bill-shorten-says-labor-wants-carbon-tax-replaced-by-ets/50643...

[freakiness]

Do you think Abbott will be game?

[lakeland27]

i doubt it. he's the one with something to lose now. i'm just pleased that SMH article was incorrect.

[nero_bolt]

Electricity Bill’s first big call will finish him forever

The arrogance of Electricity Bill and Labor sticking with the same policy that got Labor THRASHED at the election? (90 seats Libs Lab 55) 

Bye bye Billy

Labor will spend the next decade or longer in the political wilderness

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten makes his first big decision, and it’s hard to think how much worse i...

Labor would propose amendments to the government’s carbon tax repeal legislation, aimed at moving to an emissions trading scheme…

“However, if our amendments are not successful we will oppose the government’s repeal legislation, in line with our long-held principle position to act on climate change.”

Let’s walk through this.

Abbott will not for a second agree to an emissions trading scheme. He’s already promised not to impose it.

So Shorten will in the blink of an eye be joining the Greens and blocking the repeal of a carbon tax until the new Senate sits. That gives Abbott around a year to paint Shorten as “Elecrticity Bill” - the man who is keeping your power bills higher than they should be.

And it doesn’t stop there.

After that, Shorten will go to the election promising an emissions trading scheme that its last Budget said would rise to $38 in just five years. That’s much higher than the current price of $25.15.

Who ever won an election from Opposition promising a new tax? Worse still, it is a tax that will not achieve its aim of cutting the world’s temperature and will just hurt Labor’s own voters by driving up power prices.

Shorten’s first big decision has probably guaranteed he will never be Prime Minister.

I know he would have outraged die-hard warmists on Labor’s Left had he dropped any promise of a price on carbon dioxide emissions.

But here is where he could have used Labor’s preposterous new leadership rules to his advantage. He knows those rules essentially mean he cannot be sacked before the election, and if he miraculously wins that election he cannot be sacked as Prime Minister.

So he could have made the call on the carbon tax that would have outraged his Left but pleased voters of the centre.

Instead, he went for the easy option, and looks doomed even before he starts.

[poddster]

How the tables have turned, we have here the party who bulldozed all those stupid policies through the parliament without adequate debate and now the situation is reverse and the opposition? is getting shrill and jumping up and down to no avail. pity they didn't realize that, that would happen. Shorten will retire before get the chance to be PM 🙂