Garrett sings from wrong song sheet on Copenhagen

Get the point says:

06:02am | 12/01/10

Rising belatedly from her uneasy slumbers, the Shadow Minster for Medicinal Uses of Kerosene fumbles for her well-thumbed script from the bed-side table, only to find that she’s lost her place over many days of sloth. “The $1100, now is that what we’re still claiming? Where did we get that?” she mutters irritably to herself. “Oh well, Tony said it, it must be right”

Well, yes he did but no it isn’t, Ms Bishop. Do try and keep up. The average cost is well known and on the public record. Its $624 per household per year - before the rebate. The only way to get a cost of $1100 a year -before the rebate - is to have a household income the size of the salary of a back-bench Federal politician, Ms Bishop. Well over $100,000 per year, isn’t it. Well over.

Most of us get by quite well, thank you, on incomes very considerably less than that, while making our own thrifty arrangements about sensible energy use and cost, Copenhagen or no.

Tim says:

06:11am | 12/01/10

Dear Bronwyn,

Whatever happened to party discipline and not talking about issues outside your portfolio. Isn’t this Greg Hunt’s role to talk about Copenhagen?

As long time Liberal voter I find this ill-discipline disconcerting.

Don’t you have aged care to worry about?

Get the point says:

06:14am | 12/01/10

Oh and by the way, did you check your numbers for Copenhagen?
You do know, don’t you, that 22 of them were staff from our Danish Embassy? What was their cost? A bus fare up the street +a frikadeller each?

And let’s see, then there’s the State people - how many of them, Ms Bishop? Oh yes - 15. You do know, don’t you, that their cost is a State cost, not a Commonwealth cost?

Details, details - never fuss over details, eh, Ms Bishop. Slack effort, ma’am. Very slack.

John A Neve says:

06:17am | 12/01/10

The Best of Bronwyn,

Her writtings have almost become a serial. Once again we are faced with her regurgitated vitriol against those that defeated her at the polls?

Does this woman have any original ideas?

If so, why does she not let us in on them, instead of keep repeating this nauseous crap?

Tim says:

06:33am | 12/01/10

I can’t honestly understand why Barnaby and Bronwyn are let off the leash like this to continue to trash the coalitions brand.

Their articles are indecipherable and wouldn’t pass muster in a year 8 essay competition.

There must be some more talented and reasonable Lib MPs to parade than Bronwyn.

Tim says:

06:45am | 12/01/10

I just re-read this.

Am i imagining it but did Brownyn’s friends want to leave the opera early because a song was going to be sung by “a young black, man”.

Surely here is a women in touch with the masses!

There is no way Howard would have ever let anyone in his cabinet write such drivel for public consumption.

Blaise says:

06:48am | 12/01/10

Great article Bronwyn! It is great to see you giving it to Rudd and his clown Garrett!

Luke says:

06:53am | 12/01/10

The same old usual comments from the same old Rudd brigade. Keep it up Brony, they hate you exposing the Labor party for us all to read.

Wendy says:

07:00am | 12/01/10

A bit of a laugh is Mr Rudd, an entourage fit for a queen in Copenhagen. Rudd and Wong have done themselves no favours leaving Garrett to defend their ETS and whaling issues, the guys totally out of his depth in politics and belongs back on stage singing. Then again even thats debatable.

Tim says:

07:01am | 12/01/10

Here are a list of Liberal MPs I would much rather hear from:
- Senator George Brandis
- Jamie Briggs
- Ian Mcfarlane
- Senator David Johnston
- Senator Marise Payne
- Paul Fletcher

I am sure they don’t hang out with friends who don’t like their opera singers to be black.

And they would have far more interesting things to say to keep Rudd honest.

Get the point says:

07:04am | 12/01/10

Sadly for Luke, Ms Bishop has posted nothing but misinformation. Though the facts are easily found on the public record, she seems to think that’s her job. Perhaps she got the idea from people like him.

Lets talk about policy and performance - on both sides - by all means. But with facts, thanks, not convenient fibs.

Kelley says:

07:07am | 12/01/10

Good on you Bronwyn, I don’t think the Rudd defenders are used to having an Opposition. Oh well to bad, because there is going to be plenty more to come and about time. Rudd has no chance of getting his ETS/CPRS/TAX through in Feb. Should be fun to watch him desperately trying though. Keep it up Bronwyn, about time this Government was exposed. Looking forward to 2010. Abbott for PM.

Charles says:

07:08am | 12/01/10

Get the point conveniently forgets that Kevin Rudd claimed on the 7:30 Report in 2007, that the ETS would cost us $1 per person, per year.  So, hopefully he/she sees fit to apply the same standards to their Dear Leader.

Trudy P says:

07:14am | 12/01/10

I love reading your articles Brony, a bit of dig here and dig there at Rudd and his robots a bit of humour and the best part is Rudds die hard supporters can’t scramble quick enough to denounce anything you say. They sound scared, and so they should. Go get em Brony!

Amanda says:

07:19am | 12/01/10

Watching Garrett trying to be serious and “Rudd like” is cringe worthy stuff. All of his Labor PR training just doesn’t work for this guy. What is he doing in politics? Although it’s good foder for the Opposition I guess..

Peter says:

07:26am | 12/01/10

Tosca should not be bastardised to appease the picaune fashions of Sydeny opera-goers.

I’m sick and tired of ‘fashionable’ productions - anybody remember the abortion which was Nabucco? - which hide the fact that the actual production qualities are fairly ordinary.

All this does is confirm Sydney as an artistic backwater, fuelled by sytle over substance.

If you want ‘fresh’ visuals, bring back Elijah Moshinski or Paul Curren - at least they know what they are doing and won’t make you want to retch at the affectation.

Darren says:

07:35am | 12/01/10

well said Broony - btw did you go to the Opera with your old mate Sir Lunchalot?

Jooles says:

07:43am | 12/01/10

Same old liberal propaganda and lies spruiking forth from Abbotts team. Abbott must spend more time in confession asking forgiveness for his lying sins than devising his policies. Can you please tell us how you have got your numbers and some backup information that could turn your argument from spin to something believable

M says:

07:56am | 12/01/10

What I’ve well remembered is the amount of discussion and examination of the scheme as it has developed. And I’ve looked at the ABC 7:30 Report transcripts for Nov and Dec 2007 - when the Rudd Government took office -  and can find no 2007 reference to $1 per year - perhaps Charles would care to cite a reliable source for his “gotcha”.

Since 2007 we’ve seen and discussed a range of developments and revisions. The scheme as presented late last year, with bi-partisan amendments, was recosted as stated, and on the public record. Average: $624 per household, before rebate. Effective cost for middle to low income households: nil.

Karen says:

08:02am | 12/01/10

No ETS/CPRS for Australia. Luv you Brony! Tony Abbott for Prime Minister!

CSallen says:

08:03am | 12/01/10

I really really really do not like the Labor party but even I was lost on this one

Buster says:

08:04am | 12/01/10

Who cares how much it will cost and what the rebate is, there won’t be an ETS,  Abbott fixed that problem, so get over it.

acker says:

08:06am | 12/01/10

21 000 000 x 12 000 = $252 000 000 000….....lets all go Kev

Stick it on the national credit card..

Get the point says:

08:16am | 12/01/10

No idea why my handle got eaten. (M at 8:56)
7:30 Report Archive for those interested in fact v distortion

http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/archive.htm

Philip Crowley says:

08:32am | 12/01/10

Get the point… You seem to be suggesting the State representatives travelled to Copenhagen using funds obtained from sources other than tax revenue. Can you elaborate on the source of those funds? With regard to staff seconded from the Australian Embassy in Denmark, they would have have to be paid from the budget of DFAT which also relies on tax revenue allocated to it via the budget. Ms Bishop is right in suggesting we taxpayers payed the full costs of all delegates to the conference. The slack effort seems to be displayed in your response to her statement.

Get the point says:

08:53am | 12/01/10

Cute, Mr Crowley. Meh. Debating club points. Distract, misrepresent, assume.

Ms Bishop’s post is about the cost of sending Garrett’s Copenhagen delegation - the Federal government. The Embassy staff are there already. The States send their own. 

It may have missed your attention, but we pay taxes because we’re a democratic society with a government of our choice to do tasks like this for us. A Liberal governement would have gone to Copenhagen, used the Embassy staff, and the States would still have sent their own people.

Lets close Embassies then, shall we. Massive tax savings there, eh.  Let’s abolish the States. Why stop there. Lets abolish taxes. Then we’ve got something. No society. The land of robber barons - the uber-Liberal dream. And they’d make you pay too!

Debating club logic chopping - pah.

Tim says:

08:55am | 12/01/10

Let me paraphrase the second half of Bronwyns piece.

1. I went to the opera with my mates

2. My mates were a bit worried because the main singer was a black american, not one of us white aussies.

3. It was OK in the end because he sung really well.

BigBob says:

09:08am | 12/01/10

Ugg..  Miz Bishop again, from the party who think climate change is not real..meanwhile as we all burn up and the top of the world freezes , she still has the time to write for the Punch. But then again these pollies have airconditioning that us as tax payers, pay for. Her and the rest of the Liberal Party don’t have to suffer the heat like us mere mortals

Rotsey says:

09:21am | 12/01/10

That’s right Bishop, play the man - not the ball. “Ooh, ooh, Peter Garrett sang in Midnight Oil. Best he goes back there.”
You and the rest of the Howard Government went to the last election with a policy for an ETS. So what’s Opposition policy for the next election. Hmmm?

Philip Crowley says:

09:31am | 12/01/10

Get the point… No, Ms Bishop makes no mention of separating the costs into various departmental allocations. That was an assumption you made. The point is Australian taxpayers inevitably provided the requisite funds, regardless of their point of departure, or affiliation.

In a democratic society, one is entitled to expect a full and true account of the costs of government. In this case, that cost has not been forthcoming.

Your waffle on closing embassies, abolishing states and inviting ‘robber barons’ to govern on our behalf would seem external to the point, perhaps delusional.

Liz says:

09:33am | 12/01/10

Just as ell he’s good at something!

D'oh says:

09:34am | 12/01/10

Am I reading this right?  I can scarcely believe it but The Punch is actually publishing a right leaning view to restore balance.

@ Get the point:  Aren’t we a busy beaver this morning.  I bet you can’t wait to get your hands on that extra 20% of your rebate.  The Copenhagen non result must have been a bitter pill to swallow.

“Cute, Mr Crowley. Meh. Debating club points. Distract, misrepresent, assume.”

Then….

“Lets close Embassies then, shall we. Massive tax savings there, eh.  Let’s abolish the States. Why stop there. Lets abolish taxes. Then we’ve got something. No society. The land of robber barons - the uber-Liberal dream. And they’d make you pay too!”

Debating logic indeed…...give yourself a face palm.

“You do know, don’t you, that 22 of them were staff from our Danish Embassy? What was their cost? A bus fare up the street +a frikadeller each?”

So, why were all the buses empty?

“And let’s see, then there’s the State people - how many of them, Ms Bishop? Oh yes - 15. You do know, don’t you, that their cost is a State cost, not a Commonwealth cost?”

State cost or Commonwealth cost is still a taxpayer cost or don’t you get the point.

Shane From Melbourne says:

09:59am | 12/01/10

Very little informational content or policy content in essay. Not worth the effort to write or read it.

acker says:

10:18am | 12/01/10

Add one extra word that rhymes to the header :p

Garrett sings from wrong wong song sheet on Copenhagen

yas says:

10:21am | 12/01/10

So it cost $1.4 million (AUS, I assume) for a bunch of guys, elected by us, to take a trip to Denmark to discuss how they can help salvage what we have left of the planet…
Apparently, for the same price you can also buy a Ferrari, or Aston Martin, or a 5bd house in northwest Sydney with a big backyard. So the $1.4m we all so “painstakingly” poured out of our pockets didn’t exactly save/change the world… so what?
You can’t exactly cry over a measly $1.4 million effort when the whole thing cost over 54m EUROS.
For those commenting so vehemently and fervently in favour of Bronie’s point of view; at least try to have an ever so slightly informed opinion – you live in a society that allows you the privilege, so try and make the most, not least of it!
Last year I learnt about $40,000 working full time for a non profit organisation. I could have really used the $3000 or $4000 that contributed to the Copenhagen bill – but as person grateful for the type of society this money payed for, I’ll get over it.
I got a pay rise this year; maybe I can now afford my inflated groceries, ridiculous Sydney rent and public transport costs AND a ticket to the opera house too. Bliss…

LuckyLady says:

10:43am | 12/01/10

Oh Dear!! What a load of drivel and the scary part about this, is that Bron, is in the Opposition, full of climate change sceptics and all round nuts like Bron and dear silly old Wilson and Senator Minchin, and they want to actually run our country!!  Bron take Wilson and the rest of the rabble , and check into a nice nursing home. They will have bingo and lots of nice things for you to occupy your day and the good news is I am sure it will be at our (the taxpayers)expense. Meanwhile the rest of us will cope with the heat and fight off bush fires and some of us will even cope with floods. At least Tony Abott can put on his Budgie smugglers and head for the beach prancing around..perhaps if you ask him nicely he can lend you a pair

E says:

10:47am | 12/01/10

Nice piece, not really interested in Opera but whatever.
I saw Garret on 7:30 report last week, got bits of himself handed back to himself, who has replaced Kerry for the Summer? He is really good, should be a permanent change, ok not REALLY good, still plays too nice, but much better than rusted on Kerry.
Garrett is a bad joke, like this government.
How come KRudd has been hiding since Nopenhagen? Isn’t AGW the ‘greatest blah blah blah’ , or dont the polls tell him to believe that anymore? Abbott for PM (in the absence of someone better).

Moggy says:

10:57am | 12/01/10

Apart from the fact that Bronnie is a political joke…..I too am very disturbed at how Garrett has lost his firebrand attitude & now only speaks carefully scripted labor policy.  And this “new” Garrett is a mumbling bumbling clown. Is this what political parties do to intelligent, thinking people??

Kent says:

11:02am | 12/01/10

Interesting to see 4 asylum seekers from the oceanic viking refused visa’s because they may have terrorist links..mmmmmm Wilson Tuckey’s comments weren’t so stupid after all.

BULMKT says:

11:25am | 12/01/10

All I want Rudd or Wong to tell me is this, “How many parts per million of Carbon Dioxide will your CPRS reduce in the air?”

The answer of course is ZERO, but hey, let’s just come up with new ways to redistribute wealth anyway.

The progressive era failed before and it will fail again, because progressives like Rudd can’t get through their dense skulls that in order to “spread wealth, you have to create it first.”

CPRS = Cash from People Reduction Scheme

Roven says:

11:42am | 12/01/10

Please everyone, you know the rudd government is wrong for australia, we made a huge mistake voting in this guy and his band of twits. lets vote him out and send a clear message that we won’t put up with incompetence and cheap media/spin tricks.

CSallen says:

11:44am | 12/01/10

Speaking of things the taxpayer has to pay for; how about the ex Labor premier of NSW.
The taxpayer (you and me etc etc etc) have to pay for Nathan Rees to be driven around the rest of his life because he’s never held a driver’s license. Imagine getting him to make an educated decision on transport infrastructure affecting roads when he doens’t really use them (and yes, I’m aware that he uses (used) public transport and didn’t do anything about fixing this either!). This is one of the major factors affecting NSW at the moment (check the road toll on Pacific Hwy for instance).
It’s like getting a washed up rock musician/ green activist into a major political party to lend green cred and then (trying) to get him to make policy decisions that will keep everyone happy, wondering why it doesn’t work and then taking his decisions away from him to toe party lines (12 years of economic neglect, climate change skeptics and extremists, insert rhetoric here).
Garrett was an idea to generate public support for a party that had no environmental stance apart from supporting union backed business the likes of Gunns in Tasmaina, a publicity stunt and nothing more.

Kiara says:

11:59am | 12/01/10

Keep at them Bronwyn, 2010 looks like a better year than 2009 for the Libs now you have Abbott about to kick Rudds ass. About time this arrogant, show pony, egomaniac was pulled down a peg or two. They spent 11 years in opposition without a clue how to run the country and have been given a chance and all they have done is prove they belong where they just came from, back in opposition with no credible leader and no idea how to run the country. Tony Abbott is a true Leader and will make a terrific PM. Bring on the election, I can’t wait.

Bob says:

12:10pm | 12/01/10

I’ve noticed we are even hearing midnight oil songs on ABC radio lately whats going on? Poor Petey.

yas says:

12:13pm | 12/01/10

To Kent:
Tuckey’s comments were not “so” stupid, but “very” stupid. Thousands of people seek asylum every year, and 4 have been found to have “terrorist links”.
Remember that other guy, the Australian citizen jailed for almost three years in Guantanamo without trial only to be acquitted (Hicks)? or the guy before him, another citizen (Habib) who suffered a similar ordeal? Cornelia Rau?
if we can’t come to grips with the “links” our own citizens have, maybe white-middle-aged should keep their narrow minded assumptions and attention seeking-scary-thoughts about “potential threats” to themselves.

Interloper says:

12:13pm | 12/01/10

Should I be disturbed that the most authoritative source a Federal MP can use is “Channel 9 said”?
And why should I care that twenty years ago a Liberal senator was elected ahead of a candidate from the nuclear disarmament party?
I’m a broad minded type who is a classic ‘swinging voter’ - but what I’d like to see are actual ideas being offered, not reflexive negativity

Super D says:

12:36pm | 12/01/10

Good on you Bronnie.  Can’t say I followed the opera bit, I’m a proud philistine. 

As for the Copenhagen and the great green tax CPRS you keep fighting the good fight.  We should not allow Kevin, Penny, Peter, Julia or any of the other worker hating flacks that call themselves the Labor Party sacrifice a single Australian Job to the green gods. 

120% compensation doesn’t go so far when the steel mill shuts down and you lose your job.  You have to keep arguing the case for the working familes the ALP has already forgotten.  Tell the inner city green tossers to get stuffed.  Their opinon doesn’t matter, 99% have never and will never vote for the libs anyway so frankly their wailing should be ignored.

Randal says:

01:33pm | 12/01/10

It should be interesting watching the ETS be submitted following what will be the coldest winter in decades in the Northern Hemisphere and at a time when many of the world’s leading climate scientists, including those involved with IPCC, are starting to look to the oceans as the primary driver cause of weather patterns not AGW.

No wonder Rudd and Wong have hung poor old Peter out to dry, they have themselves a real stinker of a piece of legislation and the sole purpose for implementing the tax grab is being exposed as the lie it is by the one member of the community who cannot be shut down and ridiculed by the elites… good old planet earth.

cybacaT says:

01:37pm | 12/01/10

Thanks for the opinion piece Bronwyn.  There’s been so much media fawning over Rudd and Co for over 2 years now, and it’s nice to get some alternate opinion…and dare I say it - some reality back into the discussion?

I am a big Midnight Oil fan, but Garret has been a complete sell-out and dud in politics thus far.  Like most/all in Federal Labor at the moment, they’re just stooges who lamely follow each day what the Labor PR-machine tells them to do and say.  They parrot the one-liners, they smile and shake hands - there’s nothing of substance there.

The complete and utter failure that was Copenhagen was reminiscent of Kyoto.  Both meaningless events that contributed very close to zero.  Expensive talk-fests designed to make some people feel good.  What I’d have preferred to see was some concrete action.  Not the big-taxing ETS scheme Rudd and Wong dreamed up, but alternate energy solutions.

I guess we’ll have to wait until a party with substance gets back into power.

persephone says:

02:03pm | 12/01/10

Bronwyn

It cost $1.5 million (according to that great authority, Nine News) for the government delegation to Copenhagen.

Subsidising Opera Australia costs $17.5 million per annum.

I’d rather my tax dollars went to trying to reach international agreement on how to tackle the greatest challenge of our time than to subsidising an elitist (yes, Bronwyn, you are a member of the elite) and archaic artform.

If Rudd wants some tips about where to save money to cover the costs of Copenhagen, I can point him in the right direction.

Roberto says:

02:08pm | 12/01/10

As a swinging voter, I have never been able to swing to the Labour Party, I ask myself why? and who does vote for them? And the answer seems to be that they are irresponsible and stupid, with promisses that are never kept, at 18 years of age I recall Hawk “by 1990 no child will be in poverty” and we all were in poverty thanks to him. Then as a young man I new it was lies. And nothing has changed, so who votes for them , read all above and you can pick those that cant walk on their back legs.

D'oh says:

02:15pm | 12/01/10

Antartic not melting:

http://www.news.com.au/world/antarctic-sea-water-shows-no-sign-of-warming/story-e6frfkyi-1225818364023

Bryce says:

02:16pm | 12/01/10

Interesting you should complain about cheap media/spin trick ROVEN. You prefer more expensive ones such as the Children Overboard scandal, or the numerous scare campaigns run by both the Federal government, and individual members of the NSW State government I’m guessing.

Bronwyn ‘Brony’ (is that pronounced bron-ee or bro-nee’) Bishop is outdated and makes me think any second Abbott might bring in another dinosaur in the form of Downer, Costello, or the revival of Howard.

It’s going to be an interesting election because I think Australia is going to have to show the Liberals that an ill-informed, pre-dated, conservative, far right-wing stance isn’t going to help Australia develop and grow as both an economy and a coutry.

Similarily, ramblings about the Opera, which is somehow linked to Garrett and Copenhagen, AND a “young black American” (I think the PC term is African American, Bro-nee) is doing nothing more to show your small-minded views when it comes to not just your opposition (who you brag about beating for some reason), but politics on a whole.

You don’t discuss anything, you merely re-iterate what you’re told, full of false and leading information.

John ayliffe says:

02:18pm | 12/01/10

And now for something completely positive eh? Such as the Libs putting forward THE PLAN, one that uses the tax system to ENCOURAGE ALTERNATIVE ENERGY: reverse meters for all buildings; wind farms; tide-harnessing; more creative use of the sun; thermal rocks; gas (and even uranium, oh yes, for a country with some of the most geologically stable rock in the world, why not?) for our power stations. In THE PLAN there would be money for research, and more…let’s go for it Bronny!

Shane From Melbourne says:

02:29pm | 12/01/10

Look, until the Liberal Party either a) Deny that AGW exists (officially and as part of their platform) or b) Officially recognise that AGW exists and provide alternative policies to an ETS, then they can shut the hell up as they have nothing to say. (This is coming from someone who despises both parties equally)

persephone says:

02:30pm | 12/01/10

cybacaT - “I guess we’ll have to wait until a party with substance gets back into power” - oh, so not the Liberal party, then, who did virtually nothing when it came to climate change and the development of alternative energy.

And Randal, a colder Northern hemisphere IS one of the events predicted by climate change (the climate changes, gedditt?). The film ‘The Day After Tomorrow” (which features, if you haven’t watched it, a scenario where climate change leading to a new Ice Age in the Northern Hemisphere) is based on sound science - it’s one of the more unlikely consequences, but it is a possible one, particularly if the Gulf Stream stops bringing warm air from the tropics into what should be a naturally very cold area.

persephone says:

02:38pm | 12/01/10

Roberto
you obviously don’t understand what ‘swinging voter’ means.

red robin says:

03:34pm | 12/01/10

persephone - you don’t want to support the ‘elites’?
Who exactly do you think is running this great global warming scam to establish carbon trading derivatives? Would it perhaps be the ‘elite’ of the world? Follow the money right to the liars, carpetbaggers and yes elites. AGW is a SCAM.

Randal says:

03:34pm | 12/01/10

So you get your climate science from Hollywood do you peresphone, well that is appropriate considering the fiction that we have had to endure over the past decade from the fanatic man made climate change community.

Other than this Hollywood fiction I have never read or heard anyone with any credibility on climate science claim the North would freeze, in fact leading climate scientists predicted that Britain would have no snow, I think the quote was “children in Britain would not know what snow looked like” or something of the like and that the North Pole would be ice free by 2013.

Well as all can see, Britain is covered in mountains of snow and the Arctic has increased in mass by 26% since 2007…

I guess this is what happens when fiction takes over from science, and we are seeing the demise of climate science in its current form and even some of its main campaigners, such as Professor Latiff, from the famed IPCC have jumped ship and are now pointing to the oceans for the answer to variable temperatures.

The end is nigh for the environmentalists masquerading as scientists, the planet is speaking and I am afraid you are not going to like the response.

D'oh says:

03:40pm | 12/01/10

@ persephone:

“And Randal, a colder Northern hemisphere IS one of the events predicted by climate change”

If that is the case, then why the target to reduce the temperature by 2 - 4 degrees?  Won’t that exacerbate the issue?

Leticia says:

03:55pm | 12/01/10

I almost feel sorry for Peter Garrett, I’m sure he’s a great guy with terricfic ideas and a big heart. The problem is he doesn’t suit politics. Watching him act as a Rudd robot is sad and painful to watch, he looks uncomfortable and appears to be trying hard to do and say as he’s been told by Labor media advisors and having to stick to the Rudd Labor mantra/script that they all parrott. I hope he wakes up to Rudd/Labor and gets out of there for everyones sake.

Nalia says:

04:02pm | 12/01/10

Persephone - please read this
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1242011/DAVID-ROSE-The-mini-ice-age-starts-here.html

persephone says:

04:14pm | 12/01/10

No, I get my science straight from one of the foremost Australian scientists on climate change, who I had the priviledge to work with (for a while).

She uses “The Day After Tomorrow’ as a starting point for discussion of possible climate change scenarios, stressing that (though a possible scenario) it is unlikely.

D’oh, because at 2 degrees plus we potentially will see major ice melts, which will dump cold water into the ocean, which will effectively alter the course of the Gulf Stream. If you look at the countries like the UK, they’re a lot warmer than they should be because of the GS. If it alters course, that will change the weather (climate change) in the UK.

Anyway, that’s wandering from the point I was making: climate change involves increasingly severe weather events, often switching from one extreme to another.

One of the earliest industries to recognise climate change as a reality was the insurance industry, which has statistics going back at least one hundred years on what the severity and frequency of extreme weather events ‘should’ be. When they found their stats were showing an increase in extreme weather events, which their actuarial tables could not account for, they started looking for answers.

Elizabeth says:

04:18pm | 12/01/10

Wow. What a load of incomprehensible dribble. I can’t believe the Punch published this. Putting aside any political views, this post makes absolutely no sense.

Bronwyn attacks Garrett, throws around the Liberal’s spin “great big tax” nonsense and then talks about the opera.

I can’t comment on this article because I have no idea what she’s on about. But then, that is a bit like the Liberal policy on climate change - no one has a clue what it is.

tc says:

04:19pm | 12/01/10

Not sure what the opera has to do with anything but there are a couple of relevant points.

1. Where is the Prime Minister?
2. Why is Garrett being hung out to dry whilst the senior ministers hide?

Roberto says:

04:19pm | 12/01/10

Its about time persephone had an epiphany. Facts based on movies. I’m saddened , I thought at least you had conviction, seems just too much time on yourn hands. Compliments of the tax payer I am sure.

Roberto says:

04:19pm | 12/01/10

Its about time persephone had an epiphany. Facts based on movies. I’m saddened , I thought at least you had conviction, seems just too much time on yourn hands. Compliments of the tax payer I am sure.

persephone says:

04:35pm | 12/01/10

tc

1. In Tasmania, on holidays.

2. Because the other Senior Ministers are also on holiday.

It’s early January. Rudd and Wong had a pretty hectic time leading up to Copenhagen and were virtually non stop once they were there.

I personally would rather that our decision makers occasionally had time off to unwind rather than continue to work when they’ve run out of puff.

Roberto, some movies are based on sound science. The DVD of the movie I bought with my own hard earned dosh has some interesting documentary material attached, outlining the science. As well as that, as I said, the quality of the science in the film is recognised by the scientific community.

And I’m glad you think I have convinction. And definitely too much time on my hands - can’t wait till school hols end.

Ken says:

04:44pm | 12/01/10

Nalia, I read that link it is a great article,everyone should read it. I hope Persephone read it too

Jane says:

05:03pm | 12/01/10

Alot of people like to rubbish Howard and the previous Government , but I personally think (I’m sure you all care) that we had 11 years of good Government in Australia and John Howard did Australia proud. I hope now with Tony Abbott as Leader of the Liberal Party we can have an alternative to the Rudd style of Government again. Abbott is younger and has different views to Howard but retains some of the former soul of the Howard Government which Australia enjoyed for 11 years. So here’s to Abbott and the Libs, good luck in 2010. (I bet a few Rudd supporters won’t like me saying anything good about Howard) oh well….................

Jack from Perth says:

06:27pm | 12/01/10

Did Penbo even read this? Or is Bronny now editor?

tc says:

06:50pm | 12/01/10

@ persephone. Like your terminology. “Puff” is what our head ponce has been doing and “out of puff” is what he is now.

I can’t see how the words “decision makers” apply to the Prime Ponce and Wong though

Cuppa says:

07:00pm | 12/01/10

Its scary to think we have people like Kevin Rudd & peter Garrett running this country.Rudd hasnt done ANYTHING(besides writing a childrens book & digging us into debt) since he has been in office & now he has dissapeared after his latest FAIL in Copenhagen.You would have to be a moron to think he is doing a good job…..

persephone says:

07:48pm | 12/01/10

Well, only if you read:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/blog/2010/jan/06/cold-snap-climate-sceptics

Note:

1. One area experiencing extreme cold - even for prolonged periods - does not mean the whole world is cooling.

2. Global temperatures are rising.

3. Other areas of the Northern Hemisphere (Alaska, Canada, North Africa, the Mediterranean) are 5 - 10 degrees warmer than usual. So far more extensive areas are experiencing a warmer winter, whilst a comparitively smaller area is experiencing a colder one.

4. It would be quite possible, under a climate change scenario, for Britain and other parts of the Northern Hemisphere to be under ice for extended periods of time and global warming to be happening. It would simply mean that other areas would be much hotter than ‘normal’.

Daniel says:

09:42pm | 12/01/10

Peter Garrett has totally sold his soul to the ALP. His Midnight Oil days are over. He cant be trusted in the slightest on any environmental issues. The same goes for the Liberal Party and Bronwyn Bishop and herLiberal cohorts.

stephen says:

11:24pm | 12/01/10

Yeah, nice Opera, Bronwyn. (Te deum, too, I think.)
By the way i like yer style. You got guts.

Roberto says:

08:51am | 13/01/10

Melbourne just had its hottest night since 1906,.........must have been hotter before hey.

persephone says:

09:57am | 13/01/10

Roberto

and haven’t we had a lot of ‘the coldest this, the hottest that’ in recent years?

That’s the whole point - once upon a time, these extreme climate events were dotted out through the years, with one excepitional event not matched for decades.

Now we have extreme events occuring within a very short space of time - exactly as climate change scientists have been predicting, and what triggered the alarm bells for the insurance companies.

guenstiges hotel says:

08:11am | 25/02/10

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