Carbon [dioxide] tax ad blitz to launch today

Still from advert

All paid for by your taxes. You can bet that it will be a campaign of misinformation and lies, with frequent use of phrases such as “carbon pollution”, “clean energy” (as if CO2 isn’t “clean”), and nauseating and mawkish “children and grandchildren” moments. And you can bet that it won’t say anything about the effect on the climate, which we all know is sweet F.A.

One thing we can be absolutely sure of, and that is they won’t be wheeling out Carbon Cate or any other moonbat celeb, not after what happened last time:

PRO-CARBON tax television ads to be unleashed on Australia tonight are part of a $25 million taxpayer-funded campaign to win over the public as the Gillard government struggles to explain its message.

The advertisements will cost $12 million but the total bill for the government to explain its climate-change policy will cost more than $25 million, with figures in budget papers showing the government has earmarked an extra $13.7 million for a ”public information” campaign on the tax.

This would be used to fund websites, leaflets and other publicly available information on the details of the government scheme, a spokesman said.

It is understood the television advertisements feature real Australians who work in large and small organisations and are involved in creating a clean-energy future. People appearing in the ads were not paid or given scripts.

But the government faces competition in the advertising stakes.

The Sun-Herald has learnt the Australian Trade and Industry Alliance will launch a $10 million anti-carbon tax advertising campaign this week, which is backed by the coal industry and the Minerals Council. It is understood a long-time Liberal Party pollster, Mark Textor, is the architect of the testimonial-style ads, which follow a similar print campaign in newspapers last week.

With polling showing the government holds a primary vote of just 27 per cent – the lowest in recorded history – and personal support for the Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, also in uncharted territory, Labor has embarked on a fierce campaign in the electorate to sell its carbon tax policy. The Coalition leader, Tony Abbott, has also led his MPs and senators in hitting the streets to oppose the tax. (source)

From the small clip I have managed to see of one advert, it features a comparison between the introduction of the carbon tax and the Industrial Revolution (no overhyped exaggerations there, clearly…). Immediately, one can see that is a nonsensical comparison – the Industrial Revolution managed to lift millions of people out of a life of miserable poverty and towards one of relative comfort thanks to power provided by cheap, fossil fuel energy.

The carbon tax will do precisely the reverse, sending people back towards poverty by making the energy we all need way more expensive. Oh, and for no benefit to the climate, either.

This is going to be a bitter fight to the political death – and I think I know whose death will be the result: the one on 27%.