Liberal senators to cross floor on ETS vote

26 November, 2009 by

From The Australian:

AT least 12 of the 32 Liberals sitting in the Senate appear to be preparing to cross the floor on the emissions trading bills when a Senate vote is finally held, either on Saturday or early next week.

With the five Nationals senators, five Greens senators and two independent senators also planning to vote no — for a variety of reasons — there could be 24 or more of the 76 senators voting against the bills.

At least one Liberal senator, Mary Jo Fisher, will “actively abstain” — registering her dissent not by voting “no” but by sitting at the back of the chamber.

Frontbench senators Nick Minchin and Eric Abetz were absent from votes on the procedural motions yesterday.

But despite their strong opposition to the ETS, as frontbench members they will be expected to vote for the amendments negotiated between Opposition Leader Malcolm Turnbull and the Rudd government, and also for the final bill.

At least some senators can see the pointlessness of the ETS…

Read it here.

Filed Under: Climate Tagged With: ,

Climate Madness: Turnbull stays, ETS inches closer

25 November, 2009 by

The effect of the ETS on climate

The effect of the ETS on climate

So here we are, Australian Climate Madness prevails, as Malcolm Turnbull survives the leadership challenge, and the ETS inches ever closer to becoming law.

So as we enter into this new chapter in Australian stupidity, let’s remind ourselves of all the wonderful things the ETS will do:

  • nothing for climate
  • nothing for global temperatures
  • nothing for local temperatures
  • nothing for the Arctic
  • nothing for polar bears
  • nothing for the drought
  • nothing for the Great Barrier Reef
  • nothing for Kakadu
  • nothing for Tuvalu and all the other sinking islands
  • nothing for the ringtail possum and other cuddly creatures
  • nothing for bushfires and heatwaves
  • in fact, nothing for anything even remotely related to the climate

On the other hand:

  • everything to damage Australia’s economy
  • everything to damage Australia’s competitiveness
  • everything to increase the cost of living for ordinary Australians
  • everything to make the poorest in society worse off
  • everything to damage emissions intensive industries
  • everything to ensure that our industries move offshore
  • everything to create more unemployment
  • everything to raise electricity, gas and food prices
  • everything to ensure there isn’t a double dissolution
  • everything to make Kevin Rudd look big at Copenhagen
  • everything to assist a pointless global “deal”
  • everything to advance the cause of global government and global wealth distribution
  • everything to advance Kevin Rudd’s selfish aim to be UN Secretary General in 2015

Have I missed anything there? Leave a comment if I have.

Filed Under: Climate Tagged With: , , ,

Turnbull must go

25 November, 2009 by

The Three Stooges

The Three Stooges

Having watched the press conference by Malcolm Turnbull, Julie Bishop and Ian Macfarlane last night, and listened to extracts of it again this morning, Turnbull’s actions in ignoring the will of the party room and agreeing to the ETS amendments proposed by Labor is one of the most extraordinary betrayals I have ever witnessed in politics.

Turnbull refused to comment on the numbers in the party room, but sources indicate that a majority of the party room spoke against accepting the amendments, with numbers approximately 41 – 33 against the government’s proposals.

But then Turnbull pulls a trick. The usual procedure is for the shadow cabinet to vote on the issue. This they did – in favour of accepting the amendments. The next step is for the issue then to be put to the party room – so according to this, it should have been rejected.

But what Turnbull did was add in the votes of the shadow cabinet to the party room result, thereby claiming that the “party room” was in favour, at the same time including Nationals front benchers in the shadow cabinet (who were actually against it), but excluding Nationals back benchers, who were also against it!

It was an astonishing display. Turnbull just kept repeating the phrase “I’m the leader and I’ve made the call”, so desperate is he to satisfy his own green tendencies against the will of the party room. All I can say is, I hope you won’t be leader for long.

To those in the Liberal party who voted against this climate madness, you cannot let this stand. You know what you need to do.

There is acres of coverage on this in the media as you would expect:

And for a bit of light relief, a Tale of Two Headlines, next to each other in this mornings reading list:

I know which one is nearer the truth…

Filed Under: Climate Tagged With: , ,

Coalition chaos

24 November, 2009 by

WTF?

WTF?

Well I’m not exactly sure if anybody knows what the hell happened tonight. Some reports are saying the party room backed the amendments, others say that a majority were against, some say Turnbull stormed out, others say there will be a leadership spill on Thursday. If anyone out there knows, please send an email or leave a comment, and enlighten me!

I’ve had enough for one day…

Andrew Bolt has some further information:

Backbenchers are furious at Turnbull for claiming in the press conference just finished that he had the support of a clear majority of members for agreeing to Rudd’s compromise bill.

“The reality is that he didn’t,” one told me. “He lied.”

It’s a mystery how Turnbull could claim support when some 41 of the 74 to speak at the meeting opposed a deal with Rudd. Those against included the respected Andrew Robb, who until his illness was the climate spokesman. It’s this opposition to an ETS that makes Joe Hockey, who supports it, an unlikely starter.

Turnbull is only a 50-50 chance to survive on Thursday, but his opponents are sure they’ll get him on a second challenge if they don’t blast him out at the first.

But does this sink Rudd’s bill? Depends how many Liberals cross the floor and vote for it, defying either Abbott or Andrews. But I wouldn’t be banking on it yet.

Read it here.

Sky News report that Turnbull pulled a sneaky trick by adding the shadow cabinet numbers to the party room ETS supporters, thereby securing the win (i.e. Adding the shadow cabinet to the 33 in favour to make it more than 41).

It’s ironic that Turnbull has resorted to fiddling the figures to push through the ETS, just like the warmists at CRU fiddled the temperatures to keep global warming alive.

Filed Under: Climate Tagged With: , ,

UPDATED: Leadership spill in Coalition party room? – No

24 November, 2009 by

Just listening to ABC Sydney 702 and there is talk of a leadership spill on the instigation of Wilson Tuckey… more to follow.

Apparently it was raised, but didn’t happen…

Andrew Robb’s change of position has sent shockwaves through the partyroom, however.

Still no news @ 7pm. Out of contact intermittently from now until 9.30.

Filed Under: Climate Tagged With: , ,

Breaking: Kevin Rudd and Penny Wong – press conference

24 November, 2009 by

Listen here (didn’t catch the start – apologies).

Kevin Rudd, Penny Wong Press Conference

Key points of deal:

  • increased assistance to coal industry
  • voluntary action of Australian households will be counted
  • additional support for electricity industry
  • exclude agriculture and include offsets
  • additional help for electricity prices

More to come…

Filed Under: Climate Tagged With: , ,

More CRU analysis in "The Australian"

24 November, 2009 by

Nick Minchin

Nick Minchin

I really hope that Liberal MPs and Senators read The Australian this morning, because it may be the last chance for them to realise the scale of (or even become aware of)  the WarmerGate scandal. Nick Minchin comments on the emails:

Opposition Senate leader and Australia’s unofficial chief climate change sceptic Nick Minchin says the email scandal has strengthened a point he has long made.

“The leaked emails certainly substantiate the point I’ve been making that the scientific debate as to the small degree of global warming in the latter part of the 20th century is far from settled,” he says.

“These emails reveal at least prima facie evidence that supporters of the theory of anthropogenic global warming are going to considerable lengths to doctor evidence and to suppress information and intimidate those who don’t support that theory.”

Minchin says the apparent fraud signifies a “rather disturbing culture, at least in the East Anglia CRU, which is one of most significant in the world in terms of determining outcomes of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change”.

“For those who don’t think the IPCC should be taken as gospel, this does confirm that we shouldn’t be unquestioning of the opinions of the UN commitee.”

Geologist and climate change denier Ian Plimer says he hinted in his recent book Heaven and Earth that there is fraud afoot among climate scientists.

“This substantiates what I hinted at,” Plimer says.

“Here we have the Australian government underpinning the biggest economic decision this country has ever made and it’s all based on fraud.”

And as expected, Penny Wong comes out with a classic example of breathtaking hypocrisy:

Climate Change Minister Penny Wong said in the Senate yesterday that the emails amounted to “a free exchange of views on climate change. We on this side are happy to have that debate.”

Priceless.

Read it here.

Filed Under: Climate Tagged With: , ,

Climate madness soon to be enacted?

23 November, 2009 by

Are the Senate about to throw us off?

Are the Senate about to throw us off?

The next 48 hours will determine whether Australia goes over the cliff edge of climate madness, and passes an ETS based on flawed science and the political posturing of the IPCC, and which will do nothing for the climate either locally or globally, but which will do untold damage to our economy, industry and competitiveness, or whether, at the last minute, it steps back from the brink, and comes to its senses, and quietly walks away from the precipice.

If this report in the Herald Sun is to be believed, we’re over the cliff, folks:

AUSTRALIA is on the verge of signing a groundbreaking plan to cut greenhouse gases, with the Government offering last-minute concessions to win Coalition support for its emissions trading scheme.

The Coalition party room must still give the green light to the Bill, to include new compensation for polluters and green bonuses for households.

But sources said the deal was likely to be accepted, despite significant dissent.

The scheme will raise the price of many goods and services but the impact on households will depend on the final detail of the scheme.

A deal would be a win for both Kevin Rudd and Malcolm Turnbull. [And a savage blow to the Australian people – Ed]

The PM would get an agreement he could take to the Copenhagen climate change summit, putting Australia in an elite global club of climate change reformers. [Who the hell is this journalist? Makes it sound like something to be proud of – Ed]

The Opposition Leader would have his position in the party strengthened and avoid a double dissolution.

Even strident opponents of the scheme last night said they believed MPs would fall into line behind Mr Turnbull. [God no – this cannot happen – Ed]

“If he pushes hard in favour of it, people – even though they may not actually agree that we should be doing anything – will go along with it because they don’t want to roll the leader,” a senior Liberal said.

Please let this be wrong.

Climate madness in undiluted form.

Read it here.

Filed Under: Climate Tagged With: , ,

Poll: most Australians want ETS delayed (as does Steve Fielding)

23 November, 2009 by

Climate sense

Climate sense

That’s because most Australians are starting to see through the ETS charade and are worried about its consequences. From Senator Ron Boswell:

The Qld Chamber of Commerce and Industry commissioned Galaxy poll makes a strong case for opposing Rudd’s CPRS,” said The Nationals’ Senator Ron Boswell today.

“Consumer sentiment is emphatically against a vote on the CPRS ahead of Copenhagen amidst concerns of higher power prices and the cost to jobs.”

Senator Boswell said that Australians were also concerned that the government was not giving them enough information on the ETS.

“Specifically, the Galaxy research, released by ACCI, found that:-

  • 71% believe the introduction of the ETS will raise electricity price
  • 49% of Australian adults are of the opinion that the introduction of an ETS will cost Australian jobs if we move in isolation
  • 82% do not believe the government has provided sufficient information about the pros and cons for the ETS
  • the majority of Australians, 54%, believe we should delay the introduction of the ETS until after the Copenhagen Summit
  • In contrast, only 34% of adult Australians do not believe the introduction of the ETS should be delayed*.”

“There’s a perfect storm brewing over the CPRS when you have electricity generators warning of threats to supply and massive compensation claims, revelations of cyber wars between climate scientists and new confirmation that consumers do not want Australia to move on an ETS until after Copenhagen.”

“Woe to any political group that fails to listen to these weather reports.”

And at the same time, Senator Steve Fielding is trying to achieve just that, a delay on the ETS vote:

LIBERAL senators are threatening to support Family First Senator Steve Fielding’s motion to delay a vote on an emissions trading scheme until next year, in a further embarrassment to Malcolm Turnbull.

After a show of support for climate change sceptic and Senate leader Nick Minchin last week that saw 17 Coalition senators sit in the chamber as he outlined his opposition to passing the legislation before Copenhagen, senators have told The Australian Online that the motion to delay the vote is a “good idea”.

The Liberals’ Senate partyroom is currently meeting and it is expected climate change sceptics will push for the party to support the motion. (source)

Let’s wish them luck!

Filed Under: Climate Tagged With: , ,

Wong and Rudd's "heat wave" deception

23 November, 2009 by

rudd_wong

Krudd and Wrong

From the Weather Isn’t Climate Department: As if we need more proof that Kevin Rudd and Penny Wong are on a religious crusade on climate change rather than anything based on science, they blurt out unfounded links between the heatwave in New South Wales and “global warming”:

Sydney’s average maximum temperature was a little more than 40C yesterday, making it the city’s hottest November day in 27 years [which means it was hotter 27 years ago, before this global warming hoax even got going – Ed], while crews in Melbourne were still mopping up last night after a devastating storm lashed the Victorian capital.

“We’ve seen increased numbers of storms, we’ve seen much less rain, particularly in southeastern Australia we’ve seen hotter and drier temperatures and conditions,” Senator Wong said yesterday.

“All of these are consistent with the trends that climate scientists are talking to us about and just underlined to us why Australia is so vulnerable to climate change.”

Kevin Rudd linked the weekend’s weather extremes to the ETS debate.

“Everyone in Australia thinking about this, this weekend, would work it out that we are among the hottest and driest continents on Earth,” the Prime Minister said.

“We will feel the effects of climate change fastest and hardest, and therefore we must act this week, and the government will be doing everything possible to make sure that that can occur.”

That’s the great thing about the “global warming” – if you are shallow enough, as Rudd and Wong most certainly are, you can blame anything on it. In reality, there is no evidence whatsoever that anything quoted above has anything to do with climate change. We’ve had worse droughts, worse heatwaves, worse rain storms. But hey, who cares about the truth anyway? It’s all about getting our ETS through at any cost.

Read it here.

Filed Under: Climate Tagged With: , , ,
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