by Sean Higgins


My motivation for this rant is primarily The Nationals Senator Barnaby Joyce, and others like him who need to take heed in the expression "It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt."

Although it is quite likely that by the time this Viewpoint is over I should have heeded that advice too.

Politicians, especially those from the Coalition, love to deride the Greens. It's a pastime for them like fishing, tennis, or knitting for other people.

They love to jump in front of a camera and perpetuate the stereotype of Greens party members being drug-smoking, tree-hugging, flower children with a very weak grasp of reality representing a handful of equally deluded voters.

The reality is, from my perspective anyway, that the Greens seem to have better economic credentials to lead than the 'major' parties. And in a rarity in politics, their values don't seem to change with the polls - you can either agree with them, or not.

Let's look at one example.

The push to reduce carbon emissions should naturally involve a push toward cleaner energy. Any arguments there?

So as individuals and, dare I say it, working families, invest in solar power for their homes what does the Government do? They cut the solar rebate making the product less affordable and slowing down the transition to clean energy because coal fired energy is therefore being paid for by fewer people.

When the Queensland floods and Cylcone Yasi reaped billions of dollars worth of damage earlier in the year what did the Government do? Cut funding to renewable energy programs.

Did they consider cutting the billions in subsidies they provide to the coal industry who is playing a large part in these severe weather events in the first place?

Perhaps instead of pouring billions into subsidising coal, we could pour that money into properly funding a renewable energy industry that would lead the world in its technology. Technology that could be exported to every country attempting to reduce their carbon footprint.

Imagine the economic boost to our country.

As hard as it might be, Governments need to make the difficult decisions that may cost jobs, even thousands of jobs, in order to initiate change and a better way of doing things.

But back to Barnaby.

Barnaby says there is no point in Australia taking the lead in the climate fight as our emissions, on a global scale, are small (even though per person we are the largest emitters of CO2 in the world). But he fails to see the economic advantages of doing what he is paid to do - lead.

The attitude persists that because Australia is so rich with natural resources, we need to use them all up before looking for an alternative. Perhaps those who convey this attitude need to look at the cost to other industries (including tourism) of pursuing this ethos.

The Greens see that you can't have a sustainable economy without a sustainable environment. But this is just hippy talk eh Barnaby?

Take away the spin. Take away the rhetoric. Take away the sound bites of our politicians and what are you left with? Two parties who are too scared to lead the country into a new era which will happen with or without them (it's just that Australia will be left behind), and another who sees the opportunity change presents.

The Greens attracted around 12% of the vote in last year's election and currently hold the balance of power not because they tricked their way in or held the Government to ransom, but because normal, average, everyday Australians want them there.

In fact, I'm not a Greens voter at all.  I'd be quite happy to vote for Labor, the Coalition, or the Communist Party if I thought they could deliver what is so clearly required.