We all voted for taking action on climate change in 07. Now it looks like we have to do it again. Help us make the message loud and clear this time so we’re not repeating ourselves in 2013.
The climate policies currently on offer from the major parties will cement Australia’s position as an international laggard on climate change action and condemns the world’s poorest to a growing climate crisis.
We know that Australians want strong action on climate change, but our leaders have so far refused to take on this responsibility. We need a government that has the courage to do its bit to tackle the growing global climate crisis. And we need an opposition that will support this action. But since Julia and Tony aren’t showing any sign of doing this, we ask you to join us and help them with policy ideas.
Vote Now
Loading ...A consolidated list of responses will be sent (prior to the federal election) to:
- Prime Minister Julia Gillard
- Climate Change Minister Penny Wong
- Opposition Leader Tony Abbott, and
- Opposition Spokesperson for Climate Change Greg Hunt
UPDATE – we’ve tallied the votes and contacted your MPs
Tags: climate change, Election 2010
Future elections are meaningless if the probable destruction of Earth by selfish people is allowed to eventuate
“Do the right thing for the life of the planet Julia and Tony. Forget about who holds the power. Life is far more important.
1. use wind and solar technologies
2.Help developing countires use clean technologies.
3. tax rich corporations incl banks to finance technologie/ fine polluting corporations.
It is unjustifiable immoral greed for this generation to abuse and exploit the Earth’s environment without consideration for all future generations.
its so hard to choose just 3 when all these actions are needed NOW from our government. but if they just started with 3 at least we would get some leadership on this critical issue. why are they so afraid to act?
When you vote, keep in mind the fact that we are all related – every person, every plant, every animal, every insect has its place on this planet and they deserve the same respect you give yourself, you family and your friends.
Climate change is real and so is the influence of human activity on its effect. Only serious governments can bring about significant change before it is too late.
No other comment.
I wish to send a message to both leaders. So far the campaign is very lack lustre, but the leader who has the gumption to acknowledge the need to address Climate Change will certainly get my vote. We cannot go into another Government term without this promise for the future.
OK We have to get the Climate Change issue into the Candidates’ heads once again. No worries! It’s no-brainer that we can’t afford to relax our vigilance on!!!!
I do not think the politicains are thinking about the furure and our children’s children. They appear to be a lck lustre lot in facing the reality of when Mother nature nd father greed say no more.
Politicians respond to pressure… so let’s put it on them to take positive action to arrest global warming. Australia is the perfect nation to be a leader in harvesting cleaner sources of energy.
Strong leadership, not rhetoric, is required to create and implement policies that bring about real change. The politicians are fiddling while the Earth burns – enough already! It is time to act.
Dear Directors, Oxfam org.
Please open the following website and take the advice of prof James Hansen et al., and address the issues raised to Julia and Tony!
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-james-hansen/obamas-second-chance-on-c_b_525567.html
Regards,
John French
The Looming Enviromental crisis will make the GFC look like a picnic.
STEP UP
Oxfam has lost me as a doner. They shoult stick to what they were formed for and stop stupid unscientific politically motivated activism
Climate change is a global and national emergency. We need a Churchill response, not a series of Neville Chamberlains (ALP) or – worse – Unity Mitfords (Coalition).
Vote 1 for the Planet!
We need some real leadership on climate change. Don’t let big business give the lead – they are a major part of the problem. You political leaders must act for our children and grandchildren – all the future generations. Your actions (or the lack of action) will be assessed by historians. Global warming is already affecting millions. Act now. Save the planet.
these issues are far too important to be ignored . we must hold the government responsible for their own mistakes.
Could the results be sent early enough that they might influence the campaign and the policies of the parties? The tone of this campaign has been lame!
Act NOW before it’s too late. Create jobs & full employment by promoting a sustainable environment. Support a Robin Hood tax & clamp down on polluting corporations particularly with a super tax on mining co’s with proceeds supporting solar subsidies for Joe Public & assistance to 3rd world countries..
[...] Here is the original post: Give our political leaders your top 3 climate actions | Oxfam Blogs [...]
[...] Give our political leaders your top 3 climate actions | Oxfam Blogs [...]
I would like to see the reintroduction of government subsidies for each household to install solar panels on their roofs please.
If our Prime Minister is to truly lead our nation, she/he needs to spend more time doing so by encouraging citizens to each do their little bit, instead of trying to entice citizens to follow by offering ever growing carrots. The trouble with the latter is, we can never be sure that we will ever get the carrot.
How can we as one of the richest countries on earth say we cannot afford to take action on climate change, if we want to have influence in the world we need to act as exemplars not as tight fisted, selfish. The leader of the opposition (who flaunts his Christianity) should ask himself what would Jesus do in a situation like this, would he leave the poor to fend for themselves or would he try and help
Solar and Wind Power
Alternatives for petrol driven engines
A carbon reduction plan
We need to put our collective creativity and funds behind making a difference on this issue. There should be bipartisan agreement on this. It is too important to become a victim of politics.
In my view the No1 issue was missing from this survey. ‘Bring in a dollar price on Carbon”
Please do something real
environmental degradation has been going on across Australia and the world for decades we need to begin to replant trees, forests, grasslands and work to preserve wildlife species these are also health issues for humans who require more exercise (easier in beautiful areas with walkways through them) as well as breathing cleaner air and nothing improves air quality like trees
To quote an old Labor slogan: It’s time, time to act and not to vacillate
Tony Abbot states on the 2nd October 2009; “CLIMATE CHANGE IS ABSOLUTE CRAP.”
these exact words came from his mouth
I know who i WON’T be voting for in this election.
We need a price on carbon – the only way to fully reduce emissions is to let the market work it out. Enough stalling and retoric on how electricity prices will go up if we have a tax – prices will go up anyway. Both parties need to take there heads out of the sand and make the tough calls.
We need action now, not later. We need to tackle the big things as well as the little ones. Energy efficiency will help on the demand side, while cleaner generation will help on the supply side. So we want more efficient appliances and better built houses (and upgrades to the existing housing stock, which will have a bigger impact in the next 10 years). We need more fuel efficient cars – it should be mandatory and challenging to those who build them. Finally we need more renewable power and no new coal fired power stations. Replace these with natural gas generation in the short term and renewable in the longer term. Hazelwood must go ASAP. No new coal use and no export of brown coal – it is just exporting our problems.
Let’s raise the level of discussion in this campaign to meaningful debate about what really is important, climate change – economy.
I believe a price on carbon is the most effective way to go. People will respond quickly to this – everyone notices and acts to some degree on increase in electricity price, petrol price any other price.
I guess the government members need to be really worried if they represent people
The top three actions for our new government after the 21 August Federal Election: 1. Establish a carbon prfice and make polluting industries pay. Government assistance to struggling groups who will suffer unreasonably as a result of resulting higher prices. 2. Real, ongoing and significant government research and support for renewable and sustainable power producers – solar, wind, geotherma and wave/tidall power. 3. Major government projects to stop the ongouing pollutionand degradation of our land, atmosphere and water (including oceans and underground water resources.) This will require vast investment in public passenger transport and rail freight lines, as well as in national programs to restore protective vegetation to combat soill erosion and salinity.
The earth isn’t flat and climate change is REAL
(and mostly due to human action).
Get with it, Julia & Tony!
We need leaders with the courage and vision to actually LEAD on this – yes – moral challenge of the century…..
We don’t need talk or denial.
We need action!
Allow electricity producers to charge customers a minimum rate per kwh plus a Government-set bounty based on the number of grams of pollution per kwh it created to produce it. Audit the power plants and reduce the miminum charge every year. i.e. make it uneconomic to be in the business of producing energy unless you progressively switch over to clean technologies.
A ‘price on carbon ‘ is the logical means to counter gross ‘market failure’ on carbon pollution. Yet as soon as it gets close to legislation, mining companies and Liberals ramp up lobbying and scare tactics.
Why not cut National broadband spend from $40 Bn to $20 Bn, reduce Defence budget by 25% for 5 years, and roll out Nationally subsidized energy infrastructure…………Fed Govt should make an offer to close one major polluting power station in a State in parallel to a commitment to building a new Solar thermal base-load station (Spain are doing it). Let the States voluntarily join up for the deal…………Victoria would be in in a flash !
(For households, Subsidize lower income energy costs on means test basis for any rise in price)
If we stop logging the native forests of south-eastern Australia today and let them grow back and transitioned the timber industry into the over-abundant supply of plantation timber, we would sequester 20-25% of the 1990 CO2 emissions of this whole country every year for over 100 years (ANU study). Surely that’s not hard to do?
end all logging of australia’s native forests and stop new proposals to woodchip and burn them as fuel for biomass power stations. DON”T BURN OUR FORESTS FOR ELECTRICITY! this will also reduce our greenhouse emissions by nearly 10% and save our forest wildlife from extinction at the hands of the woodchippers.
We need to act NOW not keep thinking about possibilities for a few more years. Lets subsidise and promote renewable energy methodology.
Solar and wind are the way to go in Australia for the future. Nuclear should also be considered.
We need leaders with the courage and vision.
How can we as one of the richest countries on earth say we cannot afford to take action on climate change.
End all logging of australia’s native forests.
No export of brown coal.
Please no more crap.
It is our responsibility to hand down a healthy planet earth to our children and generations that follow
If you continue to pollute your backyard you will be unable to use it
FUND RENEWABLES and limit CARBON NOW
We need government to put a price on carbon. Start with a carbon tax of $20/tonne and progressively increase it. Put the money raised into supporting low income people and renewable energy.
Nothing but a price on carbon will get my vote!
This election has made us all feel powerless and not heard.
The studied silence and ridiculous posturing on measly stupid hand outs to marginal seats and big interest groups increases the incredible anger and frustration of the citizens of our beloved country and planet.
I have come to the sad conclusion that politicians of all persuations are totally self interested and completelydisinterested in real Democracy. They are either incredibaly ignorant or fools who cant see the nose in front of their faces.
When, oh when, will we see some intelligent and real caring for all species, including humanity who share the incredible jewel of a planet we have been priviledged to inhabit.
PLEASE GET YOUR HEAD OUT OF THE SAND, POLITICIANS, AND WAKE UP TO WHAT THE GREAT MAJORITY OF PEOPLE ARE SAYING AND NEEDING FROM YOU.
A Carbon Tax that the Greens feel able to sign up to
Tax on large cars with big engines and higher fuel consumption to encourage the purcahse of smaller cars.
Major investment in public transport/bike lanes/non-car infastructure
Just do it! No carbon price – no vote.
The Greens have done lots of hard thinking about all this – whoever gets in, their energy would be well spent making use of the Greens expertise in this area. Treat them as trusted advisors, make use of their commitment, instead of more thinktanks.
I want politicians who will stand up to the lobby groups financed by big industry. Everyone must make steps towards reducing energy use and replacing carbon-based energy with renewables.
i think that the politicians should concdentrate on assisting third world countries overcome the devasting effects of climate change by giving more overseas aid .by supporting initiatives such as fair trade products .etc.
they should put their parliamentary pension where their mouth is and help poverty stricken countries out instead of wasting taxpayers money.
the government should invest their money in overseas aid by investing money in providing solar power panels on to the houses in places like the phillipines .
they should provide money for clean water projects
they should help build houses using recycled materials.
Research to date
has indicated that biochar may have the potential to sequester
significant amounts of carbon, while providing benefits
to soil fertility and nutrient retention (Lehmann et al. 2006)
http://www.carbonneutral.com.au/the_natural_fix_role_of_ecosystems_in_climate_mitigation_unep_2009.pdf
How about looking, also, at regional eco-systems so that other species can cope with the changes to their environment?
This is a global issue we all need to look after Earth,exporting coal etc to other countries is causing more pollution. An example China recieves our coal and uses it and has more pollution than we see in Australia. My son visited a major city in China where industries were 2 years ago (expo) and he didnt see the sky for 10 days and didnt see any birds!!
He drove for an hour and was still in this city,thats how large it was.
Exporting brings financial benefits but there needs to be support for the countries receiving our products, to achieve any improvement.
We look to political leaders to show
leadership on these most important issues. Even on pragmatic political grounds they must respond, as the majority of Australians want action. The
addign to what Sally White said on the meaningless of future elections:
Future elections are also meaningless when the person leading the australian governing party who does their absolute utmost to get climate change policy through and then gets (due to being thwarted by the global community and their own opposition party) dumped for being so called “ineffectual”. What we need is prophets of vision like Kevin Rudd to be recognised not crucified in our Australian country. Then we might get somewhere.
We need a carbon tax, small at first but able to be increased as circumstances dictate. This would be the most effective way for Australia to really start to do its bit against global warming. By doing so, whoever forms the next government would be showing some leadership to the rest of the world – as opposed to accepting our current pariah status; and would start the process of changing from a quarry economy to one that is based on good stewardship of the country’s resources
Think past Saturday. Show some courage.
The leaders, of both main parties, are more interested in personal glory, and finance, than saving the world. i shudder at the thought of either of them becoming Prime Minister.
Australia’s position on climate change is a disgrace. An enormous amount of work needs to be done to overcome the climate change is crap attitude. Policies will only work if the vast majority of people come to understand the issues and support the plans.
Any action on Climate Change without tacking the size of the Popultaion is doomed to failure. Thus have a proper population policy promoting a sustainable population, not a “Big” Australia
Introduce a Carbon Tax
Support investment in renewables
The most important policy is to establish a price on carbon – until that happens we are left with the more expensive and tokenistic items. This is absolutely basic.
Too hard to choose really, We need politicians with courage to do the right thing.
I cann’t believe we are STILL talking about the same climate issues. Renewable energy and NOT coal for generation of electricity, The pollutes MUST pay to pollute, thereby encouraging change.
Australia has fallen behind in a field that we used to be leaders in, that is solar energy technology. Lets be the smart country we used to be when we valued higher education and innovation.
A price on carbon with a guaranteed minimum is the best thing the government could do.
We should be leading not following. Time for a visionary holistic philosophy. There are no rewards for any of us, planetary or individual, without risktaking..We need to accept that we need to think and act radically differently if we are to have a future with hope. Becoming an industry leader in renewable energy would be a start. Preserving the small amount of native forests is also vital on so many environmental grounds.And compulsory extensive environmental education programs from a very young age should be introduced at school so that the next generation is prepared for the oncoming scenarios as best as they can be. We need to act NOW.
Climate change as a result of man is not real. This is a politcal hoax driven those with their own interests to maintain. The truth is being distroted and sensationalised constantly. I cannot abide nor support this campaign at all.
How wrong you are Robert.
I agree with Hilary. The Greens have worked hard over many years to develop their most credible policy.
The two major parties almost bereft of ideas would earn the respect of the Australian community if they adopted the Greens policy.
How can Labor and The Coalition keep ignoring the majority of Australians?
When there’s smoke pouring from your kitchen and someone’s screaming that the deep fryer left unattended on the stove has caught alight, you don’t call a house meeting to get consensus on the issues. Nor do you demand to see further proof that it’s really the burning oil causing those flames to leap up the kitchen wall. And only a nutter would suggest that the smoke is actually just thick fog inside the house and has nothing to do with a man-made fire at all. Sensible, risk-averse people take immediate action – those who know what they’re doing try to put the fire out (mitigation) and you get everyone else to safety (adaption).
The Greens proposal for a low initial carbon price simply to get things happening quickly has been supported by none other that Prof. Ross Garnaut. This is not just about taking emergency action. It’s about having a vision of a cleaner and more sustainable world.
Some people, including our politicians, seem to think that as long as the problem is ignored, it will simply go away. All major scientific studies show that the world climate has changed by human action and where we are heading in the next few decades. And yet, our political parties are dithering about what to do. But this is not merely an Australian issue. The governments around the world seem to be more interested in the now than in the future of the world. There will be some hard decisions required by whoever wins the election, but are the Australian public, as a whole, ready to make the sacrifices, which will be asked for?
A REALISTIC and ESCALATING price on carbon WITHOUT EXCEPTIONS OR COMPENSATION AND WITH NO TRADEABLE PERMITS.
Unless the price is set so as to persuade business and individuals to make changes it is meaningless. It needs to escalate so as to put pressure on carbon emitters who are in any way insulated from the effects of lower prices. If carbon emitters are given exemptions or compensation, this similarly undermines the effectiveness of the carbon price (the Labor government crafted a scheme with so many “outs” that is was toothless). If permits are tradeable this creates a market in which speculation will play havoc with prices and weaken the signal to carbon emitters. All of these caveats have been demonstrated to be necessary in existing schemes.
I write as an ALP member and a donor to Oxfam.
Firstly, the Greens blocked the Carbon Emission Scheme twice. The ALP did try to introduce a scheme, fulfilling their election promise. Rudd dumped it in the face of a nasty, Abbott led scare campaign on electricity prices (which is actually a real issue for people living more than 10kms away from our CBDs, places where the Greens poll poorly for a reason).
Secondly, I am happy to admit the CPRS was flawed but, with due respect to Gordon, it would have started a necessary job being done on climate change. The CPRS would have impacted busineeses- the hand outs and free permits were phased out, giving businesses time to adjust. Without that time the change wrecks more havoc than is intended.
The Greens did one of two things in blocking it: 1 They made a calculated decision to block it on political grounds (they are a political party people! Stop believing they aren’t opportunistic and dishonest like the rest of them); 2 they showed a worrying ignorance about the evolutionary nature of the the Australian political system i.e you get legislation introduced, it becomes legitimate and you then improve it. Think of Medicare. Or even the GST for the Liberals. They cannot be repealed, but they can be improved. The Democrats seemed to understand this but then again they were sensible. The Greens, with a Senate balance of power, could have improved it regardless of who wins the election.
If we had legislated for it then it would have provided insurance against an Abbott victory. He couldn’t repeal it if it was legislated without the Greens’ support in the next parliament. But if he is elected on Saturday- well good luck getting a scheme.
A price on carbon under the CPRS legislation would have enabled businesses to begin making considered investment decisions about improving their emissions and spending in greener areas. It was a flawed plan, no doubt about it, but it was not so flawed as to force change to begin. And that logic would have taken on a life of its own. Compromise is the essence of politics and, over time, deficiencies in the legislation could have been improved. We cannot be absolutists on this issue because so many in the community are affected by it. We need to meet the interests of everyone from pensioners to coal workers, retailers to construction workers and so forth. A narrow minor party with a narrow constituency does not understand the interests of wider people across our country– not even the ALP or Libs understand all the interests, but as mass political parties with big bases it forces them to understand different types of people’s needs. Hence, to ensure their base is looked after, you need to introduce gradual change that minimises the damage done to different people whilst gradually achieving proper change. We did this with a lot of the reforms introduced in the 1980s and 1990s. Only a party with a small (and actually pretty wealthy) voting base can ignore these needs (and feel pretty damn good about themselves in their ignorance). As one Green recently said to me, “Pensioners get enough assistance- they need to pay their own way.” Perhaps he didn’t feel that way about students when it came to their books and general welfare etc because students are a core constituency for the Greens.
Sometimes people’s moral superiority does more damage than they realise. You harm the ALP vote with relentless criticism, which lowers their vote over all and makes it easier for the Libs to get in. We are being pissed on by the left and the right-and we are drenched.
If Abbott does win on Sat, good luck negotiating with a climate change denying Abbot government.
[...] Send your climate policy priorities to Gillard and Abbott now [...]
The ‘followers’ we elect must take action on climate change, pollution, and the generally unsustainable lifestyle we currently lead. Regardless of whether climate change is real (I believe it is), we lead terribly dirty and destructive lives. We need to take a good, hard look at ourselves and make the changes necessary to correct our mistakes; we get the government we deserve and we deserve the best, so to our pollies – harden up and clean up!
[...] votes are still coming in; check out the up-to-date counter Read more about our climate change [...]
Climate change is being caused by human occupation affecting the science of our planet. so our response needs to be based on good, provable science. That is why the Greens didn’t support Gillard’s ETS – it was bad science. We are so late in responding to this crisis, let’s not waste time with more bad science. Let’s concentrate on what the experts recommend for a change, instead of hare-brained schemes like Cash for Clunkers which is clearly a policy designed to please a select group of the population rather than achieve a good result.
The Earth was in and Ice age a little while ago and the sea levels dropped because the water was locked up in the ice sheets tha extended all over the Northern hemisphere.Remember thats how the aborigines walked out here.
Now this ice has been melting ever since then and will continue to melt …because the planet is warming.
As it warms the ratios of the elements that make up the atmoshpere will chnage. The climate will also change and perhaps new deserts will be created who knows ..we will not be around to see it .
But the current belief is that because the ratio of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has risen ..we are all doomed !
here is something you may want to consider ..CO2 levels have fluctuated over billions of years ..since the 1700’s they have risen 30 % and if we keep on burning the fossil fuels at the rate we are doing ..they will rise another 30 – 40 %
and not much has really changed..climate wise ..since 1700″s .so why will it now ? And eventually we will not be able to keep burning fossil fuels anyway..it will cost so much to get it that green alternatives will be cheaper . CO2 is released in nature in huge amounts ..eg bushfires volcanoes etc To suggest that a small pip squeak producer like Australia can change the climate by taxing its people to limit CO2 production ..is just as stupid as the people that suggest it .. If however you were convinced that the CO2 was the reason that the climate is changing ..( I I think it may have something to do with amount of energy the sun emits just quietly ) then perhaps if everyone sitting in their office …turned off the airconditioner ..opened a window ..and turned off the lights . catch public transport and walk .then you would reduce CO2 emissions . Or if you placed a limit on the amount of water allocated to each house each day ..then its shuts off ..people would conserve … We live in a society where the people who are the main offenders ..get paid way to much money ..and so jump up and down demanding a costly solution to a belief in a problem that they created …and then will pay the tax from money they wont miss…and they will feel good about it etc etc
and nothing will change ..except the poor will get poorer and the companies that convinced the governments to go to green energy will get richer …
I REALLY DONT SEE WHY YOU GUY ARE FUSSING SO MUCH ABOUT THIS ISSUE, BECAUSE YOU KNOW THAT PEOPLE IN GOVERNMENT DO NOT CARE FOR ANYTHING, BUT WHEN IT COMES ELECTION TIME, WE ARE GIVEN All
SORTS OF P[ROMISES AND SERVICE DELIVERY THAT IN THE END, WE DO NOT RECIEVE.
I REALLY DONT BLAME PEOPLE WHO TAKE TH E LAW INTO THE OWN HANDS BECAUSE WE CALL UPON GOVERNMENT FOR HELP BUT WE DO NOT RECIEVE IT.
THESE PEOPLE ARE JUST US IN G US, BUT HEY WE DON T HAVE A CHOICE, IF WE DO NOT VOTE THEN OUR RIGHTS WILL BE TAKEN AWAY FROM US.