How the Coalition gave up on the national interest

Posted by Senator Steve Fielding on August 12 2009 | 16 Comments

Whether you sit on the left or right side of the political spectrum, it is important the Australian public are aware of the coalition’s current agenda. It is an agenda which puts at risk everything this country has worked hard to achieve, including financial prosperity and security. It is an agenda which is self interested and is not in the best interests of this country.

The job of any opposition is to hold the government of the day to account and to stand up to legislation it believes is not in the best interest of the Australian people. This is a job the Labor Party did extremely well towards the end of Howard’s reign as Prime Minister. However, since that fateful day on 24 November 2007, the coalition has done nothing to help this country or hold the government to account.

Last month the Liberal Party sent a dangerous message to the Rudd Government through an opinion piece written by Tony Abbott in The Australian newspaper. The article bluntly conceded that the coalition would not win government if an early election was called and declared that they were not prepared to give the Rudd Government a double dissolution trigger. This instantly set alarm bells off in my head. It essentially gives the government a green light to introduce whatever legislation it likes because it knows the coalition is a cowardly marshmallow that won’t oppose anything.

“So what?”, I hear some people say. Why would you bother fighting a battle you cannot possibly win?

The answer is plain and challenging opposing legislation it could lead to some very shonky law-making which only benefits those within the Labor Party.

This week Parliament resumes with the senate scheduled to vote on a number of controversial bills, in particular, the government’s emissions trading scheme. This is the most important decision facing our Parliament since federation. If passed, the scheme will have a dramatic effect on our economy and will result in the loss of thousands of Australian jobs. The scheme will also cause a massive hike in electricity prices, with costs set to rise by more than 40 percent.

In pushing forward its climate change agenda, the government has clearly failed to consider the impact this scheme will have on peoples’ livelihoods. Irrespective of whether carbon dioxide emissions are really the leading cause of global warming or not, it is critical that the government does not compromise the health of the Australian economy for a scheme that will have no benefit to the environment. Even the most extreme climate change advocates would agree that the government’s carbon pollution reduction scheme will be useless if the rest of the world do not also agree to reduce their carbon dioxide emissions. It is important to remember that every four months, from now until 2020, China will continue to build a new coal fired power station which has the same capacity as Australia’s entire coal fired power sector.

However, the Rudd government’s emissions trading scheme is not the only bad piece of legislation which it plans to ram though the senate in the coming six months. There are also the changes to the private health insurance rebate which the government now wants to means test. So great is the pig headedness of the government that it has decided to slap working families in the face. The changes are simply unfair because they look only at household or individual income and do not take into account how many children there are in the household. This policy is inconsistent with the means-testing provisions set out in the Family Tax Benefit Part A, Child Care Benefit and Youth Allowance parental income test where the maximum income thresholds increase for each additional child. Under the government’s proposal, a couple with no children on $149,000 will be eligible for the full rebate, while a family of 5 with a household income of $150,000 would have their rebate reduced. This makes no sense and puts even more pressure on already struggling families. Given the opposition is too scared to do anything for fear it could spark an early double dissolution election, it is left up to the minor parties, such as Family First, to try to block the bill or to at least negotiate more sensible reforms. Sadly, however, the cross benchers are powerless on their own and need the support of a strong coalition to achieve this in the senate.

One of the other bills scheduled to be reintroduced into the senate this week is the infamous alcopops tax. This is a blatant tax grab designed to line the pockets of the Rudd government and fails hopelessly to address the issue of Australia’s binge drinking culture. Last week it was revealed that the tax on alcopops had done nothing to curb alcohol consumption and that people had simply switched from alcopops to sprits or beer. Last time this legislation was introduced into the senate it was defeated by Family First and the coalition. However, this time the coalition has signalled that it will pass the tax because it doesn’t want to give the Rudd Government a double dissolution trigger. This type of behaviour by the opposition is disgraceful and shows that they are only interested in saving their own bacon instead of doing what is right for the Australian people.

I am afraid to say that if the coalition continues to operate according to their own interests and without regard for the Australian people we could see some very poor policy being rammed through parliament over the next six months. I can only hope that the Liberal Party decide to finally grow a spine and stand up for what is right so that we can achieve the best outcomes for this great country.

Comments

Well, the answer to this is fairly clear. Please read the following:

General Agreement on Trade and Services (GATS)

General Agreement on Trade and Tariffs (GATT)

Lima Declaration & Plan of Action on Industrial Development & Co-operation (1975)

For about the last 50 years, both Labor and Liberal governments have been working to the Global Plan to redistribute wealth from the developed nations to the third world - also to redistribute populations to create a melting pot of copper coloured people - and most of all to empower corporations through privatisation.

What part does the ETS have to play in this? It is an excellent way of breaking the western economies and empowering global corporations (banks).

Within 10 years, the globe will be split into World Sectors within a Global Corporate Communist government e.g. European Economic Union (currently on the verge of financial collapse, and owing heaps of money to corporations); and Asia/Pacific Economic Union, through which Kevin Rudd hopes to become the World Sector Leader of the Chinawealth of Nations by 2020.

Over the decades, more and more of Australia’s income producing public assets and utilities have been privatised (to corporations), leaving us without much needed income, which has led to the rise in foreign debt. It has empowered corporations to hold us over a financial barrel. This is known by me as the “Crush Australia Policy”.

To my knowledge, the only people who have made money out of Carbon Trading Schemes in the EEU have been corporations.

Comment by Lorikeet on 26 March 2010 at 08:44:46 PM
I am a sceptic and I believe the Rudd true believers of carbon change et al are the telling us a whole load of krud!

The release of the so-called climate scientists consensus on climate change is red flag to what is happening on this matter. Long live freedom of information and the hackers who have exposed these travesties. My question: who pays the scientists to get the results they are achieving by deceit and consensus on results.

Comment by denier on 24 November 2009 at 08:56:10 AM
I agree with you Steve. Please keep up the good work. Do I believe in climate change, not a chance sure we are expieriancing a hot period at the moment but I guess thats what you expect when the winds we are getting at the moment from the North West. It’s interesting how they say thats global warming. Now I ask you this what if we were getting the winds from the South West and we experiance abnormal cold temps for this time of year would that mean the world is getting colder. Hang on a sec the sky is falling, the sky is falling.

One other point if this ETS is passed and the government find out that they were wrong DO you really think they will redraw their wrong doings, COME ON AUSTRALIA WAKE UP!!!!!

Comment by Rosco on 22 November 2009 at 08:33:47 PM
To Strebor 20-9: you suggest that climate sceptics can only be found overseas. I draw your attention to inter alia the four wise men who accompanied Steve Fielding to dialogue with Penny Wong and her advisers:

Bob Carter, William Kininmonth, Stewart Franks, David Evans.

Here are four scientists from Australia with reasoned queries about alarmist forms of AGW.

P.S. The term ‘deniers’ is unfortunate as it has overtones of holocaust denial.

Yours sincerely,
David Elder, B.Sc.Hons

Comment by david elder (adelaide) on 02 November 2009 at 07:13:06 PM
I agree with you. What’s the point of not representing your views because you’re afraid of defeat. Global warming is already turning out to be the biggest hoax ever perpetrated on the average person by powerful interests. Even a judge in the UK has found that to be the case now after studying the evidence. But the Liberal Party is not standing up and saying so like Barnaby Joyce is at least. One of the problems is that the leader is too worried about his job and is not a politician either in getting his message across, or is it that he lacks a belief system to get across to voters?

Comment by Helen on 27 October 2009 at 09:16:54 PM
its happened because they got people thinking there is a differance between labour liberal. both parties have been infiltrated by globalists and owned lock stock and barrel. all your leaders are chosen for you.
the only way to get better goverment is to vote out all these career politictions except a couple of good ones like senator fielding. carbon tax will go to global goverment. read un documents codex alimentarius. agenda 21 . wake up australia before its to late

Comment by lau440 on 21 October 2009 at 11:03:42 PM
Hewisond the ploncker knocker-

1. There is an incredible amount of climate change knowledge in Australia, just not many climate change deniers with remotely credible science to back them up; hence the necessity to travel overseas.
2. Perhaps if you learnt to spell and employed some remedial grammar your bluster might become a bit more credible.

Comment by Strebor on 20 October 2009 at 05:57:57 PM
http://www.straight.com/article-260301/gwynne-dyer-losing-control-climate-change

Comment by kiwichick on 05 October 2009 at 01:09:17 PM
Steve, as usual you’re doing a fantastic job, whether you agree with your policies or not, you believe in what you fight for and you have conviction for what you believe is right for this country, not what is right for you.

I don’t necessarliy agree with all your politics, I will however support you because you are honest and fair. and you have a set of ethics that drive you which you do not deviate from and that is what this country used to stand for - we need that back!

Comment by hewisond on 01 September 2009 at 12:57:09 AM
Graham S, you’re a plonker.

reasons:

1. Climate Change, in case you havnt worked it out is global. Not local. As there is no debate in this country, you would have no choice but tio go overseas to find it. Also, 99% of the scientists that conduct research on the topic are overseas!

2. Legislation without debate is a dicatorship. which I supose is what you’d prefer anyway. Rudd certainly does.

3. Go and get some education on our parlimentary system, Feilding doesnt not hold the balance of power if the coalition votes WITH the government. At the very least, buy a calculator.

and 4. Your pitiful little mind probably cant process anything that is outside of your belief system anyway - so why bother trying to comprehend anything that anyone says who’s outside of Rudds SS national socialists?

All I can say is I hope this guy is a minority, if he’s not - we’ll all be living off food stamps and requiring specuial permission to leave our houses before we know it.

Comment by hewisond on 01 September 2009 at 12:53:06 AM
I gather from this article that you will steadfastly oppose anything and everything the Government moves in parliament. How is this democratic?
As on of the few in the upper house who hold the balance of power, doesn’t this give you the opportunity to use that power in the interests of the Australian public?
You have demonstrated that you seek guidance from those in another country rather than home grown debate to make your decisions. Once again, how is this in the Australian interest?
The question is, who exactly do you represent (not counting the 1% who voted for you)?

Comment by Graham S. on 15 August 2009 at 04:41:21 PM
Well done on your work this week Steve, you and Senator Nick Minchin are the two shinning lights in politics today. Than you for showing the guts to stand up for truth and integrity, these are rare commodities in current day politics. I hope you get the support you deserve in the next election, which maybe sooner than than some think if the “Nambour Numbnut” and Wong have their way.

Comment by Hard of Hats on 15 August 2009 at 01:27:36 PM
Steve, thank you for doing your job properly.

You seem to be the only politician that is.

Why would anyone in their right mind pass an Australian ETS before an international agreement is reached.

Comment by Havequestions on 14 August 2009 at 08:49:12 AM
Must confess, I was pretty shocked when the Government decided to mess with the Health Rebate.
More pressure on our public hospitals and our families is NOT what we need…..

Comment by acs on 13 August 2009 at 06:10:17 PM
why would we pay people to have more greenhouse
gas emitters when the planet is already overpopulated
by at least 3 billion of us?

Comment by kiwichick on 13 August 2009 at 11:30:27 AM
I don’t get it the Liberal Party clearly have no integrity, and the Labor Party are plainly not representing the people but big business, how has this happened.

Comment by Colin Dixon on 13 August 2009 at 01:21:28 AM

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Senator Steve Fielding - Leader of Family First