I'm a little dissapointed that the shadow cabinet rolled Nelson on climate change. I wish he had overruled them, I reckon he would have loved to himself, but when you're popularity is lacking you dont have the clout. If he had done, he would have been out.
I'm still proud of the fact that he broke ranks with all the other pollies and basically brought GW scepticism/realism back. This train is only going to pick up speed.
It's now clear that Bishop's requests for certainly on a position on behalf of WA's businesses was the main shop stopper. It seems she is spouting the line from before the election, before Kyoto got signed, that something has to be done on emmissions and soon ... because she has put nuclear back on the table. This is a famously unpopular position in Aus, and now the ALP has fresh ammo, as if they needed any. I'm beginning to think Bishop is a liability.
The WA miners are fighting last years fight. And it appears might have vested interests in the nuclear starting up. They are happy with the bullshit of and ETS beccause they might benefit mining uranium. Well, everyone else loses. So 10/10 for capitalist killer instinct guys, but good politicians balance your self interests against everyone else's.
This nuclear option is a big mistake. I'm not against it personally but we dont need it. If carbon cost stays low it's not economic. And the political spin of trying to appeal to greenies by saying nuclear reduces emmissoins will never fly. It's is just trying to appeal to hippies with an even more world-threatening capitalist evil (as far as they are concerned).
This argument is bullshit based on more bullshit - the need for an ETS. Good politicians clear bullshit out, they keep piling it on.
Nelson has been hounded down for changing his positions. I dont think he did change his position. He spoke his mind. He was speaking about his own personal views. They diverged from the norm. He was entering into a debate with his collegues.
And he started debate in the country as a whole.
The journos who hound him down would rather all the discussion went on in secret. Shhhhh dont talk about how this is all crap. Everybody believes it.
I think Nelson did everything he could. I wish it could have been different. At least he sent a message that the forces of bandwagonism in the party had some opposition. The party heard this message, as did the media and the public. Bolt is on a roll. We'll see the results of the next two bi-elections before Turnbull throws his hat in the ring.
Nelson is still the leader. There's alot of time between now and then for Nelson to be proved right.
