It’s on. Abbott dumps Paris, speaks science and ramps it up against Turnbull

It’s about time

Thank goodness for Tony Abbott  

Nine years ago the Australian Liberals were on the verge of splitting. Turnbull was about to give the Labor Party a free pass on the Emissions Trading Scheme and sell Australia out to the EU. Climategate broke (thank you FOIA) and the party rebelled and tossed out Turnbull. Now, after three elections where the people voted No to carbon taxes every time they could, we have an emissions trading scheme, a Renewable Energy Target,  and one of the most crippling Paris targets of any nation. This is despite our rapidly growing population, huge distances and massive resources and the failure of almost every other nation to even achieve their Paris goals.  We are The Global Patsy, obediently sacrificing competitive advantage, GDP, and lifestyle – all so Julie Bishop and Malcolm Turnbull get invited to the right parties. Economic carnage in a glorious quest to make the weather nicer.

UPDATE: Time to pull out of Paris full speech

It has got to end. The NEG (The National Energy Guarantee) is a dog:

Turnbull is repeating mistakes says Abbott:

Simon Benson, The Australian

Delivering his most strident attack to date on his government’s own energy policy, the former prime minister has warned Liberal colleagues they risk a ­repeat of a split that almost ­destroyed the party a decade ago.

Less than four weeks before five critical by-elections, Mr ­Abbott has sought to escalate the internal campaign against the ­national energy guarantee ahead of a pivotal August meeting of COAG in which the government will seek support from Labor states.

“Does the Liberal Party nine years on realise the wheel has turned full circle and we are back to where we were in late 2009, with Malcolm Turnbull trying to do a deal with the Labor Party on emissions reduction,” Mr Abbott told The Australian, ahead of a speech tonight to the climate sceptic-think tank, the Australian Environment Foundation.

It’s a fight, not a negotiation because there is no negotiating with witchcraft. Abbott is spot on:

“It’s not a circle you can square with the Labor Party … it is a fight that has to be won. There can be no consensus on climate change … you either win or lose … and at the moment we are losing.”

Abbott is discussing scientific points. This is rare from a politician — he’s not just debating the dismal economics, he’s confident, and right, about science. This is good. We want a science debate every bit as much as they don’t want one:

Latika Bourke, Sydney Morning Herald

He said despite the rate of carbon in the atmosphere increasing from 300 to 400 parts per million there had been no “dramatic consequences” on the climate.
“Storms are not more severe; droughts are not more prolonged; floods are not greater; and fires are not more intense than a century ago – despite hyperventilating reportage and over-the-top claims from Green politicians,” the former prime minister said…

“Sea levels have hardly risen and temperatures are still below those of the medieval warm period.

“Over time, temperature change seems to correlate rather more with sun spot activity than with carbon dioxide levels,” he claimed…

Unlike other politicians Abbott is unloading the past, cleaning the slate

The former PM now says he never anticipated the climate change reduction targets he signed up would be binding. ..

Mr Abbott said both he and John Howard had been in the dark about the full implications of their own climate change mitigation policies including the renewable energy target and the international emissions reductions pledges.

“I’m not sure that the Howard government fully anticipated where the renewable energy target would lead when it first made the decision to impose one,” he said.

When Abbott was PM he worked to get his direct action plan implemented (a cheap auction system that actually works to reduce carbon for bargain prices like $14/ton). Then up pops the macabre combo of Clive Palmer and Al Gore, and Palmer was got at. The coal miner suddenly “had” to have a seemingly empty clause leaving the door open for an emissions trading plan. The clause would only came into effect if all the other major world economies acted together which everyone knew would never happen. But that clause was the thin edge of the wedge, and when the Paris Agreement was crafted, all those big nations (India, China) agreed to do nothing, but officially, they agreed to do it together. The Paris deal was meaningless but they signed it, triggering sub clauses in domestic legislation in Australia, and probably in other Patsy Nations too.

When he was prime minister, Mr Abbott signed Australia up to reducing emissions to 26-28 per cent on 2005 levels by 2030. But he said on Tuesday that was only ever intended to be an aspiration.

“I certainly didn’t anticipate, as prime minister, how the aspirational targets we agreed to at Paris would, in different hands, become binding commitments,” he said.

The word trickery had paved the way for Turnbull to claim he was sticking to Abbott’s plan even as Turnbull did the exact opposite of the spirit of everything Abbott had gone to the election with. He sold the nation out. He has to go.

h/t Pat

Australia tried too hard to please,
The U.N., the E.U. and appease,
The Green beast that roared,
Which should now be ignored,
And begin to rise up off its knees.

–Ruairi

Flashback:

9.6 out of 10 based on 77 ratings

137 comments to It’s on. Abbott dumps Paris, speaks science and ramps it up against Turnbull

  • #

    He had me at “coal”.

    230

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      davefromweewaa

      No Paris. No RET. No Malcolm.
      (Almost a three word slogan!)

      320

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      davefromweewaa

      BTW. Why isn’t everyone screaming blue murder about the corruption? Alex Turnbull, son of Malcolm, is doing well out of planet saving. So too Mr and Mrs Michael Photios, the Liberal party factional warlords responsible for giving us all the wet, planet saving Liberals. Every public servant in Australia is inveigled in it through their super fund and all at the expense of consumers and taxpayers.
      I suppose it is only a rort if you are not in it!

      430

    • #
      ColA

      He had me at “The NEG is a DOG” 🙂 🙂 😉 😉

      210

  • #
    TdeF

    All excellent comments from Tony Abbott. As a non scientist he was stating the very obvious. Thirty years on from the announcement in 1988 by Hansen and the IPCC that the sky was falling, it isn’t. The seas are not higher. The world is not warmer by any significant amount and temperatures did go up and down before the 20th century. Tony quoted grape growing on Hadrian’s wall in Roman times, ice festivals on the Thames and agriculture in Greenland. Now we are being taxed on the air we breathe, taxed to the point where industry in Australia is being crippled, although Tony did not use the word tax once.

    So he is across most of it and speaks plainly.

    The one idea he and most politicians do not accept, will not discuss is that the so called RET is the world’s highest carbon tax, 10x higher than Julia Gillard’s carbon tax. It is the elephant in the room, not to be discussed. It does not exist. There are only ‘targets’ and ‘subsidies’.

    There are possibly two reasons. First it is not a tax. It is government ordered and supervised theft from our electricity bills. Then carbon is not mentioned in the act. So it is not a ‘carbon tax’. Rather it is compulsory purchase of electronic ‘Certificates’ produced by ‘eligible’ energy sources which have to be purchased by vendors of ‘non elegible’ sources of electricity. This could not be more obtuse.

    Tony is justly proud of removing the appalling Mining tax and Carbon tax but does not recognize the ‘Certificate’ scheme as the biggest ripoff in Australian history, triple the size of the pink batts fiasco every single year.

    Even the Australian newspaper, front page wrote that $3Billion of this money fled the country each year. It is not a tax. Even Tony Abbott talked about ‘subsidies’ and ending ‘subsidies’. There are no government subsidies. There is only legislated theft from our electricity accounts. For that money taken without our knowledge, we get nothing.

    As a lawyer he said the point was interesting, that such taking of money from the public and forcing it to be handed to others is beyond the rights of any democratic government in the Westminster tradition, the forced enrichment of third parties by government and worse, for no benefit at all.

    My point to Tony was, repeal the RET, the whole Act and Hazelwood would open for business.

    There has to be a simple economic reason the largest cheapest supplier of electricity in Victoria with another 20 years to go on their lease was forced to turn off the generators. They could not make a dollar when the market had to pay $2 in RET taxes for every $1 of Hazelwood power bought. Yes, remove the RET and the unpredictable, inadequate windmills would stop against the sheer power of coal, as the did in Holland, Spain, Greece two centuries ago. So what? That will happen soon enough. For us, Coal is free for hundreds of years. Why are we being robbed by parliament so strangers can own windmills in our country and with our own money?

    702

    • #
      Ted O'Brien.

      “…so strangers can own windmills in our country”.

      Throughout history wars have started over what we are looking at here. It needs to be stopped before it gets any bigger.

      I give you what would be a real conspiracy theory, except that in my lexicon conspiracies are raised against governments, not by governments.

      Is there any link between the RET and Bob Hawke’s pilots strike?

      I have always maintained that the Hawke government deliberately promoted the crash of 1987.

      Around the world the Marxists expected that a repeat of the 1930s would allow them to take charge of the world economy, but they were outsmarted.

      The Hawke government had already applied a double tax on rental housing, which drove huge slabs of private capital out of that sector, and engaged in a massive promotion of investment in tourism. This investment in tourism was then bankrupted by Hawke’s pilots strike, coupled with usurious interest rates.

      It was noticeable that billions of dollars of Japanese investment in Australian infrastructure was busted by that action. It surprised me at the time that the Japanese government did not complain about it. I imagine it would have been one of their smallest problems at the time.

      The first link is ALP policy both times. Is today’s policy part of the same plan?

      100

  • #
    Ted O'Brien.

    You could save yourself a lot of ink and sleepless nights if you just declare that 1. The RET is a tax, and 2. All regulated subsidies are government subsidies.

    Then repeat as often as you like, “repeal the RET, the whole Act, and Hazelwood would open for business”.

    341

    • #
      Ted O'Brien.

      #3 was intended to be #2.1. Dangling fingers on touchscreen bring unintended consequences.

      70

  • #
    TdeF

    Tony also mentioned the forced acquisition of Liddell. This is painted as ‘socialism’ by the left of politics consider that is their turf. Especially Malcolm who apparently can spend $12Billion of our money on his mad pet project without asking anyone. Whose money is it?

    Anyway, as Liddell was a government power plant built by the people of NSW and gifted to AGL for $0, why not acquire it back for the same money they paid? AGL do not want it, paid nothing for it, will not maintain it and have refused a $200Million offer for it.

    The government should take it back at exactly the same prices AGL paid. $0. After all, it is the Federal government which made it unprofitable by forcing coal customers to pay for windmills instead of maintaining their own generators. AGL should not have the right to trash Liddell. After all, what company seriously knocks back $200 Million cash for something they argue is worth more closed? There is something seriously wrong here.

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    • #
      ColA

      TedeF, spot on there is a feted stench from AGL about Liddell

      230

    • #
      Analitik

      Liddell is beyond saving according to those who work or have worked there – AGL has run it into the ground with maintenance only being performed to just keep the plant operational until 2022. Why else would they value the plant at A$1.00 on their balance sheet?

      20

  • #
    a happy little debunker

    I seem to recall Malcolm, Clive and Martin out getting dinner together (30/05/14) around the time Clive decided to backdoor a potential ETS with Al Gore (25/06/14).

    Coinkydinks?

    140

  • #
    BoyfromTottenham

    Tony Abbott, is the RET even Constitutional? If it isn’t a tax, what is it? Does it have any relationship with the Paris Agreement? If not, why was it legislated? If it does, what is the link? Please do your homework on this, or the media will give you a ‘fail’.

    200

    • #
      PeterS

      It’s a lawyer’s dream. Such matters are very complex to resolve. It’s like in the US where federal income tax is considered to be anti-constitutional, and I believe it is but tell that to the IRS and see how far one goes. Keep it relatively simple. The so called science of man-made climate change is much easier to debunk, especially if one considers the fact the major emitters of CO2 around the world collectively produce in less than one day more that what we could reduce in one year or more if we shut down all our coal fired power stations today. So all our efforts to reduce our emissions are totally worthless. So Turnbull and Frydenberg have signed an economic suicide note for Australia, and it must be reversed.

      290

  • #
    pattoh

    WOW!!!!

    It is going to be an interesting ride to the next election.

    I reckon George Soros will be pulling all stops on turning his useful idiots from GetUp into hoodied , masked & Pink Pussey Hatted SJ Warriors. [Soy futures anybody?]

    There will be a race on to see who can do the best “Maxine Waters”. Perhaps the Project can re-patriate & re-cycle Yassmin Abdel Magied.

    One thing for certain; there will be a massive return of multi-coloured Kombi Vans all liveried up in Peace Signs, Rainbows, Dolphins & “No Dam Triangles”.

    Either way, the grandstanding by Bill Shorten will be pure GOLD!

    WELCOME BACK TONY!

    400

  • #
    PeterS

    Sounds like Abbott is going back to his original stance big time. Dump all forms of carbon tax, ETS or whatever one wants to call it no matter how it’s dressed up – and that includes the phoney NEG as well as the renewables subsidies, which in effect is as bad as an ETS anyway. Good on him. It’s about time. Now let’s hope he follows through and doesn’t do the usual and crawl back to his corner when Turnbull et all start to turn up the heat again at him. Others also must stand up and support Abbott. All those who remain silent will now be considered to be backing Turnbull and Frydenberg all the way. Let’s see how many have the guts to support Abbott instead of hiding in the bushes and chickening out. Let’s wait and see what happens next.

    331

    • #
      el gordo

      The Nats will back him, that is all that matters.

      121

      • #
        PeterS

        One would expect so would ACP and ON so that would mean a sure win at the next election if Abbott replaces Turnbull. Abbott is not a Trump but he’s the closest we have in the Liberal Party at the moment provided he and many others have a spine and make the move like Trump did.

        210

        • #
          el gordo

          Trump knows nothing of the science, Tony does.

          Cory should make his move now, or become irrelevant.

          81

          • #
            PeterS

            I thought you already knew. Science has nothing to do with it. It’s a power game. That’s why Trump is such a winner.

            150

            • #
              el gordo

              He was going to go ahead with the Red versus Blue teams to sort out the science, but after having dinner with a film star he decided to go in a different direction. Big mistake, it left ACP and ON flatfooted.

              ‘Science has nothing to do with it.’

              Red rag to a bull, bad science is the cause of mass delusion.

              31

              • #
                PeterS

                Nope. Mad delusion is the cause of bad science.

                80

              • #
                el gordo

                Ummm …. you’re putting the cart before the horse.

                We could compromise and blame the media for everything.

                31

              • #
                PeterS

                Yes the media have a lot to answer for but it all started when the mad delusion of mad scientists faked the science to propagate a hoax. You follow?

                80

              • #
                el gordo

                Yes, it appears to be the case, but I still blame the media for beating it up and the ignorant self serving politicians for swallowing a big lie.

                31

      • #
        Rupert Ashford

        The Nats? You’re funny…

        20

  • #
    Jonesy

    Abbott has to use the NRG argument to turn the party around. Once redirected, the hard work starts blasting the leftists out of “The Broad Church” Photious and his ilk must be kicked out.

    The biggest gamble…Abbott must demand that whoever loses, MUST resign and leave parliament immeadiately. This will be the only way of kicking the turncoat out short of a thermonuclear exchange. If Abbott loses, he knows…and we will have undeniable proof, the Libs are a lost cause!

    280

    • #
      OriginalSteve

      In the USA, there is a building risk of the Hard Left attempting a Communist overthrow of a sitting legally elected President. Even Bernie Sanders has been purged as he isn’t communist enough, which is not a good sign.

      In terms of Australian politics, Malcolm appears to be a globalist stooge, and needs to be legally removed from his role as PM, and the process of the globalist take down of the Australia via the RET and carbon nonsense, reversed. The RET seems to be a leftist idea, designed to undermine and destroy the economy.

      170

  • #
    Kinky Keith

    We are at a pivotal moment in Australia’s history.

    The question is, can we take back our freedom?

    Despite the very positive outline in Jo’s post that the issue has been finally made public, there is a serious issue to be dealt with.

    While there are a few people who thoroughly understand the scam of man made global warming via CO2, the vast majority of voters are so busy and on overload just getting by from day to day that they have no awareness of the intricacies of the electricity market which are essentially enabling a “hidden elite” to divert huge sums of money to places not marked clearly on the map.

    The renewable energy industry is a shell structure with little or no substance as a viable electricity producer.

    It’s raison d’etre is to provide a vehicle through which our money can be taken with a semblance of legality and piped to the Elites and friends.

    The bizarre thing is that we, the electricity users, have paid with our own money for the Shell structure that is being used to hide this monstrous action from us.

    The old style wars used by the elites have been replaced by internal machinations, incomprehensible to the average voter, where no blood is shed but our work and effort is still taken from us.

    We are now enslaved: it’s not even “Taxation Without Representation”, it’s a deliberately distorted market that enables those at the helm to force us to pay for something that isn’t there.

    There is NO functional Renewable Energy supply available.

    The illusion that Renewables are providing electricity is created by the fact that Coal-fired power stations are present and working: all the time.

    At the moment, Renewables in all incarnations are not a functional electricity option.

    Renewables are still a work in progress and, as such, cannot provide our nation’s energy needs, nor even a useful fraction of those needs.

    Our nation is in desperate trouble, on the brink of potential anarchy which is evident in parts of Europe, we must bring those undermining our nation to account.

    The discussion here a few weeks ago, about the long road to freedom that began with the Magna Carta and evolved through the uprising of the common people with Wat Tyler to the eventual right to vote, is now more relevant than ever.

    The comments above by Jo and TdeF capture the essential points that constitute the problem.

    There has been no misunderstanding in the introduction of Renewables into our energy system: it has been a very deliberate political move that has overridden engineering imperatives, knowingly damaged our nation and been an economic disaster.

    The greatest insult to us as citizens of Australia is that we are clearly unrepresented in Parliament on this matter.

    We are now Slaves.

    And that is shameful in light of the sacrifice and effort that has gone into building this nation.

    KK

    411

    • #
      PeterS

      I agree. The outcome of Abbott’s actions over the short term and the result of the next election will determine whether we can avoid the crash and burn scenario we are still rapidly heading for.

      270

    • #
      pattoh

      That “crash & burn” may be closer than you imagine.

      How critical to keeping the electricity grid from collapse are the short cycle Gas Turbines?

      How fundamental is the Gas Reticulation Network to those Turbines?

      How smart is it to consider selling APA to a foreign entity?

      How long would it take Australia to recover from a grid collapse?

      How long would it be before the A$ goes Venezuelan?

      How could Australia service all those loans we get so Julie can look fashionable while giving it away?

      280

    • #
      sophocles

      Nationalize.

      (It’s not Socialist, it’s self-defence.)

      131

      • #
        Tom R Hammer

        Nationalize? Are you kidding? The electricity market would work perfectly well…and did…if the playing field wasn’t tipped in the direction of the renewable industry, the goals weren’t able to be moved at the renewable industry’s whim and the referees weren’t in the pockets of the renewable industry.
        Nationalize? When Canberra has ostracized any skeptic from the territory and every department has some interest in promoting non-fossil fuels.
        Find a CEO from a utility company who hasn’t been lured to the renewable darkside with lucrative consulting fees and cushy advisory roles. Unraveling the twisted structure that supports the renewable industry is going to take a long time. Getting investment and approvals for new power stations will probably take just as long. The eco-terrorists are going to try and tie everything up in courts.

        70

      • #
        PeterS

        No need to nationalise. Just get rid of the RETs and all renewables subsidies, walk away from the Paris Accord and let the market build all the coal fired power stations they like using cheap and plentiful coal, especially now that power prices are much higher than they used to be when it was still viable to build them before the renewbales madness started. Simples.

        70

    • #
      Lawrie

      What’s the bet that Malcolm will go to a general election to stop Abbott from challenging. If it looks like Abbott is getting traction Mal would rather destroy what is left of the Liberal Party rather than give Tony a chance to show how a change of direction and leadership could win.

      240

      • #
        PeterS

        True. Turnbull will do anything to save his skin and make sure Abbott never returns. In the process Turnbull will quicken the crash and burn scenario by allowing Shorten become PM.

        120

        • #
          Jeff

          That’s what I am worried about.
          Worst case scenario is Labor winning an election.
          I agree with what Abbott says, but a leadership fight could be playing into Labor hands, IDK.

          41

          • #
            PeterS

            Turnbull probably would rather have Shorten in government than Abbott. That’s how twisted Turnbull is. I’m afraid unless Abbott has lots of backers the game is lost to the enviro-terrorists.

            60

          • #
            el gordo

            The punters still have Labor a full length in front to win, with Tony and Julie Bishop trailing Malcolm further back. Of particular interest is the firming of Albanese in the betting stakes.

            Abbott doesn’t want Albo to unseat Shorten, for obvious reasons, like he is a populist and a big fan of high speed rail.

            30

        • #
          Greebo

          Given Wentworth is a safe seat, Mal would hold it. He could then defect to his Party of first choice. Then Bill or Albo would really need to watch their backs.

          00

      • #
        el gordo

        It did cross my mind, but its unlikely because the voters can see through all of this.

        We are in the midst of a communications revolution, the prince has no clothes.

        40

        • #
          Bushkid

          Unfortunately, El gordo, I really don’t think the vast majority of voters can see through this. The vast majority remain in total ignorance, too engrossed in the footy, cooking shows, renovation shows and the latest iteration “love at first bite” or whatever it is. They really have no idea, or interest for that matter.

          For crying out loud, even one of our “esteemed” senators thought “Sea Patrol” was real! And that heiferlump is still there, consuming valuable resources.

          160

          • #
            OriginalSteve

            They will when their elderly relatives start dying in nursing homes who have faulty backup gennies…

            40

          • #
            el gordo

            Of course they are distracted by petty self interests, but a political revolution in Canberra should galvanise the electorate.

            40

          • #
            Greebo

            Heiferlump… I love it, and I’m going to steal it. Just priceless…

            10

        • #
          Graeme No.3

          el gordo:

          What Abbott has done is certain to bring the matter to public attention. Firstly the ABC etc cannot ignore him however much they want too. Neither can the Greens who cannot attack him without giving him publicity.
          Secondly he wants to reduce electricity bills, which will get the public on side. Thirdly The Australian is on Abbott’s side.
          It will change the debate from “we must be good two shoes” to “what has the UN ever done for us?”
          As I pointed out even The Guardian could only find 15% who think that the NEG would result in lower power bills.

          Turnbull and Frydenberg will have to ‘modify’ their little plot to placate the backbench and the Nationals. If he doesn’t Abbott (and allies) should join The Conservatives and Turnbull would have to negotiate to get bills through. He won’t like that up him.

          And don’t think that Shorten will be immune as the idea that renewables are pushing power bills up and up becomes widely accepted.
          We live in interesting times.

          130

          • #
            el gordo

            The early bulletins from the ABC give the impression that its a typical grab for attention and they bring up his past, what Abbott said when he was PM.

            So he has to convince everyone that the world moves on and ideas change, for example he could say the belief that carbon dioxide warms the atmosphere is flawed. Even the IPCC now admits the models exaggerated future outcomes.

            The models failed primarily because they left out the biggest greenhouse gas, water vapour.

            50

          • #
            PeterS

            Yes if Abbott’s move to replace Turnbull fails he has only one viable option remaining. He and as many others who are on his side will have to leave the party and join the ACP. It’s the only remaining sensible thing to do. If not then either Turnbull or Shorten wins and the nation is doomed. That’s the reality and the sooner Abbott exercises one or the other option the better.

            100

            • #
              el gordo

              Cory and Tony could join the Nats after the Coalition collapse.

              40

              • #
                PeterS

                Yes that’s one scenario but the Nats also have their dead wood. At the moment the ACP is the only party that’s clean of any renewables nonsense. If Abbott can clean out ALL of the dead wood in the Nats then it would be nice if the ACP merged with them. Otherwise, it would poison the ACP and we end up worse than we are now.

                60

            • #
              Greebo

              I imagine that Photios and Zimmerman will up their push to get Tony dis-endorsed. If that were to happen I predict Tony would run, and win, as an indie. I believe the parlance is “own goal”.

              30

          • #
            Jeff

            Channel 7 nightly TV News just had a story on Abbott wanting to pull out of Paris and the Nationals supporting it.

            40

  • #
    PeterS

    Let’s be honest and realistic here. The energy policies of both major parties are set up to sabotage our economy, be it deliberate or not. So the question must now become will Abbott be strong enough to explain that reality to the public so he can fore a spill and then win the next election? I doubt it but I sincerely hope I’m wrong for our nation’s sake.

    150

    • #
      Graeme No.3

      PeterS:

      The recent poll by The Guardian showing only 15% believe that the NEG will reduce electricity prices will be important in a lot of politicians’ eyes. As it was The Guardian you can be pretty sure that those 15% would vote for The Greens, so other parties will start to wonder why they are pandering to 15% who will never vote for them.

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      • #
        PeterS

        I can believe that. The problem is the factions in the Liberal Party will defend Turnbull even if it means losing the next election to Shorten by a landslide. In that case I hope the Liberal Party is destroyed so that we can have a new party.

        110

        • #
          el gordo

          The Essential Poll is illuminating, it indicates the people are ready to talk about energy even though 83% think renewables are the way to go.

          Its simply because of the high energy bills finally impacting the hip pocket nerve.

          80

  • #
    Kinky Keith

    We supported Peter Ridd.

    Would it make any impact if Tony Abbott was given similar support?

    KK

    160

  • #
    Another Ian

    Somewhat O/T but more dumping

    “WINNING: Arizona Appellate Court decides Hockey Stick emails must be released”

    https://wattsupwiththat.com/2018/07/03/winning-arizona-appellate-court-decides-hockey-stick-emails-must-be-released/

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  • #
    Amadeus

    This is today’s opening post from Sinclair Davidson, over at Catallaxy Files:

    “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.

    Turnbull, Shorten, Andrews, Palettshack and Di Natalie have had their moment in the sun…it’s time to be rid of these parasites. Democracy and good government urgently needed across Australia.

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    • #

      Sinclair Davidson has been among the most persistent promoters of the Turnbull Spring. Even when attacking the Libs he has been careful to criticise around Turnbull. His contortions on the subject have been so extreme as almost to inspire pity. (Almost, but not quite.) A bit like the sly way the consensus keeps getting ushered back in at CE once CE has the attention and sympathy of the skeptics. Getting a bit too clever.

      Sadly, there is a clique, many of its members centred round The Australian, who are so heavily invested in Malcolm Turnbull that they will try any stunt to defend their disastrous choice which they, along with the ABC, imposed on Australia. Even when Malcolm (now muffled) was at his silliest early on, unable to finish a sentence and raving about agile green whatsies, his “conservative” defenders were stubborn. What gives? A word from Rupert? Bolt was allowed to rant against Turnbull, for realism’s sake, but the rest were to toe the line?

      Anyway, I didn’t care at the time and wouldn’t care now if Turnbull had not turned out to be such a green waster. But he is a green waster of colossal proportions. There is no reason to believe that Abbott has been cured of his tin ear. (Gawd, all he had to do was dub a Qld sports personality – had the choice of Dame Cathy, Sir Alan Border and Sir Mal Meninga – and a reforming state government there might have been saved.) But if he makes the right noises that’ll have to do for now.

      For me, it’s not about Abbott, though a second chance needs to come his way. It’s about coal. Defend coal, and I defend you. Because the War on Coal has been the sharpest point of attack of the globalists on Oz. Not the only point of attack, but the sharpest. Let’s roll the bludgers on energy, for starters. When SBS interrupts its promotion of trans-everything to encourage people to shiver for the planet then we know it’s right about time to roll these globalist bludgers.

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    Gazman

    All of the rhetoric is great. But until it is openly acknowledged that increasing atmospheric CO2 is not only NOT polluting, but is essential for feeding a growing world population and greening the planet is hapoening, things will not change much. People have been deceived into being scared of CO2. The story has to change, and people need to know that more CO2 is actually desirable and a good thing.

    271

    • #

      Correct Gaz. Abbott always refers to “emissions”. I am becoming more and more intolerable by these global marxists dictionary, such as: emissions, sustainability, renewables, biodiversity, heat trapping gasses, etc.

      50

  • #
    Ian1946

    Giles is getting very upset saying that how could anyone not support ‘Demand Management’ etc.

    https://reneweconomy.com.au/turnbulls-fine-line-climate-capitulation-denial-62241/

    Maybe they see the free money ending for windmill owners.

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    • #
      manalive

      For months we have lamented the stupidity of the debate around climate and energy, and the extraordinary push-back from conservatives against any new technologies such as wind, solar, battery storage, demand management, and electric vehicles … (Reneweconomy).

      As I see it so-called conservatives have nothing against new technologies even wind, battery storage or electric vehicles for those who are prepared to pay for them out of their own pockets.
      As for “demand management” that’s one of those insidious euphemisms like “ethnic cleansing”, it actually means lower income groups being increasingly priced out of the market and having to cut back on an essential service.

      140

      • #
        Annie

        Not to mention wrecking industry by depriving it of adequate electricity.

        71

        • #
          Annie

          It obviously won’t bother the producers of the proudly proclaimed ‘carbon free bricks’ sighted alongside the railway line at Burnley (Melbourne)!

          61

        • #
          Dennis

          The de-industrialisation of Australia described by Tony Abbott.

          The undermining of national prosperity, my words.

          50

  • #
    manalive

    There seems to be an effort in the MSM (except The Australian) to frame this development merely as a political stoush between Turnbull and Abbott, Abbott causing trouble as usual and it will all go away — nothing to see here.
    The ABC doesn’t even mention it concentrating instead on a plan to burn garbage to produce ‘clean’ energy.

    180

    • #
      Graeme No.3

      Ask them why we shouldn’t burn wood? There’s lots of Huon pine and Mountain ash in Tasmania.

      70

      • #
        ColA

        No Graeme, better still, buy old growth hardwood pellets from USA and fire up Hazzelwood just like Drax. Win WIN for everyone!

        70

        • #
          Graeme No.3

          ColA:

          The local Greens don’t care if the USA, Finland, Slovakia, Indonesia, Colombia or even Russia are de-forested. Out of sight etc. but turning Tasmania into a tree less wreck would require explanations that would I think be beyond even their powers of invention.

          90

  • #
    Latus Dextro

    Someone like Tony Abbott is urgently required across the Tasman. New Zealand needs saving from itself and its extreme Left wing coalition of minority losing parties including the Greens sold on installing a “Zero Carbon Act” the legal enforcement of a series of Carbon budgets in the form of legally binding emission targets.

    Meanwhile, for those wanting a refresher or clarification of the Australian Renewables Energy Target (RET).

    Taxes and incentives for renewable energy KPMG International
    (The 2015 edition provides updates on renewable energy promotion policies for 31 countries)

    The Renewable EnergyTarget (RET) in Australia.
    Australia’s RET is designed to ensure that 20 percent of Australia’s electricity comes from renewable sources by 2020. The RET continues to act as the principle driver of new renewable energy investment across Australia and will achieve a target of 33,000 GWh of renewable electricity by 2020. The renewable energy sector has received increased certainty this year (2014) with the Australian Parliament passing renewed legislation committing to the target after a review process.
    In addition, no further reviews of the scheme are to occur until it ends in 2020.
    In addition to the RET there are also a number of policies, programs and incentives, with key initiatives specifically related to renewable energy which are described below.

    Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA)
    ARENA is an independent agency established by the Australian Government on 1 July 2012 and operates under the ARENA Act 2011.
    It has two key objectives: to improve the competitiveness of renewable energy technologies, and to increase the supply of renewable energy in Australia. It has approximately AUD2.5 billion in funding for renewable energy projects and research and development activities.To date, it has committed AUD1.1 billion to 230 projects across a range of technologies.

    ARENA’s current initiatives.
    Emerging Renewables Program (ERP)
    Ultimately the aim is to lower the cost of energy produced by renewable energy technologies to a point where they are better able to compete with traditional fossil-fuel technologies. Funding is available under two categories: projects and measures.
    Supporting High value Australian Renewable Energy Knowledge (SHARE)
    Research and Development Program (RDP)
    Accelerated Step Change Initiative (ASCI)
    Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC)

    Quota obligation
    20 percent reduction by 2020.

    100

  • #
    Lance

    Apparently, the infamous “Hockey Stick Emails” from Arizona State University will be released. An Appeals Court has denied the University claims that obstruct release of the data. This ought be very interesting indeed.

    https://wattsupwiththat.com/2018/07/03/winning-arizona-appellate-court-decides-hockey-stick-emails-must-be-released/

    Unless the Arizona State Supreme Court overrules the appeals court (highly unlikely) the emails will be released.

    Dr Mann should be rightly worried at present. The entire scam is about to be revealed.

    200

  • #
    David Maddison

    I was at the speech, front row. He admits he was mislead about the supposed harm of CO2, and even the decision to not get nuclear submarines.

    Full text of speech here:

    http://tonyabbott.com.au/2018/07/2018-bob-carter-commemorative-lecture-australian-environment-foundation-melbourne/

    161

    • #
      beowulf

      That’s a pretty brief speech for such a major topic and barely touched on so many critical points. Did Abbott spend much time fielding questions afterwards? Did Ridd speak?

      60

      • #
        Annie

        Tony Abbott’s speech came over well and there were questions afterwards although some were rather rambling and wasted time. Peter Ridd did speak while giving the vote of thanks. Beththeserf and I managed to talk to him afterwards. Sorry we didn’t spot you or TdeF David; it would have been nice to meet you both as I do like your comments. We were about half way back on the RHS facing the front.

        111

  • #
    Robber

    When did we arrive in George Orwell’s 1984?
    The Prime Minister and his Minister for Energy have been repeating the mantra that wholesale electricity prices have dropped by 25% in the last year, and modelling says that a further 23% drop will occur under the NEG. You would expect that they would proudly show graphs and charts proving their statements. But just perhaps the Ministry of Truth hasn’t yet completed updating history like they did with temperature records?
    Ah, but looking at AEMO’s reports I can see what they have done. In 2016/17 the average wholesale electricity price in Qld was $93/MWhr, and in 2017/18 it was $73/MWhr, so there we have it, a 22% reduction. Of course they neglected to mention that in 2015/16 the Qld price was $60. Tony, what went on in Qld before the last election? Where the State-owned generators gaming the system?
    Because in NSW, the prices were $81 and $82, a 1% rise, and in Vic $67 and $92, a 37% jump.
    Where are the investigative journalists checking the Prime Ministers claims and publishing the facts? Where are the ABC’s “Fact Checkers”?

    In 1984, Orwell creates a technologically advanced world in which fear is used as a tool for manipulating and controlling individuals who do not conform to the prevailing political orthodoxy. Sound familiar?

    170

  • #
    Ruairi

    Australia tried too hard to please,
    The U.N., the E.U. and appease,
    The Green beast that roared,
    Which should now be ignored,
    And begin to rise up off its knees.

    140

  • #
    John in Oz

    These comments make one wonder at the intelligence and forethought of our ‘leaders’:

    The former PM now says he never anticipated the climate change reduction targets he signed up would be binding.

    Mr Abbott said both he and John Howard had been in the dark about the full implications of their own climate change mitigation policies including the renewable energy target and the international emissions reductions pledges.

    “I’m not sure that the Howard government fully anticipated where the renewable energy target would lead when it first made the decision to impose one,” he said.

    The highlighted admissions show that it was not only KRudd who planned our futures on the back of a serviette (the roof insulation debacle was ‘planned’ this way if I remember correctly).

    Idjits, the lot of them but now Tony has seen the light and next time he and the other trough-gobblers will get it right.

    90

    • #
      Dennis

      Presumably he referred to signing a cabinet document when he was still Prime Minister and therefore prior to September 2015 when he lost the leadership?

      The Paris Conference was held in December 2015 and the Agreement was signed and ratified in New York during April 2016.

      “When he was prime minister, Mr Abbott signed Australia up to reducing emissions to 26-28 per cent on 2005 levels by 2030. But he said on Tuesday that was only ever intended to be an aspiration.

      “I certainly didn’t anticipate, as prime minister, how the aspirational targets we agreed to at Paris would, in different hands, become binding commitments,” he said.”

      90

  • #
    OriginalSteve

    Jo said “Its about time”….

    I recall Gough said “Its time”….

    To the snowflakes…its about time….

    70

    • #
      PeterS

      It was time for the US to elect Trump. Now it’s our turn. Abbott is not like Trump but he’s the best the party has at the moment. So yes it’s time – to dump Turnbuull and all his leftists liberal supporters once and for all. Either that or we will have Shorten for PM thanks to our over-complicated preferential voting system.

      150

      • #
        Mickey Reno

        Abbott needs to go full out Carbon Dioxide is GOOD! ALL LIFE benefits from more CO2 in the air. Study the words of Dr. Patrick Moore and believe in them. Political slogans abound. Return Australia to sanity with cheap, reliable electricity generation and cheap rates. Bring back aluminum smelters and car assembly plants. Promote Australian coal, more coal job for Aussies, not the Chinese. Cut back on government, get rid of RET, Paris, IPCC, get rid of all smart meters, leaving fewer public sector rent seekers. Promote the growing professions, CO2 helps grow more grass, good for cattlemen, grow more crops and food, richer farmers, let the trees and the sea life suck the new CO2 out of the air, promote fishing and lumbering, more jobs, richer fishermen and lumbermen, If you can’t build a political coalition around those ideas, you ain’t a good politician.

        10

  • #
    C. Paul Barreira

    “I certainly didn’t anticipate . . . aspirational targets . . . would . . . become binding commitments. . . .”

    Why not?

    He’d been around long enough; likewise John Howard was (probably still is) one of the most knowledgeable of history among Australian citizens (despite being in thrall to the nonsense of “mateship”), and well as having been around long enough.

    It suggests a want of attentiveness. Would another round of Tony Abbott as prime minister be any different?

    Where is the public in all this?

    How do—can—we know?

    60

    • #
      Dennis

      He as Prime Minister did not intend for Australia to ratify the Paris Agreement following the Paris Conference and discussions there.

      In September 2015 he lost the leadership and in April 2016 the Paris Agreement was signed and ratified at UN HQ New York USA in April 2016.

      70

    • #
      toorightmate

      Do not be critical of Howard and Abbott. 90% of all Australians are yet to wake up as to just what the bloody hell is happening.

      110

    • #
      PeterS

      Would another round of Tony Abbott as prime minister be any different?

      It depends on two main factors. One, he becomes more Trump-like and bashes heads together in his own party instead of being a wimp. Two, the public by and large wake up and understand the con job being perpetrated by the likes of Turnbull and Shorten. These two factors combined make it almost impossible I believe for things to change enough to avoid a crash and burn scenario. Time will tell.

      70

    • #
      Sceptical lefty

      Fair points!

      The mere fact that Mr Abbott may be right on this issue is insufficient to blot out the public memory of his perceived failings. The Liberal Party dumped him for the best of reasons — at the time he was seen to be electoral poison and the Libs were headed for an election trouncing. Turnbull, whatever decent Rightwingers (or, for that matter, parliamentary Liberals) may think of him, has broad voter appeal. Ideological purity is a wonderful thing, but pragmatic politicians know that to have a realistic prospect of achieving anything useful, you first have to win government.

      Should the man who knighted Prince Philip be reinstated as Liberal Party leader, his old deficiencies will be dredged up and reventilated. Mr Abbott’s Party supporters are well aware of this. He had his shot at leadership and blew it in a manner which virtually guarantees that he will never have another.

      If Mr Turnbull is to be disposed of, you need to find a replacement who has comparable (or better) electoral appeal and is at least tolerable to the broad factions of the Liberal Party. Mr Abbott is not that man!

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      • #
        Dennis

        That is inaccurate, and don’t forget that Abbott led the Coalition to defeat Labor in September 2013 in a landslide victory for the Coalition. And in 2010 he led them to effectively defeat Labor despite their significant 2007 election victory. Opposition Leader from September 2009 replacing Malcolm Turnbull who took the leadership from Dr Brendan Nelson in 2008 and proved to be a very poor leader.

        A majority of parliamentary Liberals voted to replace Abbott with Turnbull in September 2015 based on 29 polls showing the government trailing Labor however, similar polls were published in the lead up to the 2013 election victory and earlier. PM Turnbull has since racked up 35 polls behind Labor. It is clear that Turnbull together with his “Black Hand” faction colleagues maintained a campaign of relentless negativity against Abbott commencing in 2009 just before he was drafted to replace Turnbull as Opposition Leader. The 2010 and 2013 election results defied those polls however, in 2016 the Government led by PM Turnbull lost the seats gained in 2013 by the Abbott led Coalition.

        So why was Abbott dumped? The 2013 election brought a number of first time MPs into Parliament and the Liberal Party and the Black Hand convinced them based on the polls that PM Turnbull no longer believes in they would lose their seats with PM Abbott leading at the 2016 election. I wonder how they all feel now?

        The recommendation for a Knighthood for Prince Phillip followed a request from Buckingham Palace to all Commonwealth of Nations governments. PM Abbott was not at liberty to divulge this fact at the time and his opponents used it to ridicule him. Unfortunately too many people proved to be victims of propaganda including the relentless negativity from 2009 to 2015 and still applied from time to time.

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      • #
        ando

        if the Libs were headed for an ‘election trouncing’ (according to who…ABC?), surely Turnbull would have waited until after the Canning by election where he could say told you so. The truth is Turnbull and rats knew Abbott was not electoral poison at all and the Canning by election would have confirmed that.

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        • #
          Dennis

          The Black Hand brought the spill motion forward because they realised that Captain Andrew Hastie was going to win the by election seat of Canning contrary to the Black Hand whisper campaign to the contrary aimed at the new MPs from 2013 who were told that with PM Abbott as leader they would lose their seats at the 2016 election.

          As they did with PM Turnbull.

          71

      • #
        el gordo

        ‘Should the man who knighted Prince Philip be reinstated as Liberal Party leader…’

        He has been broadly vilified in the press for that gaff, but it wasn’t his fault because it was a Royal Request from Her Majesty. He couldn’t really turn around and say it was the Queen’s idea.

        ‘….electoral appeal and is at least tolerable to the broad factions of the Liberal Party.’

        Forget that factional business, this is bigger than that, so he will appeal directly to the people.

        ‘Mr Abbott is not that man!’

        Political forecasting is difficult, because of the variables in play, but I’m confident he has the charismatic qualities to become PM again.

        70

      • #
        shannon

        .. “He had his shot at leadership and blew it in a manner which virtually guarantees that he will never have another”…..

        Tony didnt “blow it” ..he was “dynamited” by a relentless left media !

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  • #
    toorightmate

    As at 10:30 am AEST 4 July, not a mention of Abbott’s speech on THEIR ABC.

    100

  • #
    Alice Thermopolis

    “It’s a fight, not a negotiation because there is no negotiating with witchcraft.”

    “The word trickery had paved the way for Turnbull to claim he was sticking to Abbott’s plan.”

    Spot on. This new book deconstructs how “climate-craft” (almost) took over the world:

    The Devil’s Dictionary of Climate Change: Wicked words to amuse your friends and upset your enemies
    Authored by Mr George Lexicon

    Links: “look inside” Kindle ebook.

    Back cover quote: “In science, there is an attempt to clarify; in global warming [politics], language is misused in order to confuse and mislead the public.” Professor Richard Lindzen, atmospheric physicist

    Also see: https://wattsupwiththat.com/2018/06/21/friday-funny-the-devils-dictionary-of-climate-change/

    80

  • #
    Geoffrey Williams

    I sense Abbott is leaving his run to the last lap of a 1600m race . . It’s all on the next 12 months.
    GeoffW

    40

    • #
      Dennis

      I think it is now close to the six months notice the PM was given by his political opponents in the Liberal Party based on their concerns about his poor leadership and judgement.

      40

  • #
    Geoffrey Williams

    We have to get the message out there so that those who casually support climate change realize the cost & the damage that their support is inflicting on the energy sector of this country.
    And it will not stop there. Sarah Hansen Young and the Co2 alarmists mob are coming after you with lots, lots more.
    Like private motorists, the commercial transport sector, and of course the farming / meat industry, to name a few.
    So if you can’t ride a bike you’d better learn now, and if you like a barbecue or a roast then start thinking vegetarian.
    And while you’re at it keep all those old woolen jumpers you will need them!
    Regards GeoffW

    90

  • #
    pat

    4 Jul: RenewEconomy: NEG may double carbon price to $35/tonne for industrial sectors
    By Giles Parkinson
    The disaster that is the Coalition government’s climate and energy policy has been underlined by a new report that suggests the proposed National Energy Guarantee will impose an effective carbon price of $35/tonne on industrial sectors.
    The analysis from Reputex confirms many assessments that the weak emissions reduction target for the electricity sector that the Turnbull government is seeking to enshrine in NEG will most likely be met by 2020, a decade ahead of time.

    With no policy to extract low-cost emissions cuts in electricity, the emphasis will fall on other sectors to meet Australia’s national emissions reductions target of 26-28 per cent.
    For the first time, Reputex puts a price on this abatement in other industrial sectors, at $35/tonne – more than 50 per cent more than the fixed carbon price of the Rudd government, and probably four times more than it would have been if the carbon price had remained…

    Little wonder that the likes of former prime minister Tony Abbott is using this as a pretext for calling for Australia to follow the Trump administration’s example and quit the Paris climate treaty…

    And it is doubly galling to see the main business and industry lobby groups – principally the Business Council of Australia, the Australian Industry Group, the Minerals Council of Australia – argue for such a weak NEG, when it is patently obvious wind and solar and energy efficiency offer by far the cheapest form of abatement.
    It was these business groups who called on Abbott to can the carbon price to protect their own short-term interests.
    Now they are calling for a policy that will impose an effective cost of carbon on their sectors far higher than could ever have been imagined with the formal carbon price. Reputex puts the cost to industry at $10 billion over the 10 years, and this will flow through to consumers…

    Grossman says the international carbon price is likely to go beyond the Australia price and rise to the equivalent of $A50 by 2030, but that’s because countries in those markets have more ambitious targets.
    “While international carbon units are historically perceived as ‘low cost’, we see carbon prices in Europe and California growing beyond A$50 by 2030 as those markets seek to meet increased emissions reduction commitments” Grossman said…READ ON
    https://reneweconomy.com.au/neg-may-double-carbon-price-to-35-tonne-for-industrial-sectors-92622/

    20

  • #
    Geoffrey Williams

    My final rant for the day; if it all goes Malcolm’s way in the next year or two then you can join me in and emigrate to somewhere comfortable in Asia. Sell up, take all your assets, live like a king and laugh at all the crap going on in this country!!
    GeoffW

    70

  • #
    Cameron

    It is hard to believe how absolutely naïve Abbott was about all of this. He really seems to have thought that he could make grand gestures about aspirational targets without some snake like Turnbull suddenly getting into government and making them mandatory.

    What other idiocy has Abbott left lying around for scum like Turnbull to pick up.

    52

    • #
      Tom R Hammer

      I agree with you Cameron. There is no placating eco-terrorists or ideological zealots. Give them a little and they want more. Their goal is 100% wind and solar. Politicians of a decade ago flogged that “saving the world” garbage for political gain. It’s difficult for me to forgive their change of heart now. Just seems like they are flogging the next horse in search of an election victory.

      20

      • #
        el gordo

        ‘It’s difficult for me to forgive their change of heart now.’

        We have little choice, 80% of the electorate has been brainwashed, including a huge swath of politicians from both sides.

        ‘Tony Abbott says Australia joined the Paris agreement on the basis of certain truths, which have turned out to be false.’ Oz

        Whatever does he mean?

        00

  • #
    pat

    ABC has woken up, now that it’s worked out how to frame it:

    4 Jul: ABC: Tony Abbott wants Australia to pull out of the Paris Climate deal
    By political correspondent Louise Yaxley
    Posted 11 minutes ago
    “I think the best thing we can do right now is pull out of the Paris Agreement,” Mr Abbott told Sky News last night…

    Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has rebuked him, saying Australia “plays by the rules”.
    “If we sign an agreement we stick to the agreement,” Ms Bishop told Sky.
    “Australia wants to be seen as a reliable and trusted global partner — we signed the Paris agreement, we can achieve the targets that we set, and they were deliberately set in a way that we could achieve them,” she said…

    When he was prime minister, Mr Abbott said Australia would keep its commitments.
    “The difference between Australia and a lot of other countries, quite frankly is, when we make commitments to reduce emissions we keep them,” he said at a media conference in July 2015.
    “Other countries make all these airy fairy promises, that in the end never come to anything,” he said…

    Much of Mr Abbott’s speech to the Australian Environment Foundation on Tuesday night was at odds with the position he took three years ago, but he defended that on Sky saying “now that we know more, we can do differently”.
    “When circumstances change, you change your position,” he said…

    Mr Abbott has repeatedly cited Chief Scientist Alan Finkel to explain his call for Australia to withdraw from the Paris Agreement.
    He quoted Dr Finkel as saying “nothing that Australia does to reduce emissions will make the slightest difference to climate”.
    But Dr Finkel recently said he was taken “totally out of context”.
    He confirmed on the ABC’s Weekend Wrap program he said getting rid of Australia’s 1.3 per cent of global emissions makes very little difference numerically.
    But Dr Finkel said “if all countries had that attitude and didn’t participate in the global drive, the global strategy, then we would get nowhere.
    “It is a bit like a democracy. If everybody said ‘well my vote doesn’t count I won’t vote’ and we all did that we would no longer have a democracy — that was the context that I made that comment,” he said.

    Mr Abbott’s current position contradicts his stance as prime minister in a variety of ways.
    Three years ago he announced the target Australia would take to the Paris talks and called it “responsible and achievable”.
    He said it “gets the right balance between our economic and environmental responsibilities”.
    “We are a country that sets credible, achievable targets and we meet them,” Mr Abbott said.
    “This is certainly not without costs but the costs are manageable.
    “So, this has been carefully put together to be environmentally and economically responsible.”
    http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-07-04/tony-abbott-says-pull-out-of-paris-climate-agreement/9937972

    00

  • #
    pat

    apparently, ABC did have this piece up 3 hours ago, but it doesn’t come up in regular search and is not on the “ABC Just In” page when I visited just now:

    AUDIO: 3min27secs: 4 Jul: ABC: Abbott urges Australia to withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement
    posted 3 hours ago
    By Katherine Gregory on AM
    Former prime minister Tony Abbott has escalated an attack on his own party’s energy and climate change policies.
    In a speech delivered to a think tank last night, Mr Abbott urged Australia to withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement and rethink its national energy guarantee.
    He wants the Coalition to follow the lead of US President Donald Trump and abandon any official emissions reduction policies.
    Featured:
    Tony Abbott, former prime minister
    Craig Kelly, Liberal MP
    Julie Bishop, Foreign Minister
    http://www.abc.net.au/radio/canberra/programs/am/abbott-urges-australia-to-withdraw-from-paris-climate-agreement/9938086

    nowhere in either piece is Bob Carter mentioned…and, no surprise, nor is Peter Ridd.

    30

  • #
    Geoff Sherrington

    There are several related issues that need honest impartial investigation and correction. Please add to this list.

    1. Smart Meters. Were they ligitimately described as compulsory, or was that a deceit to help profiteers? What was their buying and selling price by the importers? (Varies from State to State?). What has been their benefit:cost?

    2. RET. As Jo, TdeF and others have asked, what are the actual, legal and constitutional details of the RET and its main consequences?

    3. Windmills. Again, what has been the operational benefit:cost to date? If this I poor or negative, can future protections recover the losses to the taxpayer? Ditto for large solar.

    4. Palmer/Parkinson/Gore meeting. Public account of this carried a stench from the start? Was Palmer blackmailed, with detriment to the public?

    5. AGL and Liddell. If factual, was its sale to AGL for zero dollars legitimate? Who authorised such a deal and did said person have the authority of do this?

    6. Julie Bishop et al, Green Climate Fund, Clinton funds. What benefits were promised to Australians for the several cash gifts of hundreds of millions of dollars to these two ‘funds’. Have these benefits been realised, will they be?

    7. Defence & Energy Security. Australia has laws requiring stockpiles of some fuels to be kept on standby for use for defined lengths of time in emergencies. Are these quantities being met?

    8. Representation at climate talk fests. Who selects people to represent Australia? Do these people have adequate qualifications?Are they schooled about desired national policy or do they ad lib? Does the public have access to such briefing papers?

    9. ABC and other broadcasters. There is patently obvious imbalance in climate reporting with emphasis on minority green views. Can balance be restored?

    10. Education. There is emphasis on minority green topics and gross misrepresentation of matters like nuclear energy. Who sets educational topics and balance? Is it reviewed from time to time? Does the public have a path to contribute?

    11. BOM. Still openly in love with global warming, still to face a
    hard forensic analysis of adjustments to the temperature record. Who is blocking a proper inquiry, who is selecting the wimps for past ineffectual inquires?

    12. Intellectual freedom. What actions has Government undertaken to prevent future sacking episodes like Carter, Ridd etc? What redress for past obscenities of this type has happened?

    Geoff

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    • #
      Kinky Keith

      When you compile the list it makes us realise that we have been given a real beating.

      50

  • #
    Greg Cavanagh

    It looks like Abbott understands what is behind Brexit and Trump. Good for him, we need a real leader.

    90

  • #
    angry

    Tony Abbott calls for Australia to pull out of Paris climate deal………..

    http://morningmail.org/abbott-turns-volume-paris-accord/#more-85302

    30

  • #
    angry

    BS quote of the week!

    Journo: “Prime Minister, were you happy with the latest Newspoll results?” [# 35 loss]

    Malcolm Turnbull: “I’m not a commentator on polls, I leave that to experts like yourselves …” [Except #30 loss when I stabbed Abbott in the back]

    70

    • #
      Dennis

      Turnbull referred to 30 polls but that was not true, when the spill against PM Abbott was organised the polls were 29.

      But the excuse to removed PM Abbott from office revolved around poor polling results and a campaign to turn the new MPs who won their seats at the 2013 election against the man who led the Coalition to victory at that election. The “Black Hand” Turnbull support faction realised that Abbott’s candidate Captain Andrew Hastie might win the Canning WA by election which would ruin the propaganda based on the polls, so the plotters went in earlier than they were planning.

      50

  • #
    angry

    Time Magazine and their Ice Age Prediction from 1977………..

    http://morningmail.org/blow-blow-global-warming/#more-85237

    Never happened!

    30

  • #
    PeterS

    Abbott now openly admits he doesn’t want a leadership change -just a change in energy policy. Yeah right – zero chance of that happening under Turnbull. Only one option now left for Abbott – leave the party and join the ACP taking others with him. Not going to happen. So now we are stuck with Turnbull as PM until the next election then it will be Shorten or other from the ALP as PM. Good one Abbott.

    40

    • #
      el gordo

      Its a long game and Labor is set to win the next election, which means Turnbull would resign and return to the big end of town. Not sure what Abbott would do then.

      Cory is quiet on this most important issue of our time, so Abbott won’t be talking to the ACP until Cory lifts his game.

      10

      • #
        PeterS

        By Cory lifting his game you mean that Abbott is not moving over to the ACP because Cory’s “game” is below that of Tunrbull? Strange sort of logic especially since Cory is a conservative and publicly speaks very much like Abbott on mos issues while Turnbull does not.

        00

  • #
    Dennis

    Media statement from Prime Minister Turnbull about the signing of the Paris Agreement in April, 2016 –

    https://www.malcolmturnbull.com.au/media/australia-signs-paris-agreement-on-climate-change

    20

    • #
      el gordo

      For Tony it was just ‘aspirational’ but for Malcolm it was a godsend, or so he thought.

      10

  • #
    el gordo

    Graham Lloyd in the Oz

    ‘Tony Abbott’s verdict on the Paris climate deal makes sense to many Australians.’

    30

    • #
      PeterS

      Too bad it doesn’t make sense to the LNP but it does to the ACP. Hmmm.

      10

      • #
        GD

        Unfortunately, I fear that Tony Abbott will go down with the Liberal Party ship rather than bail out and sign up with the Aus Conservatives.

        Ideally, he and Craig Kelly would join the ACP. Between them, they already have a substantial media presence, something that Cory doesn’t have.

        10