expert views, page-11

Hey Cougar,

The change by Government is due to the fragile state of the world economies caused by the excesses of the captains of industry and finance who have been rampantly working at bleeding countries dry. So the time table has changed and while elements of the environmental movement wont be happy politically it will not hurt Rudd and his popularity will probably increase to new heights.

The climate change sceptics remind me of the emminent doctors who ridiculed Dr Joseph Lister when he put forward the view that sterilisation and antiseptic surgery would save lives. It was only when it became apparent that the disbelievers patients were dying at a horrendous rate compared to Listers patients and those surgeons who adopted his findings, that the sceptics came round. Similarly, the climate change sceptics will only come around when we get hit with the first round of disasters at great cost to life on this planet.

Im no authority on this subject but over my life cycle I consider that their are significant climatic changes in recent years that appears to support the global warming claims. It also seems to me that many of the people who vehmently discount climate change are influenced by economic issues. They are worried about the mighty dollar. That tends to make me think their judgement may be clouded as money rules their life and perhaps their principles. By way of example for years emminent people pushed the view that cigarettes and asbestos were not harmful and in my view their judgement was clouded by financial implications. To an extent this still occurs as the sale of cigarettes is still permitted and once again probably because of the money made by cigarette companies and the taxes collected by Governments.

Turnball in my opinion will compromise on this issue as he is well aware that in another two years economies will likely be chugging along and voters will be more amenable to environmental issues. Turnballs electorate of Wentworth has a strong environment friendly component and he would put himself at risk if he took a John Howard type hard line stance.