The GST was also pretty confusing and we were told the sky would...

The GST was also pretty confusing and we were told the sky would fall in, life has gone on and we really don't notice it. The same will happen with the carbon emissions tax, we are a nation of wasters and if it teaches people that most fuel we currently use is finite and does something for the world at the same time then I see it as a positive and we will be ahead of most of the world.
I trust science every time I take a medication, have a vaccine or have surgery,I personally feel you can't cherry pick what you think they are right on. Most of us don't have the education in the sciences to understand the science and so should trust the science again, and there has been an almost hysterical oppositon to the tax with so much misinformation.
You will probably find that there will be large incentives for renewables, and that's where Lynas comes in. Take the deal with Siemens for one (albeit it is not in Australia), it is just an example of what will open up for us and there will be a shift to larger investments in the renewable sector (it's already starting to happen). This is a very exciting time for companies like Lynas, and I am very happy to be on board, I will be trolling the market for similar opportunities. We will still have our coal fired powered stations for the next couple of decades and China will still need our resources, but over time we will shift to a cleaner future for the generations yet to come, and along with it whole new idustries and the jobs that will come with them. Without change we would still have the horse and cart.