Guest post by Ruth Bonnett

In late 2010, I wrote about how bad science can give rise to bad policy. My Christmas message to farmers in Australia and around the world:

I am an urban dweller who just happens to think that the ‘unsettled science’ and restriction of technology has brought about bad policy by way of the Kyoto Protocol and subsequent disastrous consequences for our farmers, and anyone else who values sound science, property rights and our democratic freedoms

Little did I know that our Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, who promised that ‘there would be no carbon tax under the government I lead‘ would now break her sacred trust with the Australian public on 24th February 2011 and seek to burden all Australians with a tax on carbon dioxide emissions.

To inflict this harm, our Prime Ministers has resorted to several unconscionable tactics including characterising the producers of this nations as ‘big polluters’, launching personal attacks on critics, and on ordinary Australians who protest against this ‘carbon’ tax, and by bringing out stars such as Cate Blanchett and Michael Caton to somehow convince us ordinary folk that this ‘carbon’ tax will somehow reduce the temperature of the planet, make grey skies blue and improve the health of our children.

Never mind that Canada has just handed Conservative Stephen Harper a comfortable majority – the only party to go to the Canadian people without a headline ‘climate change’ policy. Never mind that Canada, Japan and Russia have all indicated that they would not join a second round of carbon (dioxide) cuts under the Kyoto Protocol at United Nations talks this year, with the USA reiterating that it would remain outside the treaty. Never mind that unilateral action by Australians would put us in a vulnerable trading position and severely impact our economy.

And never mind the bald faced lies used to sell this bad tax, based on unsettled science, fear mongering and outright hysterical claims.

Recent polls have shown that fully two thirds of Australians want an election before any carbon (dioxide) tax is introduced.

Indeed, say YES. Say YES to an election.

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