Carbon Tax (2 Viewers)

[Selador]

Carbon tax. Support or Oppose?


"There will be no carbon tax under a government I lead"
- Julia Gillard, days before the 2010 Federal Election

 

[funkshen]

"Read my lips, there will be no GST"
- John Howard

Life went on.

 

[Blastus]

"Read my lips, there will be no GST"
- John Howard

Life went on.

He took GST to an election as an outlined policy. Other than the policy changed over time there are no similarities between the two.

 

[cosmo kramer]

why would you post this here

 

[funkshen]

He took GST to an election as an outlined policy. Other than the policy changed over time there are no similarities between the two.

Of course. But the quote is clearly irrelevant to the support or opposition to a Carbon Tax (or if you supported or opposed the GST.)

 

[kaz1]

Best policy to reduce emmissions imo.

 

[Lolsmith]

Best policy to reduce emmissions imo.

Should have called it a levy.

Everyone would have loved it

 

[funkshen]

What's next? A fat tax?

 

[kaz1]

Should have called it a levy.

Everyone would have loved it

It's not a levy though.

 

[Slidey]

The Conservative government of Britain aims to cut carbon emissions 50% by 2025. They've pretty much gone into green overdrive. America is spending billions on wind farms and solar thermal towers (and they look like pretty decent investments in terms of bang for buck, too). Japan is going to pass a law requiring all new buildings and structures to have solar panels on their roof. And we already know that Europe and China have been pretty progressive on emissions and renewable adoption. Australia is one of the laggards, along with Canada.

Even Google has its own green energy company (Google Energy), and has invested about $500 million in wind farms, transmission lines, and solar thermal towers.

Not only are renewable energy and low emissions good policy, they're an emerging global superindustry. Abbott and Minchin are out of their depth.

 

[funkshen]

We're going green because the neighbours are doing it.

 

[Blastus]

The Conservative government of Britain aims to cut carbon emissions 50% by 2025. They've pretty much gone into green overdrive. America is spending billions on wind farms and solar thermal towers (and they look like pretty decent investments in terms of bang for buck, too). Japan is going to pass a law requiring all new buildings and structures to have solar panels on their roof. And we already know that Europe and China have been pretty progressive on emissions and renewable adoption. Australia is one of the laggards, along with Canada.

Even Google has its own green energy company (Google Energy), and has invested about $500 million in wind farms, transmission lines, and solar thermal towers.

Not only are renewable energy and low emissions good policy, they're an emerging global superindustry. Abbott and Minchin are out of their depth.

so isn't it in our best interests to wait until the economies of scale exist for us to get the technology even cheaper in the future?

 

[funkshen]

so isn't it in our best interests to wait until the economies of scale exist for us to get the technology even cheaper in the future?

But then wouldn't it be in our best interests to wait until the technology got even cheaperer? There's a strong argument for getting in on this green wave early.

 

[Azure]

If you actually want to reduce emissions then an emissions trading scheme would trump a carbon tax.

 

[funkshen]

If you actually want to reduce emissions then an emissions trading scheme would trump a carbon tax.

Yeah, but a carbon tax is far more cost effective in the short term (and the carbon tax is a short term policy).

 

[Blastus]

If you actually want to reduce emissions then an emissions trading scheme would trump a carbon tax.

yeah at the expense of everyone in society but the bankers

 

[Blastus]

But then wouldn't it be in our best interests to wait until the technology got even cheaperer? There's a strong argument for getting in on this green wave early.

I think you've misread what I said...

 

[Blastus]

spend the ~50bn that the NBN would cost on a solar thermal scheme

don't get the NBN

you decide slidey

 

[funkshen]

I think you've misread what I said...

You said it'd be in our interests to wait until the economies of scale exist for us to get the technology cheaper. (economies of scale ---> lower cost ---> better for us) Would we even know when that would be? And even if we were at such a point in time, could we easily brush aside the people who were still saying "wait until it's cheaper" (as they are now). The political will to adopt green policies isn't infinite, and as I said, there are certainly advantages to be had in getting in early.

Also, a solar/thermal scheme would be far better than subsidising rural HD porn access.

 

[Blastus]

I've yet to see any advantages from getting in early other than allowing more time for a transitioning economy

we'll see what goes