the opinionation

Tony Greenfinger

Yeah... I don't buy it either.

In a desperate attempt to shift the current public belief that he doesn't believe in Global Warming / Climate Change, Tony Abbott's PR team, whom I suspect have yet to graduate from any public relations course, have set him up with photo ops to sway our opinion.

The problem for the Opposition Leader is that Generations X and Y aren't as easy to fool as the hypocritical Baby Boomers. In order to have any hope of not looking like a fool on election day, he must find a way to connect with the two later generations. Unfortunatly, Generation X and Y aren't what one would label "passive" audiences. Through schooling and general distrust of the media and Government the younger generations have learnt to smell a rat. A picture of a man planting a tree just doesn't cut it as far as changing perceptions. We are all well aware of what a staged photo op is and this is the most basic of all. It's also painfully obvious that by appearing in a blue top, fluro vest and Khaki pants he is trying not only to connect with environmentalists, but also the blue collar worker. Although I'd class both parties as elitist conservatives, the Liberal party has a history of not being kind to the working class.

One photo doesn't make up for what we know he believes. How can we know? We get our information straight from the mentally challenged horse's mouth:

"Notwithstanding the dramatic increases in man-made CO2 emissions over the last decade, the world's warming has stopped"

I don't want to critisize the "man" for an opinion that many people hold, but this point of view flies directly in the face of what GenX, GenY and... science believes. His vague and almost comical plan for a "15,000-strong ''green army'' to tackle land degradation" will not get him any favours from the voters.

The job of a Prime Minister should be to listen to the people and act in the best interest of the country. When over 90% of the population wants real action on Climate Change via green energy plants and tough regulation on industry - you do it. Not because you believe it, but because we do.

I am not suggesting the Government should act on every whim from the electorate. For example, even if 90% of the electorate supoprted mandatory internet filtering, the Government of a "free" and democratic society shouldn't even entertain the thought. But when the whim is backed up by the vast majority of scientific data and common everyday observances - it must be upheld, especially of the cost of non action, according to the latest scientific data, is the possible extinction of our species.

Not that I'd suggest anyone would ever buy this pathetic attempt to appear environmentally concious ("Oh look, he has a hammer he MUST believe in climate change"), but those who might be entertaining the thought - what do you think a man who thinks the worst is over is really going to do for the wellbeing of our lands and the planet? Tony Abbott has shown in the past to be a man who acts based on his beliefs and morality, do you think, if elected, he would honestly "waste his time" dealing with a cause he doesn't believe in?

Didn't think so.

- db