“Greenhouse Emissions Soar as Leaders Defend Themselves”
The article in The Age “Thornley blasts power bosses over coal use” (p.2 by Adam Morton
25.04.09) is spot on. The Victorian Government led by John Brumby seems more interested in
jobs for the boys than jobs for the people. Brumby’s lack of leadership in applying rational,
logical thinking that would serve to create long term solutions is starkly evident once again.
Thornley claims that coal should not be burnt but rather have the carbon extracted and burn
the gas. This way we would not only have carbon to sell for $1200 a tonne to India and China to use in water purification, we would cut emisssions by two thirds, save the equivalent of 2
desalination plants worth of water and double the number of coalminers jobs. Presently we are
getting nothing for the carbon and at best a negative $30 when there is a carbon price and
“killing the planet”.
Seems like simple and obvious arithmetic to me. Just like it is not to provide water by building an energy guzzling, environmentally disastrous, shortlived desalination plant or a pipe from the Goulburn River to supply Melbourne. The latter is nowhere near finished and already been
declared a failure! On top of that, the ratepayers are being told that they will carry the burden of these Government projects. When will the Government serve the people instead of lining the pockets of yet another mate’s company?
What we need are leaders who have vision and the courage to plan for our future and
to not bow to the self serving needs of big business. A great leader creates a sound future for all and enrols the people in making it happen. It has nothing to do with protecting entrenched views from people trying to protect their jobs and their ego. Nor is it about taking easy options.
