Australians voted today in a federal election and after 11 years of the Conservative Howard government have voted for change and a new Labor government.
Labor went to the electorate very clearly stating that if it won, it would ratify the Kyoto Protocol – something Prime Minister John Howard has resisted.
A Rudd Labor Government has also promised to:
• Finish the most comprehensive review of the costs for Australia of climate change (the Garnaut Review);
• Establish a 20 per cent renewable energy target to be achieved by 2020;
• Finalise the design of a national emissions trading scheme;
• Establish a $500 million fund to boost Renewable Energy; and
• Establish a $500 million fund for the development of Clean Coal technology.
My congratulations to Labor leader Kevin Rudd with his swing of about 6% but in particular my congratulations to my brother Jim Turnour who has won the Far North Queensland seat of Leichhardt with an incredibly large swing of more than 14%.
My brother Jim and his wife Tiffany.
I would also like to congratulation my friend Shane Neumann for his win in the seat of Blair.
Incredibly it looks like the Prime Minister John Howard has lost his seat of Bennelong to high profile ex-ABC journalist Maxine McKew.
SJT says
Congratulations Labor. Now for Peter Garrett to let us all know what they really intend to do.
James Mayeau says
Ah crap.
James Mayeau says
My condolences. Hope it doesn’t happen to use next year.
Nexus 6 says
Congratulations to your brother Jen. Amazing swing. Finally we are on the road to playing our part in combating climate change.
I’m excited!!!
Woody says
I guess we in the U.S. will get to see from Australia just how our country would have been ruined if Al Gore had been elected president.
Congratulations on your brother, Jen. What I can’t imagine is why anyone would run for office and expose himself to the slime dished out during campaigns.
Jim says
I’m presuming that Labor will provide us with an assessment of where we stand in respect of our ( soon to be ) Kyoto target?
Are we still likely to meet it?
rog says
My predictions;
1. Garrett not to be enviro minister
2. Drought to end
3. Economic prosperity to be priority
Green Davey Gam Esq. says
Don’t blame me – I voted for Kevin Reynolds.
Malcolm Hill says
My predictions —tongue in cheek.
1. To over come K Rudds problem with the unions he appoints 100 of them to the Senior Executive Service in Canberra.
2 The Public Service Union kicks up a fuss because they reckon it has lowered the average IQ by 20 points.
3. Rudd sets up a Committee to find out, and they organise a Delphic Seminar whereby they used a new technique called Consensual Gut Feel or CGT. Because the CGT factor was over 41.3 with an error band of 2 sigmas, they are 90% confident that the predicted IQ level definitely rose 20 points—- or was lowered, depending upon the hour of the day and how many were smoking.
4. Luke sells his software package to Al Gores new VC in California for lottsa dough, and retires to a new farm in Qld, right alongside Motty.
5 Sorry Motty, but he was thinking of coming over this way to grow wine, but realised that he would have to work. Apart from that, whats the point in him growing some thing he cant spell. Much better he helps chop down your trees.
7. Woody realises that this software is what he has been looking for all the time, and buys a non exclusive license from AlGore. The price was a commitment by Woody to pay all of Big Als gas bills for all his SUV’s and aeroplanes for the next 10 years, as well as a Life Membership of Hypocrites International. Money for Jam says Woody.
8. Because the Union officials, and party hacks are good at counting numbers, they are employed by the BOM as thermometer readers, adder upperers and meanerers, with instructions to do a “good job”.
4. Keysar Trad is appointed as the Official Spokeman for the new Social Inclusion Unit in Canberra. Now wouldnt that be ironic.
More seriously— The thought of “The Skull” being charge of the environment just fills me with dread.
chrisgo says
…”predictions; 1. Garrett not to be enviro minister 2. Drought to end …”
I’ve notice a marked improvement in the weather already.
I’m predicting that all future climate change will be improvements for all and that when an ‘optimum’ climate is reached (agreed by consensus), then it will stop changing for the course of a Rudd/Gillard/Garrett government.
Travis says
I think I agree with you on 1. Rog, and Garrett will go to Indigenous Affairs. But I have serious droughts, sorry, doubts about your 2. I have to agree with Nexus 6 (without being a replicant) – exciting times ahead. Well done to your brother Jen.
gavin says
I take me hat off to all candidates on both sides of parliment who put in a big individual effort. IMO That’s what makes our democracy so exciting at times like these.
Btw my No 1’s hardly ever get in and that’s about having two bob each way in the Senate.
Bit of an anticlimax, we had a trip out of our region today and everything is now Green!
On Predictions; how about Maxine for our next “Environment” Minister?