Do Australians know that their taxes are being used to subsidise companies that cause climate change?
Ratifying Kyoto is the first step forward after 11 years of inaction on climate change under John Howard, but the real test for Rudd when he returns from Bali will be how to break Australia’s addiction to coal.
Next year’s budget is where the rubber hits the road; last year around $10 billion in tax payers’ money was used to encourage fossil fuel use, including around $1 billion to subsidise the fuel bills of the world’s richest mining companies.
In calling for public input into the budget, Treasurer Wayne Swan has opened the door for Australians to say enough is enough – no more propping up the coal and oil industries.
So, Greenpeace has a great idea for how Wayne Swan can save the treasury lots of cash next year. Mr Swan, you can make a one off $10 billion cash saving simply by stopping giving our taxes to fossil fuel industries who, let’s face it, are not short of a buck or two. And if you wanted to do something to help Mr Rudd’s climate policies along you could even reinvest some that money into creating new jobs in renewable energy. Australians who voted the ALP in on a climate mandate are sure to be impressed…
