Pages

Friday 27 March 2009

Post#118 Carbon Schmarbon (Australia and the Carbon Tax / Emississions Trading Scheme)

I previously denounced the "carbon tax" concept in a post to this blog as a revenue-raiser which would make no constructive difference to energy consumption practices. Recent noises emanating from Canberra have conformed perfectly with that diagnosis.


I've emailed various politicians (using my real name) to enquire as to what the causal connection is between taxing carbon and a revolution in the energy-supply industry. I've suggested that the industries using carbon fuels will simply pass the costs along to their clients. That won't put money into the development of alternative energy. It will simply push inflation as everybody tries to recoup their losses by passing the costs along.


The response has been disappointing. I know these messages are read by minders, not the MPs themselves, but I expected that a request to be referred to the reference material which supports the concept is within the bounds of the possible. No such luck. Just proforma replies to the effect of "Thankyou for your comments. They will be drawn to the attention of..."

It's extraordinary that an assumption can be embedded so deeply in the process of public discourse without any convincing argument ever having been put for its validity.

2 comments:

Michael Gorey said...

Good luck!

Retarius said...

I'll need luck and jackhammers to get an answer to this question!