A fossil fuel crisis.

An article in "The Saturday Paper" W/ended July 10/26 by Nicolette Boele, the newly elected independent member for Bradfield,NSW, is excellent. She is so qualified-, to expound on this subject. The fact that consecutive governments (ie. Our so-called "two - party" system) are both so enmeshed in accepting largesse from the fossil fuel industry in our country, that the urgent need to reduce carbon emissions, for the benefit of "climate change" and the health of our Nation, is being grossly overridden.

While there may be some limited need for fossil fuels during the transition to clean energy, we as a nation-,are allowing our political parties to profligate from these sources, and maximise their extraction rates. All for their own pockets!

For example, ms..Boele goes on to say, and I quote "Then there"s the fuel tax credit scheme, Australia's largest fossil subsidy, which retained its place in the list of the budget's 20 largest expense items" "The scheme hands out billions every year to incentivise the country's biggest resource companies to keep burning diesel" This policy makes no sense from any angle. The scheme is estimated to cost $10.7 billion this financial year, of which about $4.5 billion will go to mining companies, and $47 billion over the forward estimates. (ie about 4 years). Then we have the so-called "safeguard mechanism," meant to drive down emissions from our largest polluters. Recent revelations about BHP show this in action. Leaked documents reveal, they are shelving plans to electrify their fleet, and keep spending hundreds of millions on new diesel trucks. Last financial year BHP collected $622 million in these tax credits and was forced to pay less than$9 million under the safeguard mechanism. By the way, they made more than $15 billion in after- tax profit.

While ever, we have government, under the political party system that currently prevails, we will continue to be raped, cheated and undervalued as a nation. The cost of running Parliament and Government, while difficult to ascertain, is almost certainly more than $50 billion per annum, more than needs be. Of course, our so-called political masters enjoy the status that allows them to RIP US off. A government of independent parliamentarians, selected and installed by their individual electorates, answerable to the people only, and not vested interests, would enable Australia to become a true DEMOCRACY.

www.movementforbettergovernment.com.au