Our local member praised (in Monday's Guardian) the decrease in electricity prices since his government abolished the carbon tax.
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What sort of a society praises a step backwards in the fight against climate change?
Whilst electricity prices have decreased, the carbon tax was designed to make electricity more expensive, unless companies and households began to reduce their energy usage and carbon footprint. The carbon tax would 'harm' families that continued to consume high levels of energy. The carbon tax would 'harm' businesses that did not reduce their energy consumption.
The carbon tax was working, not to raise revenue, but to change the behaviour of Australians and Australian businesses.
It was quite simple to not be impacted by the carbon tax: make different lifestyle choices. Recognise our current energy consumption is not sustainable. Our current energy production is not sustainable.
What side of history will we be on? How will our future generations pass judgement on a society that cared more about our short-term financial gains rather than the long-term implications of our actions?
If there is no longer the financial incentive to change behaviour, perhaps we need to rely on our sense of humanity and moral compass.
