International climate change rhetoric demands domestic action

Domestic politics has been taking a backseat to international politics this week. Yet, I have one question: why is it that Prime Minister Rudd is calling for significant action to address climate change but little is happening on the domestic front? From the opinion polls released earlier this week, it is clear that most Australians want the federal government’s carbon reduction scheme to contain more substantial cuts in carbon emissions than what is proposed. Using these polls, it can also be argued that the Opposition is out of step with a large number of Australians. While it can be expected that there are ideological differences between the major political parties, now is not the time for partisanship. It could be argued that the Rudd Government was elected with a mandate to address climate change. The dust storm that has been sweeping through New South Wales and Queensland, and that could reach New Zealand, might be a timely reminder of what Australia will be facing on a more regular basis if climate change is not adequately addressed.  A year on from the release of the Garnaut Report, it appears that very little has changed.