Today is a great day not only in Australian history, but also in world history. It marks the day when people of character and sensibility pushed back against an overwrought and pointless green agenda, and pushed back in a big way. They’ve had enough, and they’ve scraped the Krudd off their shoes and are moving forward.
Tony Abbott has won the Australian election in a landslide, and vows to abolish the carbon tax as a first order of business. Abbott has declared Australia is “once more open for business” in claiming victory in Saturday’s election.
It is a huge blow to the Rudd-Gillard labor party and their green goals, which were built on a lie foisted on the Australian people. In 2010 when Gillard said “no carbon tax” in a videotaped speech that has been seen as the key moment Australians lost trust:
Then, shortly after she was elected prime minister, she acted as if those words were never spoken, and implemented a carbon tax anyway. There’s nothing worse than a liar who is oblivious to their own lies, and in my opinion, this was the catalyst that set the stage for the end of labor’s green dream as well as their dominance in government.
Abott says he will abolish the carbon tax. In an August 5th Herald Sun article:
If elected, the coalition on day one would suspend the CEFC (Clean Energy Finance Corporation) and prepare legislation to shut it down permanently. It’s vowed to introduce legislation within a fortnight designed to abolish the carbon tax, and all government climate agencies associated with Labor’s clean energy laws.
From the Herald Sun today:
“Today the people of Australia have declared that the right to govern this country does not belong to Mr Rudd or to me or to his party or to ours but it belongs to you, the people of Australia,” Abbott said.
“And you will punish anyone who takes you for granted.”
Andrew Bolt wrote on his blog: “Finally, a man worthy of the office of Prime Minister – and humble enough to hope it.”
Congratulations to my friends in Australia, the Krudd is kaput and the carbon tax is going away, and almost certainly Flim Flam Flannery too. What a great day!
Cook, Ove, and Sou, this Krudd’s for you!
Meanwhile, back in the USA, the Washington Post seems oblivious to this loud message from down under (h/t to Steve Milloy):
The first thing to do is to build the cost of pollution into the price of energy through a simple carbon tax or other market-based mechanism. Though the tax revenue could be rebated right back to people, higher sticker prices for fossil fuel-derived energy would still give them reason to change behaviors and demand more energy-efficient appliances.
It’s like deju vu all over again, because Australia’s carbon tax was setup just like that, and it was flatly rejected by the people of Australia today. Let’s hope we don’t have to deal with the same madness here in the States.
UPDATE: Australian Eric Worrall writes in a short story submitted to WUWT just moments after this was published says:
Tony Abbott, the man who once described climate change as crap http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Abbott#Climate_change , has won a landslide victory in the Australian election, an election which has seen substantial swings against Labor and the Greens.
While we Australians have been disappointed by Abbott’s genuflection towards green dogma, with his promise to replace the hated carbon tax with a watered down form of carbon pricing, we live in hope that it is simply window dressing, to appease greens within his party. Abbott has given us grounds for such hope, with statements to the effect that his budget to mitigate climate change will be capped, regardless of whether the allocated funding achieves its stated goals, and a promise to tighten up the allocation of the national science budget. http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/abbott-vows-to-cut-futile-research/story-fni0cx12-1226710934260
Abbott has also spoken out against Tim Flannery http://joannenova.com.au/2013/04/jobs-and-junkets-are-on-the-line-abbott-could-axe-flannery-and-the-climate-commission/ , the government doommonger general, who did more than anyone to deliver Australia’s white elephant desalination plants, with his strident support for predictions of permanent drought (end of snow, anybody?).
So its exciting times for climate skeptics down under – and potentially, a global warning for the ambitions of politicians and political parties which are getting too cosy with the greens.
Let’s hope that his will be the first of many anti-agw governments over the next 3-5yrs.
crosspatch says:
September 7, 2013 at 10:29 am
Had Labor won an outright victory, Gillard probably would not have implemented the carbon tax but Labor was one seat short. In order to form a government, they had to create an alliance with the one Green party seat. The carbon tax was the cost of that coalition with the Green seat. They compromised their position for political power.
Like Cameron in the uk, that is pure cowardice and lack of leadership.
Congrat’s Oz!
Regarding Gillard & Co –
What is worst? An ignorant politician or the person who votes for the same politician?
Good Luck Norway in the election! You’ll need to be liberated …
No path of politics are perfect but left wing politics have burned their bridges … (I don’t use the term “liberal”, as many people are confused and can’t differ this from “socialism” …)
This makes the fourth Pacific Rim country to move from a center left to a center right government. Canada, Japan, and South Korea are the others.
Also, keep an eye on Denmark, They have elections coming up next week.
mogamboguru says:
September 7, 2013 at 8:50 am
According to today’s NORSEX SSM/I Ice Area graph on the Sea Ice page, this year’s icemelt in the Arctic is bottoming out.
It has stopped melting 2 weeks early.
A big Thank You to all those who have written here wishing Australia well and who rejoice at Gang Green getting the thumping they deserve. It is a indeed a good day in Australia.
To all those undecided about the merit of this election, Abbott has promised a double-dissolution if the Senate gets in his way, which means that every senator will be up for re-election. The carbon tax is going to go. No matter what excused the MSM is given for Abbott’s win, the carbon tax was and is the big issue.
After Gillard’s lies, Australia’s rejection of Labor plus the trouncing of the Greens, Abbott is under no illusion. We in Australia don’t want greenie-ism, we don’t want the carbon tax in any form (and earlier Abbot promised he would not rename it, would not turn it into something else, wouldn’t not shrink it, he would ABOLISH it) and we don’t want lies. He’s just seen what we do with liars. If Abbott wants to hang on for longer than one term, he will do what’s right for the people and the economy. A healthy economy means more jobs and more tax revenue, not less.
To those the-glass-is-half-empty types in here, you can live in fear if you want to, but it won’t gain you anything – and you bloody well are not going to spoil my day! Stop listening to the hype put out by the greens and by Labor about “how bad” Abbott is or will be – you gave Gillard a chance, you gave Rudd a chance, I think it’s about time Abbott is given a chance. Good or bad, he’s going to be a heck of a lot better than the lying, thieving bunch we just got rid of. Grow up, get a life and stop bloody whinging!
Anthony, thank you for rejoicing with us. It feels good to be free.
God Bless the Aussies. Now if only we could convince the Moron Voters to stop electing progressive socialist Dems, we too could return to a free enterprise nation with liberties that have been restricted by the PC Leftists via Obamacare and assorted liberal pieces of faux legislation.
John A says:
September 7, 2013 at 8:49 am
By pluralism I guess you mean cummunnism. Democracy is about putting your trust in the majority to do the best for your country, your familly, your tribe or group. Commitees of 20, 30, 40 or more people never achieve anything useful. That’s why back in the stone age we humans started to form groups with a leader to help us cope with our dangerous environment.
The global warming scam which has cost many lives and a huge sum of money was able to take hold because of pluralism. It’s just another word for group think.
Stephen Richards says:
September 7, 2013 at 10:38 am
…Had Labor won an outright victory, Gillard probably would not have implemented the carbon tax but Labor was one seat short. In order to form a government, they had to create an alliance with the one Green party seat. The carbon tax was the cost of that coalition with the Green seat. They compromised their position for political power…
*
That’s the excuse given, however Gillard was not forced into giving Australia the carbon tax. She has claimed it is the best thing she has done, she holds the carbon tax up as her best achievement, and she very happily locked it down to make it difficult to remove, and publically rubbed Australians’ noses in it. These are not the actions of someone forced into it. There was not one shred of remorse from her. The Greens didn’t make her do it at all. She did it happily.
http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/federal-election-2013/life-is-much-better-under-labor-after-all-says-study-20130830-2sw8l.html
The former Liberal government had the same results during a worldwide economic boom that the Labor party had under successive leaders during the global financial crisis.
The big lie bought by many Australians is that Labor did a poor job of economic management. It did better than the previous Coaliton government, including after implementing the carbo tax, which was off-set for low to middle income earners by raising tax brackets and other returns. In truth, both parties have managed the economy well since the 80s, albeit with different priorities – Labor has spent on civil infrastructure, and the Coalition has focussed on creating surplus. This is the essential difference between their economic models.
The major source of disaffection with Labor was the leadership changes. The horrible campaign from both parties obscured the truth – Australia has had a strong economy since the dollar was floated in 1983. Little changed after the carbon tax (many households saw rising electricity bills, but ignored the higher income from offsets.
A recent poll indicated that the Carbon Tax was not as high a priority for voters as for the political campaigners.
http://www.macrobusiness.com.au/2013/08/poll-its-the-economy-stupid/
The Poll: http://news.anu.edu.au/files/2013/08/Attitudes-to-Electoral-Reform-report.pdf (page 9)
Top of the list was jobs and economy.
This is despite the best efforts of the Coalition to paint the Carbon Tax as a serious problem, and Abbott’s repeated promise to repeal it.
Axing the Carbon Tax is not a done deal. The Coalition will not likely hold the balance of power in the Senate, which they need, or they must court independent members.
This has been one of the most appalling campaign seasons I’ve witnessed. The Coalition campaigned far more successfully (strategically), but both sold hollow bills of goods.
Time for the US populace to get rid of the Socialist- control fanatical envirowaccko left..
The Aussies did it so can WE!
crosspatch says:
September 7, 2013 at 10:36 am
“The triumphalism (and political positioning) displayed by you in this article, and trumpeted by the followers here is naive, simplistic and quite frankly a bit obscene.”
Comment looks like it was a lefty “concern troll” trying not to act like one in the comments. Some typical key giveaways:
“Can’t_stand_Rudd_or_Abbott ” concern trolls often pretend they aren’t aligned with either side when in fact they are. “I’m have been an interested watcher of the climate debate for a number of years. I am a geologist by training, and like many I was (and remain) deeply concerned by the claims about the science.” They start off with something that shows they were leaning toward you or are sympathetic but now they don’t/aren’t. Then finally, the part I posted above. Obvious butthurt that their side lost results in a hissy fit along with an ad hominem (naive, simplistic, obscene) attack.
Probability here is quite high that we have a disgruntled watermelon pretending to be a neutral observer here but is nothing of the sort.
*
Thank you, Crosspatch, I believe you are right.
SamG says:
September 7, 2013 at 7:55 am
“Pretty terrible how democracy is about booting the other party out, not voting in good principles.
[…]
Government is unnecessary.”
Hobbes, 1651:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leviathan_%28book%29#Part_I:_Of_Man
I used to think of Australia as being a mythic Texas-down-under. A place largely of easy going but no-BS tolerating (except in good humor) self-reliant people. It was crushing to read of all the things the leftists and hyper shallow media were in fact getting away with. The stories of the beleaguered landowners was particularly Orwellian. Coincidentally the first one I read about involved transplanted Texans being crushed by Stalinesque bureaucrats determined to shut down their farm. May the population now wake from the nightmare and never forget the lessons learned but that is probably being too optimistic. Regardless I want to heartily congratulate the Aussie voters who made their voice heard. Meanwhile here in the states I can scarcely watch 5 minutes of the Weather Channel without some display of Dogmatic Stupidity forcing me to flip it off (choose your interpretation). It used to be one of my most-watched stations until the GE/NBC garbage newsertainment took over.
There is no doubt the newly elected government of Australia knows full well why they were elected to power. One thing politicans know very well – what keeps them in power and why citizens vote them into power. They will keep eleminate the Green stupidity – they know full well that is why they were elected. Just as why Obama was elected in the states – and he is doing what the citizens elected him to do – go wild with European style systems – and I do not see an end to that style in the US anytime soon. Sorry Americans – the Republicans have no idea what they stand for anymore.
crosspatch on September 7, 2013 at 10:43 am
Just to clearify, Denmark have their next national election in 2015 (Folketinget). The election they have this year is on local level (municipal).
C’mon Aussie c’mon.
That’s the green conman put to the sword, now only one thing left.
Win back the Ashes.
Good luck with that.
@ur momisugly Barry. As is often the case in life, it’s not what people say, its what they don’t or didn’t say.
In your analysis of Australian economics you omitted to look at the Australian National balance of payments. Most notably the fact that a healthy surplus was turned into a substantial deficit. So Labo(u)rs apparent economic performance parity that you quote was paid for out of debt, which would eventually have to be paid for.
Speaking as an English Lefty you may feel free to ignore me…
But I urge you to pause a moment.
Election promises and the actions of the elected are not always in complete concord.
@Paul Homewood
I was about to make a similar comment about the BBC lack of mention of the climate tax issue but then read yours.
I was watching live coverage on BBC News 24 of Abbot’s win and his speech when he heralded the “end of the carbon tax within 3 years”, shortly after he made the comments about carbon tax the BBC cut to someone else. The presenter then said the issues labor lost on were the economy and immigration (boat people). Later transmissions edited out Abbots mention of carbon tax.
The BBC biased about climate change, who knew?
Apparently at one time Abbot wanted to be a priest, so perhaps it is more likely that he will keep his word and deliver on his promises.
Can’t_stand_Rudd_or_Abbott says:
September 7, 2013 at 9:21 am
Oh dear! I think your outburst is a little strange. For one thing, if you have bothered to follow the climate debate, and have half a brain, you will know by now that carbon taxation is a completely false path. And that fact should be obvious to either side of the debate and any political stance. For another thing, anyone elected on a particular election ‘promise’ – and perhaps worse, from a party allegedly intent on protection ‘ordinary’ people (the labour party) – can hardly expect to remain unvillified in the press? I don’t think running this story is particularly political but it is quite important in terms of the climate debate. Even if Anthony demonstrates a particular stance – he is entirely at liberty to do so.
This is a blog – not a national impartial media outlet!
As for Gillard, I hope she rots in hell, but no doubt she has already filled her boots from the trough. If it were up to me, she would at least be left penniless after so much DISSERVICE to Oz.
US Associated Press completely misses the moment.
“Australian Conservatives outst Labor Party” by Russ Britt
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/australia-conservatives-oust-labor-party-2013-09-07
“coalition led by Australia’s Liberal Party defeated Labor by a 53% to 47% margin.” [ no mention of seats. ‘Hey, it was really close. Really.’ ]
“Tony Abbott, a 55-year-old former Roman Catholic seminarian and Rhodes scholar. Abbott was considered relatively unpopular, ” [ he’s religious (gasp!). Who’d vote for him? ]
“But infighting between Labor Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and others …. caused consternation among voters” [Labor’s infighting lost the election, not policy. You hear that Democrats??]
“Labor’s loss also was blamed on its imposing a tax on the nation’s biggest carbon polluters.” [ Just a minor issue, really. Hardly mattered at all ]
All,
In ‘Nam, I had a chance to meet some of those Aussies. Tough bunch – practical, level headed and smart. While government moves slowly I expect that patience is at a premium with the voters down there, and they won’t take words over action.
Also, if as some say here that the UN is calling the political shots for the US government, isn’t that taxation without representation????
Mike