Australian Democrats Senate candidate, Pete Mailler, says the sophistry on the economic costs of climate action must end.
Mr Mailler said, "Any so-called leader or advisor who argues for a minimalist approach to mitigating climate change either does not understand the science or the economics of the climate problem we are facing or is maliciously dishonest."
"As a farmer, I know one inescapable truth and that is mother nature has the last laugh. You can't beat nature; you have to manage within its bounds. The economy is a wholly owned subsidiary of the environment and we must do all that we can to preserve a stable climate to underwrite the economy in the longer term."
"I have been a farmer all of my life and I am watching the most innovative and technically competent farming sector in the world buckling under the pressure of changing climate. It is true that some don't recognise changing weather patterns for what it is yet, but the science is compelling and the human, environmental and economic costs of climate inaction are increasingly certain."
"I became politically active a few years ago because I saw disingenuous politics, particularly from the Nationals, as the greatest threat to the future of agriculture in this country. I am more convinced of that today. Any political alignment with coal/fossil fuels over agriculture is a double-edged sword and the blatant disregard for the science of climate change by conservatives is now a threat to all Australians and our long-term prosperity."
Australia is a lucky country and we enjoy a very high standard of living because of it. That standard of living is a privilege, not a right, and we must work hard now to protect it. We must demonstrate the global leadership our collective wealth affords to minimise the impacts of climate change globally and we must seize the opportunities in the inevitable shifts in global markets and consumer trends that climate change will drive.
We must manage the emerging crisis and the related economic challenges for our own sake and especially for the sake of generations to come. It requires courageous leadership and a vision for what our future can be. The one thing that is certain is that future does not look like our past and any political overture suggesting we should cling to century old paradigms about energy, economy or climate presents the greater threat.
While the conservatives argue about whether we can afford to take aggressive action on climate, the smarter question must be can we afford not to take aggressive action on climate?
The answer is "NO". Every question after that then makes more sense.
The lack of honesty, transparency and accountability in politics is the greatest threat to sensible public policy and the hyper partisan nature of the political debate around climate is dangerous. The Australian Democrats was founded to keep the bastards honest and our mission on climate is to uncompromisingly pursue outcomes informed by credible science and evidence.
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