The annual Alfred Deakin lectures series kicked off on Sunday night with Professor Tim Flannery, fresh from publicly stating last month that he’s unlikely to vote for Labor again after Prime Minister Kevin Rudd’s ”profound betrayal of trust” on climate change.
Flannery is curator of this year’s series ‘A Brave New World? The challenge of climate change’, and his speech was tinged with a surprising note of optimism. He urged the crowd to push past the pessimism, to become “re-energised” on the issue of climate change and, above all, to become politically active, because politics will only fill the vacuum.
Let’s check the program to see who’s filling that particular vacuum for the panel entitled ‘The Politics of Climate Change’ on Saturday:
For the Coalition:
The guy who used to make the Coalition look like they cared.
And for the government:
Dreyfus might be a bright back-bencher, but according to his website his latest press releases concern ‘New computers and internet for seniors in Keysborough’, ‘Over 800 jobs gained from Dandenong Jobs Expo’, and ‘Carrum Downs schools receive $11.5 million’.
Dandenong is coming up trumps but there’s not so much on climate change. But hey, at least it’s not Penny Wong — Dreyfus may actually stray off script.
Looks like when it comes to the two major parties, the political vacuum on climate change is wide open. Let’s see who jumps in…
Not sure Tim Flannery deserves such respect as he’s afforded. He’s on record way back for making the dubious claim that Australia should have a population target (long before the current kerfuffle) for ‘environmental’ reasons.
Why do you have to take such cheap shots at Penny?
1. Who the hell is Tim Flannery?
2. Did he ever vote Labor?
3. Does he want Tony Abbott as PM?
4. As a business owner who thinks the government has done a pretty good job of keeping us all out of depression I am sick of well paid no bodies talking our economy down. Tim Flannery vote for who ever you like, that’s what we call democracy, but please don’t bore me with your self serving bulldust. Oh and I hope you enjoy Prime Minister Abbott.
Why would anyone listen to Tom Foolery?