Rudd’s green car joke
Check out dear leaders latest stunt; The Labor Party’s green car initiative. Despite the fact that the productivity commission report into the matter suggests that the move will be carbon neutral and has a chance of increasing carbon emissions, Kevin decides to trot this one out on World Environment Day!
There are so many reasons to be cranky about this; One good one is that this policy starts three years from now, in 2011. This will be after the next federal election, and chances are the whole thing will be scrapped then anyway.
Why is it that the announcement doesn’t actually specify what a green car is? Surely there should be an emissions target, or a fuel consumption target, or something, to tell us what this new wonder car will do for us. I find it highly suspicious that there is nothing like this in the announcement.
Then there is the fact that the plan is contingent on industry ponying up three times as much money as the government intends on throwing at it; No word from Rudd on what happens if they don’t.
In short, this policy is a crock. There is nothing of substance here. If Rudd wanted to do something to help the car industry, he’d ring the chief at Toyota (Or get Lawsie to do it) and ask a very simple question;
"What do I need to do to get Toyota to build the Prius in Australia?"
Then, when he gets the answer, he’d just announce that’s what he’s doing, and he’d do it today.
I’ve written to Minister Garrett today to see what he thinks about the idea of just helping companies like Toyota to manufacture their already existing green car options here. I’ll let you know what he thinks. Feel free to download and send him the letter yourself.