I’m of a more socialistic orientation than you Col. I believe that we need strong governance to mitigate the bad aspects of market forces, and that if we just leave it up to the market, we will get….well…what we are getting now: continuous expansionism in the face of bleedingly obvious and absolutely critical resource-stress issues.

As stresses build, we will need a strong rule of law with an effective regulatory regime. Without it, the powerful, aggressive and desperate will embark on their own lawless path, to the great detriment of the ordinary person.

Upon reflection, I think that the conservatives are the ones most likely to embrace sustainability and an end to expansionism, primarily because they are in opposition and desperately need to develop policies significantly different to the incumbents that will win them power. And win them power because they appeal to the constituency, rather than by default.

Surely they can sense the need for the development of a sustainability-oriented political regime and they can sense the increasing support for it in the community. So, if they could just find it within themselves to start promoting this stuff, I reckon they would soon attract massive support.

They could do it without infringing any of their principles or aims or objectives. It would sit well within their charter http://www.liberal.org.au/about/ourbeliefs.php. Indeed, it would better fit with their principles than their current direction!

Col Rouge: << the conservatives will let the market prevail. That market will use price to regulate between un-sustainable demand and constrained supply to the point the unsustainable and subeconomic demand will get priced out of the market. >>

Er Col, "letting the market prevail" is exactly what has created much of the ecological disaster with which we are now faced.

Ludwig: << Upon reflection, I think that the conservatives are the ones most likely to embrace sustainability and an end to expansionism, primarily because they are in opposition and desperately need to develop policies significantly different to the incumbents that will win them power. And win them power because they appeal to the constituency, rather than by default. >>

You're dreaming, mate. The conservative response will always be more business-as-usual, head-in-the-sand, denialism until it's too late. Only then will they come around. Like for example Brendan Nelson's call to reduce petrol taxes by 5c a litre. While in Opposition in our stupid political system, they will do everything they can to make it electorally costly for any government that has the balls to act strongly in ecological terms.

Yes, Labor isn't much better and the Greens have a long way to go before their ecologically sustainable policies are supported by more than a minority of the electorate, but hell will freeze over before our current Opposition wakes up over issues like climate change and ecological sustainability.

Aww CJ, please…let me dream!

You are more than likely right. But hey, I’m gonna have a bloody good shot at appealing to the Libs to see the light… and change their evils ways!

Besides, its a lot nicer here in loopy la la dreamland, with eyes closed tight to shut out the big ugly real world {l>)

Ludwig

Then perhaps I shouldn't wake you from your slumber with the reminder that Peter Costello admonished Australians to "have one for the husband, one for the wife and one for Australia".

The Libs will require a road to Damascus change before they realise that unlimited growth and consumerism is the cause not the cure for our current world situation.

Will Labor realise in time to move towards sustainability? Dunno.

At least it won't be boring.

;-)

CJM “Er Col, "letting the market prevail" is exactly what has created much of the ecological disaster with which we are now faced.”

When I consider the market influences, compared to say government regulated influences, all I have to do is compare Australia to say the Aral Sea and you will see how comparatively restrained the market is, compared to a system in which the government has the authority to override the market and run unchecked and unquestioned.

Alternatively, you could also compare the market influenced Three Mile Island failure, the product of a market system, to Chernobyl, the product of government self regulation.

Whilst your criticism of the market might seem obvious, the market, like democracy, with all its faults and shortcomings, remains a superior system to all other systems, especially authoritarian government, which not only goes unchecked but can have the authority to write its own audits and that authoritarian government is the goal of socialism, according to some who were in the know.

“Will Labor realise in time to move towards sustainability? Dunno.”

Labour do not understand then question, let alone are able to formulate a lucid response. Labor know only populism, envy, sentimentality and how to tax people into poverty.

“The Libs will require a road to Damascus change…”

You bet they will Fractelle. But then, whichever party embraces it will have to undergo a monumental ‘adjustment’ to their current putridity, including the silly Greens.

I’m optimistic that significant moves in the right direction will happen very soon. I think that it will probably start with opposition parties, or as it is at the moment, the one opposition force in every state and nationally; the Libs, with their buddies the Nats.

As I said in a previous post, the reason I think this is that they are ravenous for power, and WILL detect the changing mood of the electorate, in line with the message presented by the Australia Institute, former Australian of the Year, Tim Flannery and several other key scientists/institutions.

However, it may develop from within the incumbents. A very good sign of this possibility is coming from Queensland’s Minister for Sustainability, Climate Change and Innovation, Andrew McNamara. http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,23710412-952,00.html

“Will Labor realise in time to move towards sustainability?”

Well, it is looking particularly grim at the federal level. But I would like to think that there is some hope at the state level, in Queensland at least.