Well Belly, as we know polotics is a dirty game.

Watching Kerry Obrien on the 730 report last night was evidence that the media can have a huge influence on polotics as he tried very hard to discredit Tony Abbott on his parties climate change policy. So to come out and make a clear statement about an election outcome at this point would not be wise as we have witnessed politicians being tried by media many times before. Only time will tell, but, Krudd appears to have a few concerns to deal with.

Now, once again, would you please refrain from your 'smoke and mirrors responses' and answer my question;

Q: Just how are we going to manage to sustain the projected 60% population increase and, minimise our carbon output and, remain competetive on the global playing field?

After all, this is what my thread was about and as yet, you have failed to address this issue.

Perhaps it's time you either 'put up' or 'shut up' hey!

We simply CAN'T sustain that sort of population increase AND reduce emissions AND maintain standard of living. Adjustment and change is going to be inevitable - it's a worldwide reality - but the question for Australia is - figuratively speaking: to lose weight do we eat sensibly and exercise and shed a sensible amount over a sensible period - or do we instead hack great chunks of fat off for the same sort of result instantly? - ie. is the resultant haemoraging and pain really justified?.

For those too obtuse to get it: policies like artificially boosting population thru immigration, and reducing emissions thru big stick "encouragement" like the ETS rather than incentive and technology driven avenues are equivalent to hacking away the fat.

Sorry rechtub did not see your questions, often skip bits of your posts not rude just ROFL.
no new coal fired power stations, forget greens and fear tactics build only gas fired AND Nuclear power stations.
Bring back solar rebates ,even no interest loans to help pay for homes to be self sufficient, mine will be, I already am black out proof solar and battery's.
Take tax from LPG keep it of, take half sales tax of Aussie made LPG only cars.
recycle all sewage inland not into the sea,get serious about it look for better ways to cut greenhouse gases.
PUT ETS in place but at lowest end until others follow.
Stop all payments to have children until we stop so very many being dumped on grand parents and non family people.
Build smaller cheaper housing more of them, use land away from current city's but make sure fast public transport is both cheap, and available 24/7
Get whole country involved in self funding retirement, super, insure it is partly kept to fund retirement not blown on second home.
Consider tax breaks for childless couples why not?
refine government instrumentality's not privatize them help them to work, contract out management rolls, all of them.
enough so far?
will return with interest but understand it is not personnel dislike, I do not think like you, gladdy would have a beer with you but must confront you often.
makes for interesting posts.

Going into specifics:

Power consumption:
1. a Korean fellow has invented a box that "conditions" household power current with claimed reduction in real consumption of 12% - if this is for real then all new houses should be REQUIRED to have them, with retrofit to older houses cumpulsory within 5 years.
2. Either apply something like ETS - ie. immediate increase in household power cost per unit - but offer rebates for staying under a certain "threshold" (determining the reasonable consumption threshold is the tricky bit). Else absolutely don't increase power cost - reduce it in fact if possible - but use a quota system - ie. work out the same threshold as described above and consumption above that is made to cost an astronomical amount. In other words offer REAL targets and INCENTIVES rather than the BIG STICK.

General Emissions:
1. Power consumption should naturally reduce as a result of the measures I've described above - good oh - power stations discharge should reduce or at least not have to increase as much as otherwise might be the case as population increases.

2. Cars - there should be SERIOUS incentives to own hybrid vehicles - ie. to own a Prius or Fiesta Econetic or anything similar should cost less than $15000 - ON THE ROAD - and registration should be VERY cheap for such vehicles as well. INCENTIVES THAT ACHIEVE RESULTS PEOPLE!

Societal - ie. standard of living and services protection:
1. Government needs to realise there's a damned good reason why important sectors like metropolitan Public Transport (rail and road), communications, power, water and medical NEED to be state owned:
* It provides a secure and stable employment base for a LOT of people.
* It provides stable and standardised supply of the services to the community (in simple terms economic factors don't determine the standard of any given service according to location - as IS the case with corporate admin of such things).
* Because state run services are not profit centred, the cost to consumers can be kept down without having to impact on staff levels or even efficiency - worst case the services can be run at a loss being propped up by public funds - goverment wastes so much money on rubbish that keeping people employed is IMO actually a worthwhile "waste" - evidently there's danger of govenment / establishment inefficiency and corruption creeping in so costs end up just TOO high - that needs always to be guarded against.

Example: It's ridiculous the way Queensland State government points to the way QR produces very little profit to add to the government coffers so therefor might as well be sold off.... THAT'S the POINT! - it's government owned and run service - it isn't SUPPOSED to MAKE money! It's meant to be available to the community at a reasonable cost - not what private enterprise HAS to charge to be viable!

2. More personal income needs to be comulsorily put into retirement funds - this is simply a no brainer - just about everyone has $300 000 + mortgages but we're bleating about being able to support old age? I just don't get it.

Spinner two very good posts I agree.
I in fact live a life of involvement in government departments, see shiftiness cover ups, white wash, extremely bad management daily.
In NSW second best often third rate management is the problem not your average workers.
Yes minister is not a British comedy show, it is real life under any form of government.
NSW rail is in festered with fraud and crime, it is the norm for family's of employees to win contracts, every department give contracts to ex employees.
Want to be well of? join the NSW RTA become an engineer, serve for years then take a redundancy, a lot of cash, then come back, full time.
on a contract paying far more, it helps if you failed in private enterprise, failures are at home in such places.
far easier to plant weeds in the garden then claim it must go, than be accountable for failure.
Solar power for homes will work, total cost was $11.000 for a mate he gets money back, produces more than he uses.
Country homes, like mine wast no water the re cycle system uses every drop on my garden, clean water not anything else we can do better.