Alex Schlotzer

The government finally announced its package to put a price on carbon pollution. Of course when people say carbon pollution, what they actually mean is greenhouse gas emissions.

I for one am very happy to see the necessary steps being taken to reduce our reliance on highly polluting fossil fuels.

Sure it might not be perfect but it is a much better mechanism than the government’s original CPRS and better by leaps and bounds than the Opposition’s so-called ‘Direct Action’ option. Courtesy of the Greens, the carbon price is a much better mechanism to deal with reducing GHGs.

However I’ve noticed that since the announcement the same maddening gibberish, sorry arguments, made before the announcement is still being used.  Some of the more radical ‘arguments’ have been left behind but there are some that are persisting and even being given greater prominence.

I thought it a good idea to list a couple of the more annoying ‘arguments’ against the price on carbon pollution.

1. Carbon dioxide is plant food

Well done to the thousands of people that worked that out. But carbon dioxide is a poison, a very deadly poison for humans, and for all living things. Too high a concentration and it prevents lungs for taking up oxygen and helping to suffocate us.

Also for those banging on about photosynthesis, perhaps you should know that at night time plants take in oxygen in order to breathe because at night there’s no sun.

It makes me wonder whether the people peddling this particular nonsense bothered to show up at school?

2. If the tax isn’t applied to everyone what’s the point

Australian households have already been actively cutting down their energy consumption.  People have also been working hard to reduce their reliance on their private vehicles; made all that much harder courtesy of incompetent state governments and the bodies they contract to run public transport services.

And this particular line is nicely wrapped up in the next one.

3. Taxation doesn’t change behaviour

It’s a shame that so many Australians don’t have basic economic literacy to know that the Opposition and their cronies have been lying about this. Depending on the type of taxation, it can be all about changing behaviours. But hey don’t tell those attacking the carbon price about the realities of taxation. Although it’s doubtful that they’d bother to listen. It’s not like Tony Abbott or Greg Hunt bother to listen to the scientists. In fact Tony Abbott doesn’t listen to scientists since he’s declared he’ll only consider what the Australian populace believes on climate change.

But the fact remains that taxation for business changes behaviour. In order to diminish additional operating costs, like a tax, business will change their behaviour to limit exposure to such additional costs. This is a fact. This happens in the world of business all the time.

It’s absolutely crucial that we move on from the ‘debate’ and move towards action.

I’m very happy that the free pollution ride is coming to an end.