Many loud voices are demanding instant action on climate change, but neither the Coalition nor Labor under Julia Gillard, are in a hurry. She intends to create a Climate Change Commission to study the science, and randomly select one hundred and fifty citizens in a ‘Citizen Assembly’ to decide on the Commissions findings. More
In fact there is a considerable reluctance to face this issue throughout business, and in the community. To imagine there is a wonderful cost-free solution is to believe in fairies. Pay we must, and to find the most acceptable answer a ballot process in parliament – or inclusion in a referendum may be needed to give the required certainty.
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‘Australia needs “deep consensus” before taking action, (Penny) Wong said, since “This will transform our economy for decades to come.”’
1 comment:
A randomly-selected CA won't "decide" anything, they will provide informed judgement about the options. They aren't scientists or economists, but they can make judgements about how the presented options will affect people and ask the kinds of questions that everyone should be asking. Rather than an elaborate opinion poll, the participants learn about the diversity of public standpoints and produce recommendations that most Australians could live with. The recommendations would inform elected parliamentarians and the executive, help legitimise their decisions if they aligned with the CA, and make it easier to persuade the general public about the policy, provided that the government celebrated the work of the CA. ps. not sure about Wong's comment, as there will always be differences in public views. But agreement on policy-making process would be valuable. I don't think she's aware yet of how a CA works.
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