By Situation Theatre 17/2/16
At last we have some transparency from the oligarchs.
For years we’ve watched our politicians cosy up to the fossil fuel industry.
We’ve seen our elected leaders cut services for the many and cut taxes for the few, all the while donating billions each year to the fossil fuel industry.
Over the past three years fossil fuel companies have donated $3.7 million dollars to the major parties. This year alone, the federal government will give them $7.7 billion dollars in handouts. For every dollar the fossil fuel industry spends courting pollies, they get over $2000 back from taxpayers.
We’ve watched ministers give coal licenses to their mates against departmental advice and seen gifts and trips for ministers to approve mines and advocate for coal seam gas.
We’ve seen a former advisor on Australia’s largest proposed coal project, the Carmichael mine, become Bill Shorten’s chief of staff.
We’ve seen the NSW Environmental Protection Agency’s chief regulator become deputy director of the Australian Coal Association.
We’ve seen former climate change minister Greg Combet become an advisor to oil and gas companies.
We’ve seen a former environment ambassador and chief negotiator on the Kyoto Protocol become head of the Australian Coal Association.
And then we’ve seen Clive Palmer.
Now the government has thought bugger it, let’s go the whole hog and actually merge with a mining company.
The Prime Minister has touted economies of scale, increased competitiveness, greater efficiency and diversification as just some of the benefits of the merger which no one understands.
What’s clearer is just how much the new Prime Minister looks like the old one, and just how rapidly he’s willing to sell off and sell out this country.
Now at least we can call a spade a spade and see the federal government for what it is: one gigantic mining company.