| DID anyone notice? Australia’s federal government has dropped its emission trading scheme rhetoric and switched all its energies to the takeover of the country’s hospitals.Did anyone also notice the remarkable similarity to what is happening in Canberra to what has happened in Washington?Just over six months ago both leaders, Australia’s Kevin Rudd and America’s Barack Obama were castigating their locals for not paying attention to their hyperbole on global warming.Both went to Copenhagen and both walked away with a lot of egg on their faces.Obama was snubbed by the Chinese and not too many turned up at Rudd’ rhetorical lectures.No-one turned up for Penny Wong which is probably why the Australian government took such a big rent-a-crowd with it including a hairdresser, butlers and the press.The US got the message first and switched attention to the national health scheme with scant recognition in the President’s address to the nation to either an emissions trading scheme or a renewable energy agenda leaving it to public servants like Energy secretary Steven Chu (pictured).Australia is also now going full blast with threats and intimidation on hospitals and heath with the emissions trading scheme and renewables being sidelined to the lacklustre minister, Penny Wong.The government in Australia is relying on its market corrections to get renewables over the hump.There has been an effect, as every cause deems, with the renewable energy certificate prices rising.Last week the Australian government decided to pull out a stopper on the REC supply by cutting off the solar energy RECs and, as a result, the price of a certificate on the spot market rose $7 to $42.The US does not have a RECs scheme although several states have individual prices.As with the Australian ETS, America looks likely to have the bills knocked back in the senate. |
