Emissions of hot air

With the imminence of legislation for an emissions trading scheme, yesterday's newspaper printed pro and con pieces. Cory Bernardi, speaking against the motion, raised the argument that Australia can't afford to be a world leader in this matter: "Introducing an ETS in Australia before the rest of the world is not in our national interest."

I've previously recommended a Pascalian wager on climate change, so I want to ask the honorable member, "Can we afford not to?". If everyone is standing back and waiting for someone else to go first, why shouldn't Australia be the one to dive in? Then K-Rudd could go off to Copenhagen with a real reason for his self-satisfied smirk.