[Peakoil] Majority Opinion (78% favour renewables)

Thu Jan 19 10:40:35 EST 2006

While it's true that 'marginal seat' politics might carry the day at
election time, it's also true that perceived majority public opinion can
be important in framing policy and legislation.

As we know, some pollies are disturbed enough by the issues to risk
their reputations (becoming bearers of bad tidings) even now by going
public on PO.

Queensland state Labor MP Andrew McNamara gave a speech on PO that was
promptly dubbed "Peak Career" by his colleagues.

No politician will move seriously on trying to shape policy until they
think they can carry the public.

So even within general politics, it is important to try to get the
public across the issues. 

On a slightly different note, is anyone aware of who (among the various
Australian PO and other groups) is working on a formal submission to the
Senate Inquiry? (See link below)

 http://www.aph.gov.au/Senate/committee/rrat_ctte/oil_supply/info.htm

Submission deadline is 24 February. 

Sandy Pollard

-----Original Message-----
From: peakoil-bounces+sandy.pollard=dewr.gov.au at act-peakoil.org
[mailto:peakoil-bounces+sandy.pollard=dewr.gov.au at act-peakoil.org] On
Behalf Of David Jorm
Sent: Wednesday, January 18, 2006 10:39 PM
To: peakoil at act-peakoil.org
Subject: Re: [Peakoil] Majority Opinion (78% favour renewables)

Agreed; good example is the majority of Australians never supported the
war in Iraq. A federal election occured not long after this highly
unpopular event - what happened? Imcumbent won, by focusing on the
swinging voters and what would sway them, namely tax cuts, baby bonuses,
interest rates, etc. People with strong party alliances aren't going to
switch teams because of policy changes, so it becomes those who will who
must be targeted.

On 1/18/06, Adrian Whitehead <ccserac.project1 at ecoaction.net.au > wrote:

	Majority Opinion is not really that important.

	An astute political player what is important is the opinion of
the swinger voters in marginal seats these are the people that need to
be won over. 

	Sadly rusted on voters don't matter, and safe seats don't
matter.

	Howard has been a master at this game, and governments who do it
well can keep them selves in power or win elections, i.e. Richardson
with the Franklin.

	Poor players will often confuse their goal and make a mess of
their own politics, such as Biesly in 2001 election on refugees.

	Adrian

________________________________

	From: peakoil-bounces+adrian=ecoaction.net.au at act-peakoil.org
[mailto:peakoil-bounces+adrian=ecoaction.net.au at act-peakoil.org] On
Behalf Of Antony Barry
	Sent: Wednesday, 18 January 2006 11:10 AM
	To: Keith Thomas
	Cc: ACT Peak Oil discussion
	Subject: Re: [Peakoil] 78% favour renewables (in UK)

	On 17 Jan 2006, at 9:27 PM, Keith Thomas wrote:

		It would be nice to think that democracy in mass society
would come up with the best solution. That works OK for traditional
politics, but not for peak oil and climate change. It matters not a whit
what the majority - or even ALL - the people say or favour.

	Politically it DOES matter what a large majority thinks. A
government which ignores strong public opinion risks being kicked out
and it's actions negated. Governments can lead but it's risky. The
present Commonwealth Government has taken a risk with Iraq, Telstra and
industrial relations presumably because it thought the majority opinion
was wrong and people would come round to their way of thinking. 

	We want the government to take action to steer us away from the
disaster which peak oil will bring. To do so we need to bring more
people to the view that this is a problem which must be faced urgently.

	Decisions such as the Gungahlin Drive Extension might not have
been made if the likely future of fuel supplies was considered.

	At least Canberra planning now looks to be trying to keep
development closer and cutting back on continual sprawl.

	Tony

	phone : 02 6241 7659 | mailto:me at Tony-Barry.emu.id.au
	mobile: 04 1242 0397 | http://tony-barry.emu.id.au

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