From The Campaign Trail

The leaked report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) describes a bleak future for Australia - heatwaves, increasingly intense and frequent fires, plus more floods, landslides, droughts, and storm surges. Astoundingly, Malcolm Turnbull, Federal Environment Minister, brushed this off as old news: "....we know about this, this has been published, the CSIRO has been writing about this for years so I'm glad that you think it's a revelation, I'm sorry to say that it isn't... there's nothing new in that". If the Howard Government already knew, why have they taken so long to do something? IPCC reports are at: www.ipcc.ch

Among other things Nicholas Stern has urged Australia to reduce greenhouse gases by 30% by the year 2020. Typically John Howard's government has responded with its favourite tactic – "Let's Ignore Facts & Create Fear". This time they claim Australia's economy would be devastated by setting such targets. Howard said 2020 is only 13 years away and the timeline is unrealistic. If Howard had listened, his 11-year government could have been well on the way to achieving that target. But he and his Ministers continued to deny climate change existed. Only now, with an election pending, has he paid token attention. Up until this year his interest in climate change was, I guess, only if it affected his Lord’s cricket match. Have a look at the Stern Interview at: http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/content/2007/s1884169.htm

John Howard shouldn't gloat about David Hicks' guilty plea - our Prime Minister should hang his head in shame at his betrayal, over 5 years, of an Australian citizen. He should be ashamed for his support of the flawed and unjust US Military Commission. Everyone sees that Hicks' guilty plea was made under extraordinary and inhumane duress. There is no way of knowing what inducements and threats were brought to bear by his captors. It is certain that Hicks was subjected to cruel, degrading and inhumane punishment, for five long years. Anyone with any doubt about the cruelty of Guantanamo Bay should watch the ABC Lateline interview with bioethicist Dr Steven Miles. The program on 26/03/07 at: http://www.abc.net.au/lateline. My reaction is simple: A flawed plea, in a flawed Commission, condoned by a flawed Prime Minister.

Prime Minister Howard boasts that David Hicks is having his day in court. The Howard Government claims that their pressure has hastened the hearing. Hastened? - Hicks was captured in December 2001. The whole of the Howard Government betrayed their responsibility to an Australian citizen, and now betray their responsibility to ensure a fair and just trial. Analysis from the respectable Australian Lawyers Alliance says "the rules of the US Military Commissions amount to little more than a kangaroo court". So much for standing up for the fundamental principles of democracy! The Lawyers Alliance report is at: http://www.lawyersalliance.com.au/news.php?show=releases

I am absolutely delighted with Kevin Rudd's broadband announcement. He has committed a Federal Labor government to building a world class national broadband network. My reaction was "FABULOUS - WE NEED THIS YESTERDAY!" Internationally, Australia is way behind the pack. We are 17th in the OECD in broadband take-up, and 25th in the world for bandwidth. Super fast broadband isn't a luxury - it's an essential platform for nation building and economic development. John Howard claims superiority in economic management but is oblivious to the infrastructure essential for a competitive future economy - a PM who doesn't look ahead. Find more at: http://www.alp.org.au/media/0307/pcloo210.php