Another White Paper

ALP release another White Paper RESOURCES Minister Martin Ferguson has warned that Australia’s capacity to win billions of dollars in investments in LNG projects in the next 18 months will depend on its ability to remain competitive, declaring wage demands had to be based on capacity to pay. Who could disagree with that statement? The Greens, the Union movement and in reality, the ALP – that’s who. Greens leader Christine Milne, reading from her little red book, attacked the white paper’s focus on fossil fuels saying there was “still way too much on a dash for gas”.

“That clearly is Martin Ferguson with his fossilised fingers all over the past, promoting increased fossil fuel exports, saying we have to get rid of all regulatory measures so you can streamline the dash for gas,” Senator Milne said.

Get used to it Christine, fossil fuels are here for a while yet. Wouldn’t want private enterprise to make any money would we Christine. Providing jobs to Aussies and paying tax – no that would never do. And when have the Unions ever considered wage demands had to be based on capacity to pay. Ferguson’s white paper is an example of what the ALP do well – come up with great sounding White Papers. Unfortunately what they don’t do well is implement them. It’s no good talking to Australians about obvious steps to productivity and wealth – he needs to talk to Gillard, Swan and the Unions. He didn’t mention the Carbon Tax or the RET but he should have with both programs vying with each other to raise the cost of energy with no gains for anybody, let alone the climate. From Rudd’s Defence White Paper (I’m still laughing at the 12 submarine wish list) through Asian Century distractions, the ALP have developed an art form of talking big but not coming up with the money. Of course this surprises no one considering their greatest known ability is redistribution of wealth. If only they would to a bit of work on creating wealth we might see some of their grandiose statements turn into facts. Unfortunately I can’t see that happening this side of the election.