It is difficult to know what Kevin Rudd really believes. Before the election, he told voters that global warming is the “greatest moral challenge facing the nation.” Now, for no better reason than to stir trouble in the ranks of the Coalition parties, he is obstructing the passage of his own legislation to introduce a renewable energy target. He writes long essays pinning the blame for the global financial crisis on the failings of neo-liberal economics, yet promotes a neo-liberal version of an artificial emissions trading market to buy and sell synthetic financial products called carbon pollution permits and their associated derivatives. He constantly assures voters that he wants to invest in education, health and productive new infrastructure, yet he’ll run short of money because he’s already committed to billions of dollars in handouts to big polluters in clear violation of the polluter pays principle.

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