Graham, you are notoriously and viscerally opposed to coal. And in this case, it is clearly causing you to miss something important. So let's go over the point dispassionately, so that can have a chance to understand why some may be reacting to "foreign interests" involving themselves in trying to prevent commercialisation of Australian Coal.
First, please let's dispense with the attempts to make it appear that interfering with Australian commercial interests in coal is going to have any effect whatsoever on world emission of greenhouse gasses.
Wahteverl the ills of climate change, and Man's contribution to it, these are not uniquely caused by the burning of coal by Australians, or by the burning of Australian coal anywhere else in the …show more content…
Including coal. This is how we make our living, and how we pay our way in the world. That our competitors (which includes the USA) should try to hamper us by all means is not unexpected. It is not fair, but it is not unexpected. And that goes for coal as well as all of our other competing exports, which they will also be seeking to outdo us on. The "fair" competition based on price, quality, reliability, and so on, is only a small part of the picture, and can also cover a multitude of sins, including subsidies at home and trade barriers abroad.
So, given the above context, one would have to ask the question of why foreign interests might be focussing on hampering Australian coal exports. And also whether or not they are being similarly effective in their efforts to hamper coal exports from all other countries, including their own.
Of course, none of the above rational argument is going to convince the one-eyed, for whom this issue of "foreign interference" has provided yet another soap-box opportunity. But sensible people will certainly realise that your "North Korea" comments blow the whole thing way out of proportion, and are frankly total nonsense.
History has brought us the saying "Beware Greeks bearing gifts". More recent experience has taught us to be very wary of Americans (and others) seeking to advance their economic interests by any means available. Including pretending to do us
First, please let's dispense with the attempts to make it appear that interfering with Australian commercial interests in coal is going to have any effect whatsoever on world emission of greenhouse gasses.
Wahteverl the ills of climate change, and Man's contribution to it, these are not uniquely caused by the burning of coal by Australians, or by the burning of Australian coal anywhere else in the …show more content…
Including coal. This is how we make our living, and how we pay our way in the world. That our competitors (which includes the USA) should try to hamper us by all means is not unexpected. It is not fair, but it is not unexpected. And that goes for coal as well as all of our other competing exports, which they will also be seeking to outdo us on. The "fair" competition based on price, quality, reliability, and so on, is only a small part of the picture, and can also cover a multitude of sins, including subsidies at home and trade barriers abroad.
So, given the above context, one would have to ask the question of why foreign interests might be focussing on hampering Australian coal exports. And also whether or not they are being similarly effective in their efforts to hamper coal exports from all other countries, including their own.
Of course, none of the above rational argument is going to convince the one-eyed, for whom this issue of "foreign interference" has provided yet another soap-box opportunity. But sensible people will certainly realise that your "North Korea" comments blow the whole thing way out of proportion, and are frankly total nonsense.
History has brought us the saying "Beware Greeks bearing gifts". More recent experience has taught us to be very wary of Americans (and others) seeking to advance their economic interests by any means available. Including pretending to do us