At its recent conference, the National Party showed its hostility to renewables and denial of the urgency to act on climate change. Given the Nationals purport to represent regional Australia, many will have concluded that they spoke for all farmers and others living there. Not so!
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Farmers for Climate Action was recently formed to counter this regressive policy.
Two weeks ago, it published an Open Letter to the politicians of regional Australia expressing the deep concern and frustration of the 1700 farmers who signed it.
It was remarkable for its firm rejection of the National’s policy, and more so for advocating the economic and environmental benefits that will flow from grasping the huge opportunities offered by a renewables future.
Like King Canute who believed he could hold back the sea, the Nationals are trying to preserve an outdated, harmful, coal-based society by blocking the inevitable.
Australia led the world in renewables until our lead was given away by conservative governments looking backwards.
By reflecting the damage these policies are doing, the farmers are also speaking for many others pleading with governments to look to the future, not the past.
John Drinan
Bonny Hills