It expands on his common tropes that elevate climate change as the only issue in the world right now and that there is some easy, painless way to address it to his satisfaction.
Neither of those two things are true. Climate change is real, and an issue for the entire planet to address. But issues of geopolitical stability, the understandable desire of Third World economies to improve living standards, and general social cohesion are also issues for the global community and all nations to address.
To think that government-imposed destruction of the Australian economy (which would be the result of the types of actions Mr McLean proposes) would be desirable or acceptable to people in a democracy is an absolute fantasy. Many at the pointier end of climate activism seem to think that Australia’s climate issues are directly related to Australia’s emissions, as if there is some biodome over the country. The inconvenient truth is that we are tied to other, larger emitting nations’ commitments and timelines.
As I stated in my maiden speech:
“Climate change is a complex challenge for our country. The overwhelming scientific opinion is that greenhouse gas emissions are causing a changing climate, and that to prevent an average temperature rise that would lead to real challenges for humanity we need to, as a planet, reduce our emissions. That we need to act is not in question. It is the how, not the if. Done in a reckless manner, with unrealistic timelines out of step with our global competitors, we could face a situation where industry moves emissions overseas. Australia’s economic strength would be reduced but global emissions would not.”
Mr McLean’s immediate solution to the climate issue is to ‘Unseat the existing member for Nicholls’, which he states is the agenda of the next meeting of the ‘independent’ group, Voices for Nicholls.
Everyone has the right to participate in the democratic process and put forward visions and reasons as to why they or their candidate should be elected. In anticipation of such a challenge from the ‘Voices for’ movement I ask all those to be upfront. The key question many constituents of Nicholls would ask an independent candidate is “Which major party would you support to form government?”
This groups says on social media “we wish to establish open communication with our representative” but they have never contacted me since my election as Member for Nicholls.
Australia is one of the most successful societies and democracies in the world. This is in part due its system of cabinet government, and political parties have been at the core of that. Rather than everyone wandering into the House of Representatives with their own issues and grievances, members of political parties give careful consideration of issues affecting the nation in a process led by ministers or shadow ministers, and positions are developed with the benefit of a range of representatives across Australia, in the national interest. These competing visions are put to the Australian people who decide whether they prefer a Coalition or a Labor government to guide Australia. A House of Representatives that is one huge crossbench threatens this. That is not to say independent members cannot, and have not, made positive contributions. But they can’t govern.
A common refrain of the independent movement is that they represent the community, not a party. The is deliberate misrepresentation. I don’t represent a party — I represent everyone in the electorate of Nicholls. I am in a party that helps form an alternative government of Australia. I don’t have to vote with the party — and my constituents come first.
I am engaged at a grassroots level across the electorate, and I can tell you, there are many diverse views. There are over 110,000 voters in Nicholls and not everyone agrees. As anyone who has been an MP will tell you, there are compromises that need be considered all the time. Those in the independent camp often say, “I represent the community”, as if those who belong to a party don’t. It is easy to hear a clear and repeated message when in an echo chamber.
The issues that Australia face are great, and there are no easy answers to them. I will go to the next election as an engaged Member for Nicholls who has tried to listen to as many views across the electorate as possible, and who feeds those views into party policies of an alternative government that will guide Australia in a prosperous direction, different to the one we are currently pointed in. The Labor party will campaign on their term in government and their view of what will work in the future. The independent movement’s vision? A larger unaligned and unfocused crossbench, in my view, is not good for Australia’s future governance.
— Sam Birrell, Federal Member for Nicholls
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