Kevin Rudd defends 114-strong Australian contingent at Copenhagen climate summit

Or should the headlines be - AUSSIE TAXPAYERS SCREWED AGAIN BY GOVERNMENT JUNKETT??

Here's what this bunch of rogues we call the Australian Federal Govt are up to now with our hard earned taxes. As if we, the people they purport to represent, would ever agree to a delegation of this magnitude.

Kevin Rudd, you are the weakest link.............................GOODBYE!!


PRIME Minister Kevin Rudd has blamed the states for the size of the 114-strong delegation Australia is taking to the Copenhagen climate summit.

The Australian team at the UN climate summit in Copenhagen could number 114, according to official documents reported on in The Australian.

The delegation could include Kevin Rudd's official photographer, seven media advisers, 29 staff from the climate change department along with staff from six other federal departments or agencies, according to the list.

PRIME Minister Kevin Rudd has blamed the states for the size of the 114-strong delegation Australia is taking to the Copenhagen climate summit.

The Australian team at the UN climate summit in Copenhagen could number 114, according to official documents reported on in The Australian.

The delegation could include Kevin Rudd's official photographer, seven media advisers, 29 staff from the climate change department along with staff from six other federal departments or agencies, according to the list.


Mr Rudd's official photographer will also be there. He will trail the PM from his arrival at the conference next week.

There are also representatives from the states, including South Australian Premier Mike Rann and senior bureaucrats from state departments.

The carbon footprint for 114 personnel travelling business class to Denmark and back equals 1817 tonnes of emissions, equivalent to the annual output of 2500 people in Malawi - one of the countries at greatest risk from climate change.

There are 195 people attending in the US delegation and 233 delegates from China, but only 71 making the short trip from Britain and 55 from India.

Mr Rudd has not disputed the number attending, but says it is not as bad as it looks. He says half the number is coming from the states.

"In terms of our core Australian government delegation it is probably in the order of about 50 or 60," he told 3AW radio. "We extend an invitation ... and they come."

The dozens of other staffers were needed in Denmark because the summit will produce a "highly complex text" which will demand intensive scrutiny, the PM insisted.

He has also said some delegates are being brought across from embassies in Europe, lessening the carbon footprint.

A spokeswoman for Climate Change minister Penny Wong said earlier the list was not necessarily final and those delegates who did make the cut were being urged to use public transport while in Copenhagen.


Organisers have said the conference - which is tasked with finding a global agreement on climate change to succeed the Kyoto Protocol - will be carbon neutral.

In all, an estimated 15,000 delegates are attending the conference, along with 5000 reporters and nearly 100 world leaders.

According to official estimates, each conference participant will emit about 2.7 tonnes of carbon per person, excluding air travel.

Organisers say conference emissions will be offset through a project to convert dirty brick kilns in the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka to low-emissions gas.

But Opposition climate spokesman Greg Hunt said the size of the Australian contingent was over the top.

"Kevin Rudd's mega-delegation is generating a carbon footprint visible on the moon," he said.

Ms Wong says Australia will push for "the most ambitious agreement possible" at Copenhagen - which is widely thought to be a 25 per cent reduction in carbon emissions.

In Copenhagen, rich nations were criticised by China over their failure to curb carbon emissions.

"You will find a huge gap if you make a comparison between their pledges and the actions they have so far taken," Chinese envoy Yu Qingtai said.

He said rich nations needed to do some soul-searching to reduce emissions from 1990 levels, as promised.

The developed world had also failed to fulfil a pledge to provide financial support to developing nations to help them cope with climate change, he said.

But the federal opposition's finance spokesman, Barnaby Joyce, says there's no guarantee the coalition would even support a global agreement to cut emissions by 15 per cent by 2020.

That's despite the fact the coalition has previously backed Labor's reduction target range of five to 25 per cent, depending on what action other countries take.

"The agreements are one thing, what the countries actually do when they get home is something else," he told Sky News when asked if the opposition would support a 15 per cent target if that's what came out of Copenhagen.

"We don't honour anything until we see the details.

"That's (Prime Minister) Kevin Rudd politics, where you start pre-empting things and doing things before other people have a look at it."

In contrast, Senator Wong was upping the ante on last night.

She said Australia wanted to help limit temperature rises to two degrees celsius.

"That requires the most ambitious agreement possible," she told ABC TV.

"That's going to be tough to get but we're determined to do all we can to try and get it."

Asked if that meant she'd lobby for developed countries to cut emissions by 25 per cent, Senator Wong replied: "That's one of the ways in which that outcome is achieved".

"We will do what is comparable to the rest of the world," the climate change minister said from Copenhagen.

"We will not do more but we certainly won't do less."





www.heraldsun.com.au... 86


GRRRR.......can't get that link thinggy to work.....
[edit on 11-12-2009 by SpinifexPrincess]

[edit on 11-12-2009 by SpinifexPrincess]

Bunch of Hypocrites, how's the size of the CARBON FOOTPRINT they are creating trying to make the rest of us pay for ours!




KEVIN RUDD, ITS TIME TO GO!!!!!!!!!!!!

China is criticising the West? I thought they were one of the worst offenders. Last I heard they were bringing coal-fired power stations on stream like they were going out of fashion!

[edit on 11/12/2009 by PuterMan]

Yeah well don't get me started on China & India's attitude to this, starting to think we're gonna be in for the biggest screwing of all time by the so-called "developing nations"

Ahhh but how many cow farts is Kevin Rudd saving by being vegetarian? That's the true question here.....that and how many RAAF hostesses will he abuse for being served meat this trip?

Our whole government is a sham - Labor, Liberal, the whole bloody lot of them. We need to fire the entire government and start over. I'm so far beyond sick of their bollocks and shenanigans that I truly have started thinking about starting my own micronation - like my heroes the Principality of Sealand.

reply to post by Kryties



Krysties, you make a very good point, I mean, how many cows farts WILL he personally save? I reckon a big fart ZERO. Why? Because cows wil always fart, its in their nature!!!

As for the poor hosties, yeah well that just makes him feel like a man, the pathetic small creature that he is.

You are right, of course, succession from Australia is an option. Am thinking of a move to Hutt River Province, Western Australia. Wanna join me?!!

Okay, here's the latest. And Autralia is not happy. I think maybe they're watching us in here at ATS, because the issue seems to be the developing countries. Suprise! suprise! I'd be thinking more along the lines that they wanted "their model" to be accepted, the Meglomaniac that Kevin Rudd is.

anyway, here's the latest.................




Draft climate deal not enough - Wong
From correspondents in Copenhagen, Denmark From: AAP December 12, 2009 8:12am


AT last there's a draft climate deal on the table at Copenhagen - but Australia is not happy with it.

The official UN deal, issued at the landmark summit on global warming, says rich countries must slash greenhouse gas emissions but poorer countries like China don't have to.

It appears to indicate that developing countries have won the upper hand at the Copenhagen summit.

Australia's Climate Change Minister, Penny Wong, criticised the deal for being too soft.

She's worried that without more action from countries like China and India, the world's greenhouse gas emissions would be too high to stop global warming.

"We do have some concerns; we think that primarily the problem is that this is not a document which is capable of delivering the environmental outcome the world needs,'' Senator Wong said of the draft.


"It is a document that doesn't provide a credible option for binding commitments from developing countries.''

Various countries have released draft deals at the summit but this one carries more weight because it's been officially proposed by the summit itself.

The draft deal sets out relatively tough conditions for rich countries like Australia.

They would have to cut emissions by at least 25 per cent by 2020, and by at least 75 per cent by 2050.

But developing countries including China, which is the world's largest emitter, would only have to cut emissions if they were directly paid to do so.

Their emissions could still go up, but by 15 to 20 per cent less than business-as-usual over the next decade.

Developing countries would not have to let international observers verify their emissions data.

Developed countries would have to let the observers in.

The deal doesn't make it clear if developing countries would have to take on binding promises on emissions.

Rich countries would, under a continuation of the Kyoto protocol.

Senator Wong wants more.

"It needs to be an agreement that has force. We want countries to stand behind their actions,'' the minister told reporters at the Copenhagen summit.

She said developing countries had to "internationalise'' their promises, which means allow international observers to verify their emissions data.

The draft deal also contains a potential bomb for Australia - it says countries must achieve their greenhouse targets through action at home.

Australia is planning to meet its target partly by paying poor countries to reduce their emissions, and counting the savings against its own target.

Erwin Jackson, who is in Copenhagen with Australia's Climate Institute, said the main problem was that the draft deal did not give a mandate to forge a legally binding climate deal, which would force everyone to make good on their emissions targets.

In other climate news, the European Union has pledged to pay more than $US3 billion ($3.27 billion) a year into a fast-track fund to help developing countries tackle climate change.

Australia has committed to help out, but has not said what it would pay.

Nor has the US.



www.news.com.au...

[edit on 11-12-2009 by SpinifexPrincess]

[edit on 11-12-2009 by SpinifexPrincess]

What I don't understand is why China & India are going to be allowed to continue along situation normal, pumping out "emissions" & creating greenhouse gasses like there is no tomorrow.

The other thing that has pricked my interested is the term "OBSERVERS"

Okay, who are they, where are they from, & how much is it gong to cost us to employ them to screw us? ( thoughts of the International Olympic Committee & their greedy ways instantly comes to mind )


Well, post your thoughts, & I'm gonna be watching this closely, because if I have to pay for 100+ delegates to be in Copenhagen on a junkett, then I'm wanting my pound of flesh!

Here's some ineresting statistics for you all to peruse, quite interesting, & the guy echoes my own thoughts.

Bunch of hypocrites! Interesting how much money they are spending to try to make us do what they want! Not to mention the impact.......

Read on----



Fleet Of Gas Guzzlers Descends On Copenhagen Global-Warming Summit.


On the heels of the climategate scandal, which has impuned much of the science the global warming faithful praise as gospel, a massive fleet of gas-guzzlers are shuttling world leaders to Copenhagen. 15,000 delegates, 5,000 reporters, 98 world leaders, and an odd assortment of movie stars are heading to Denmark to discuss a problem that may not exist.

Now, admittedly, saving the world from itself is tough duty. You may be concerened that those attending the summit will arrive exhausted, too tired to share their much-ballyhooed wisdom. Never fear. They’ve spared no expense making sure they arrive well-rested.

In fact, in order to warn the Earth of the dangers associated with over-consumption, travelers have rented a whopping 1,200 limos and 140 private jets. This number does not take into account the people taking public airlines, cars, trains, or ships.

If it sounds dire, console yourself with the fact that an astonishing five hybrid autos will be among those vehicles and that Copenhagen’s prostitutes will be offering their carbon-neutral services for free - as long as you can produce an official delegate passcard.

When all is said and done, the Summit and its associated travel will have launched 40,000 tons of CO2 emissions into our fragile ecosystem. That’s more than 60 of the world’s smaller countries will produce in an entire year - combined.

So, once again, while the world’s elitists meet to discuss how they’re going to make you comply with their agenda, it’s important to be aware of the fact that they have no intention of setting an example. The rules they create are to apply, as always, to everyone but themselves.

When we’ve been forced to sacrifice our sovereignty, our economy, and our freedom upon the alter of the global warming church, remember, they’ll still be up there in their private jets - looking down at the sheep.

- Robert Laurie

UPDATE: Yes, yes, I know I wrote “Sweden” instead of “Denmark,” and yes, I’m well aware of Copenhagen’s location. The Danes, the Swedes, and the outraged Al Gore/Leonardo DiCaprio/CRU worshippers have my apologies for the brain fart. Congratulations to my leftist friends on their sanctimonious, typo-free lives.


therobalution.com...

China, US battle it out at Copenhagen climate change summit
Friday, 11 December 2009 11:22
Patrick Stafford



Talks have continued at the climate change summit in Copenhagen, with a special envoy from the US warning China it must take part in a major deal to cut greenhouse emissions.
The envoy has defended itself from attacks directed by the Chinese delegation, who said the US and other major countries were not doing enough to combat climate change.

China has said it will not sign an international treaty due to the fact other wealthy nations have not agreed to targets of their own, while also failing to commit to new targets proposed at the summit.

''The country whose emissions are going up dramatically, really dramatically, is China,'' US envoy Todd Stern said. ''You can't even think about solving this problem without having action from China.''

''China has a dynamic economy which has led to it sitting on $US2 trillion of reserves,'' he said. ''I don't envision public funds, certainly from the United States, going to China.''

Stern also said International Energy Agency figures showed 97% of the emissions growth in the year 2030 would come from the developed world, with 50% of those emissions to come from China.

The figures have been cited by a number of developing nations at the conference, many of which have attacked "rich" nations for failing to commit to legally-binding agreements.

Su Wei, director-general of climate change in China's National Development and Reform Commission, said a proposal before the US congress requiring a 4% cut below 1990 emissions levels was not a "remarkable and notable figure".

Additionally, US has made aggressive statements of its own, with Stern saying the superpower would not sign the Kyoto Protocol or any agreement similar to it.

Back home, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has rejected claims reported in The Australian that over 100 Federal Government representatives are being sent to the conference.

"You've got to have a team of legal officials, policy advisers, to scrutinise a highly complex text, because the implications for Australia long-term are very significant," he said, also denying reports he would have nine press secretaries were false.

"Since day dot there's always been official photographers... who go around just compiling the Australian documentary record."

Climate change minister Penny Wong said the size of the delegation was large, and bigger than the envoy sent by Britain, but that various reports were misleading.

"Those figures include people who are accredited by the Australian Government but are not Australian Government officials so there are some state government and local government representatives there, [as well as] some people who are listed for accreditation who have not attended."

Rudd also denied rumours about internal chaos at the summit, saying he intended to work on an agreement without listening to speculation.

"Between now and the end of next week you'll hear about a thousand predictions of total failure, you'll hear a thousand predictions of stunning success," he said. "The key thing is to just get in there and do the hard yards."


www.smartcompany.com.au...



I posted this article for two reasons, China's obvious stance & for the second half of the article in which Kevin Rudd now denies the huge delegation. Hmmm.........see, some of us knew he was a liar from day dot, & once again here he is saying one thing in one article, & another thing another article.

Okay, here's the latest update from Copenhagen, in relation to the screwing of Aussie Taxpayers. It falls under the banner of " WHAT THE......?" , in my opinion.

Does anyone think this is right & this should happen?




Australia may foot huge climate change bill for China
By Glenn Milne From: Sunday Herald Sun December 13, 2009 1:19am


AUSTRALIA faces having to make a hefty payout to help developing countries such as China and India cope with climate change in order to clinch a deal in Copenhagen.

Despite Australia facing a domestic Budget deficit of about $50 billion for the coming year, Climate Change Minister Penny Wong told The Sunday Mail from Copenhagen that Australia would have to contribute to so-called climate "abatement" funds if India and China were to come into the climate-change tent.

"There are a range of figures flying around," Senator Wong said. "(British Prime Minister) Gordon Brown has proposed a $100 billion mix of public and private money. We have not indicated a figure but we have indicated we're prepared to do our fair share."

But new Opposition finance spokesman Barnaby Joyce immediately attacked the proposal.

"Essentially this Copenhagen plan means we borrow money from places like China to pay them to help them develop. I don't think they need our help. They're doing a very good job on their own."

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has previously backed a separate $US10 billion climate fund in talks with US President Barack Obama and Mr Brown.

Reports from Copenhagen say industrialised countries favour a target of 50 per cent reduction of global carbon emissions by 2020 (compared with 1990 levels), but major emerging economies led by China have baulked at any such target unless it is made clear that rich countries will assume most of the burden.




www.news.com.au...



Okay, what your thoughts? I am totally gobsmacked & baffled that anyone could actually think this is okay. It doesn't make any sense to me at all...............

And I thought you guys would just love this one, this is how these clowns, AKA- The AustralianGovernment, chose to spend our hard earned taxes screwing us for the next however many years to come. Yep, lets spend heaps of cash that isn't ours, getting taxpayers to cough up more cash that we're not entitled to either!!!

What an absolute disgrace, these people need to go, & need to go now. I don't know if I can wait another minute for the next Federal election........

( not to mention the other wastefulness reported in this article )


Luxury digs at climate talkfest
Stephen Drill
December 12, 2009 11:00pm



AUSTRALIAN government officials are living it up in a 127-year-old luxury hotel amid criticism that the Copenhagen climate change conference has become an overpriced talkfest that will do nothing to halt global warming.

A large contingent of Australia's 100-plus delegation, including Climate Change Minister Penny Wong and her offsiders, has set up camp at the $850-a-night Kong Arthur Hotel in the heart of Copenhagen.

A bowl of soup in one of the hotel's restaurants costs $51.

A Sunday Mail investigation has also found more than 100 Australian businesspeople and political lobbyists were treated to a lavish drinking session at the Australian ambassador's residence in Copenhagen on Thursday night.

The revelation comes as climate change campaigners at the conference question the green credentials of those involved. They claim the delegates are:

• Ignoring supplied recycling bins, lazily using normal rubbish bins instead.

• Printing out reams of paper documents, despite access to hundreds of laptops.

• Wearing summer clothing, despite Denmark's near-freezing temperatures, because conference venues have excessive heating.

Australian Koala Foundation chief executive Deborah Tabart said she was appalled at the waste created by people claiming to be working to end global warming.

"There were girls walking around in floral dresses in here and it's two degrees outside," she said.

"I think that they could turn the heating down a few degrees and everyone could learn to dress more appropriately."

Ms Tabart said solving climate change had to start with individuals, because governments could not be trusted.

"The waste here has inspired me to be more dedicated. All of us need to live more sustainable lives," she said.

"I think you would be amazed at the amount of paper coming in and out of the centre."

Australian Youth Climate Coalition spokeswoman Wendy Miller said she had also witnessed people throwing paper into normal bins.

Political lobbyist Tim Wilson, of the Institute of Public Affairs, said he was shocked at the waste created by the conference.

"All of these measures used to make this conference carbon neutral are just a sham," he said.

"There is very little green behaviour. Everyone has a lap top computer and there's a giant room with hundreds of lap tops where people can just check their emails.

"There's a real tone of hypocrisy about the whole thing. It's a 'live as I say, not as I do' type of thing.

"I have never seen anything like this; the number of people walking around with nothing to do other than wanting to be here is amazing. It's in direct contrast to everything that this meeting is supposed to be about."

Mr Wilson said he doubted a binding agreement would come out of the conference.

sorry, link for the above story...


www.news.com.au...

Not that I think much of Barnaby Joyce, or his opinions, but this article seems to sum up the feeling of some of us here in Australia----well here in my immediate circle anyways, & I thought it was worth sharing.


Rudd the finance illiterate not me, says defiant senator
Claire Harvey
December 13, 2009 12:00am



KEVIN Rudd "just doesn't get economics" - so says Barnaby Joyce, the bush accountant, maverick Queensland politician and opposition finance spokesman.

And Senator Joyce isn't so sure about Treasury boss Ken Henry either - although Reserve Bank Governor Glenn Stevens is all right.

Senator Joyce's blunt assessment of the PM and his key adviser came during his first week as shadow finance minister, during which he was lambasted as an "economic illiterate" by the Government and slapped down by shadow treasurer Joe Hockey for remarks on Chinese investment, banking regulation, taxation and global finances.

But Senator Joyce staunchly defended his economic understanding, telling The Sunday Mail he had repeatedly warned of global meltdown before last year's financial crisis, and saying he would not censor his opinions.

Asked about his view of Kevin Rudd, Senator Joyce said: "Angry but decent. His biggest weakness is he doesn't understand how it really works. He just doesn't get economics."

Mr Rudd's temper was proof he was "a selfish little boy who can speak Chinese. I'm so smart, just let me show you. I speak Mandarin. Well, woopdy doo, so do 1.3 billion Chinese," he said.

Senator Joyce described Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard as "a great political performer" whose time would come.

"Her time will come and that will be interesting for all of us because I think being a great political performer does not necessarily mean great capabilities."

In a wide-ranging interview over the course of a day at the beach on the Sunshine Coast last week with The Sunday Mail, Senator Joyce also expounded on everything from international affairs to "stupid" FM radio DJs Kyle and Jackie O.

He criticised Mr Henry for toeing the government line, saying Mr Stevens was "more honest" about the economy.

The Reserve Bank governor was "more honest about where the economy is than Henry. I get closer to the truth, I feel, with Stevens."

On holiday with his wife Natalie and four daughters on the Sunshine Coast, Senator Joyce said he had frequently thought of giving up politics, and would do so whenever Mrs Joyce gave the word. "I think about (giving it away) often. I could walk away," he said.

For now, he said his job was to persuade Australians that national debt was our greatest threat, as well as being a good father.

"My goal in politics is to get my daughters through adolescence without body-piercings or tattoos, then fix the economy," he said.