Get This Ad on the Air

“If the winner of the election were to be decided by the ads, we’d be ruled by GetUp” (Karl Quinn, Entertainment Editor, The Age).¹ Have you seen our latest election ad on climate change?

Dear Glenn,

In 2007 Australia held what was widely called “the world’s first climate change election.” We all know what happened – the Australian people demonstrated a powerful community consensus on taking strong action to reduce carbon pollution.

That’s why it is so surprising that what Labor announced yesterday involved no emissions trading scheme for at least 3 years, no promise to turn back rising pollution in the next 3 years and no price on pollution. Even the pledge to rid the country of dirty coal power depends on carbon capture and storage technology that may not exist for 20 or 30 years, if ever.

But Julia Gillard did say that she’s open to delivering more on climate change and with Tony Abbott’s climate policy in shambles we must take this opportunity to convince her to deliver more to reduce carbon pollution.

We’re running out of time to solve climate change and reduce our rising carbon pollution – and we can’t settle for policies that don’t even veer close to the kind of strong action the science demands. Now is the time to step up our climate change ad campaign:

http://www.getup.org.au/campaign/StopRisingPollution

We know that going to an election simply with yesterday’s weak climate announcement would be untenable. That’s why just minutes ago Julia Gillard announced another part of her plan: an incentive scheme to get old dirty cars off the road. We know the Government will be announcing their policy in stages, gauging the public reaction every step of the way.

This gives us an opportunity. These next 4 weeks offer us the most important moment we have to influence the climate policies of the major parties. We know they never listen to us, the people, as intently as they do during an election campaign.

A credible climate policy must include a price on carbon, real renewable energy investments and a nation building energy efficiency program. These are the most effective and efficient ways to drive back rising levels of pollution. The Coalition have ruled out a real response to climate change. The Labor party is still holding back. The Greens are keen, but they can’t make policy without the government of the day onside.

The word out of Canberra is that our popular climate ad has started to make an impact on the public and politicians. You can show Labor what a credible climate policy looks like by donating to get this ad on the air:

http://www.getup.org.au/campaign/StopRisingPollution

There is still time for Labor to take a serious climate policy to the election–one that stops the rise of carbon pollution in the next 3 years.

In these last few weeks before the election, let’s show them what climate leadership looks like.

Thank you for your commitment,
The GetUp Team

PS – After Kevin Rudd delayed action on climate change, his approval ratings plummeted and he lost the prime ministership. Julia Gillard has a chance to chart a new course–keep this ad on the air to show her the way.

¹ Karl Quinn (in online video clip), ‘Slogans, promises, furphies and sins: election gamesmanship in full spin’, The Age, 22 July 2010.