Australia takes its own path
Published by Avi Green on Monday, December 11, 2006 at 1:36 PM.
And wisely so. Last week, Labor leader Kevin Rudd and prime minister John Howard had an exchange in which Howard made it clear why Australia needs to take its own path politically (Hat tip: Tim Blair):
By the European path, I think Howard means the European Union. Given how their policies have ruined the continent, he's quite right that they shouldn't have to go the way Europe's been forced to go.
Mr HOWARD: When I make decisions on climate change and the Kyoto protocol, I do not speak for a particular political philosophy; I speak for my country. And it is in my country’s interests not to go down the European path. What the Leader of the Opposition has done with that question is reveal the Labor Party’s thinking on this issue. It is European-based thinking, because he quoted countries whose economies are fundamentally different to Australia’s economy. If I applied a British solution to an Australian problem in relation to climate change, I would be doing great injury to my country. I have absolutely no intention of doing that.Good thinking. That's something that Canada needs to make clear too, that the British way is not a healthy path for them to take, certainly not politically.
By the European path, I think Howard means the European Union. Given how their policies have ruined the continent, he's quite right that they shouldn't have to go the way Europe's been forced to go.
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