Something for nothing
John Winston Howard, MHR (Lib) Bennelong: It would be impossible for me to give you — with no scientific training — even a glimpse of my knowledge and achievements in organic chemistry. You know me as a politician and leader of the nation. But work that has taken up the best part of my life can now come to the fore.
Contrary to the views expressed so vocally by the panic merchants in the green lobby, it is my major postulate that we are far too preoccupied with the gases that surround us. The atmosphere of the earth's air is composed of about 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, tiny quantities of argon and carbon dioxide and microscopic quantities of other gases. If I pause for breath, I can do so knowing that there's sure to be plenty more where my last puff came from.
And that's the way it should be. Golly, air comes to us as naturally as breathing. And it's all free! Let's not forget that. The air is free for all of us to enjoy.
We want to keep it that way. That's a promise. My government guarantees every man, woman and child in Australia as much free air as they could possibly want or may ever need. And let's face it, in this day and age, such a commitment from any government is pretty unique. Friends! We're offering you something for nothing!
But there's a catch. If we are to keep down the price of air, we cannot go committing ourselves to drastic reductions in our greenhouse emissions. Air may be free now, but as soon as you start fiddling with the formula for air — customising it as fancy dictates — it's going to cost us plenty. What now is complimentary may tomorrow be levied a fee.
Do you doubt me? I am talking about an air toll! As sure as my name is Winston, that's what this Kyoto Summit wants us to do — make us pay for air. We'll be paying through the nose for air!
You can see why I am so upset. If I choose to draw from the atmosphere around me, I should possess the inalienable right to do with this gaseous substance whatever I may need to do. Because without the right to breathe, talk, burp or fart as we choose, we wouldn't be what we are. We wouldn't be Australian. And, my friends, it is our air, scented with eucalyptus and the dung of 126 million sheep, that I'm talking about.
In this country, I say without any fear of contradiction, that for air, the sky's the limit. This air over this land is our air — to do with what we please — and nobody is going to tell us otherwise.
Dave Riley