‘All that hot air: Our politicians don’t have the guts to resolve climate issues’

Shall the circle ever be unbroken? I am talking about political hot air, in Australia and overseas. The 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow, Scotland in November was, and still is, newsworthy. Realistically, United States president Joe Biden was caught napping. Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge felt compelled to wear an eco-dress worth AU$12,000. Lord knows we all need flash threads. Most of the world leaders who attended flew there and back in their own private jets, to increase their carbon emissions.

There was much debate, by ‘hoomans’, as our fur friends would call us. We are all only ‘hoomans’, with feet of clay. Whatever ensued about climate change at the talkfest, we must persevere, even if some strategies fail. We are not advocating climate change so much for the Boomer seniors. It is for global humanity, for our grandchildren and their grandchildren.

We must overcome. We expect politicians to provide solutions to the big issues in society. On a smaller scale, the circle of political hot air is unbroken in Australia. In the real world, in 2022 there is going to be a Federal election campaign. Our media will be flooded by promises, feasible or affordable, or not!

As well as that, in 2022, there are some states that will have a state election. It shall not matter who we vote for, the circle of political hot air will be unbroken. Voting is our privilege, living in our lucky land. We must persevere, even if promises and pollies appear to fail.

At the end of the day, as a politician’s cliché might say, we must hope and pray for every Australian to aim for a peaceful way of life. We Boomers must advocate equality of opportunity, with freedom from poverty and discrimination for every citizen, as well as freedom for the environment. This should be regardless of anyone’s choices in belief or gender.

I do have some big dreams about such ideals, as an observer of political hot air for all these years. I had a lecturer in politics once who told us there was no such thing as a Western Liberal Democracy. As our sage on the stage, he stated that he had sold his soul to the system. He had to wear a collar and tie, sort taxes, purchase a car, and a slice of the great Australian dream. Marriage and parenthood beckoned. We all followed his path, guess we had to grow up sometime, instead of remaining in blue stocking land. He did not keep his job in the establishment too long.

This is the democracy we have, which we must treasure. Voting in Australia is compulsory for every citizen who is registered to vote. We must persevere with our democratic privileges, despite any individual’s opinion of politicians. Even if we vote for Micky Mouse to enter Parliament House, it is one of our freedoms. Politicians, like us, are ‘hoomans’ with feet of clay, players on our stage.

Yes, 2022 will dawn, with electioneering on the agenda. Some people do not discuss politics, it can start disagreements. Politicians are ‘hoomans’, too, wielding a budget compiled of taxes. In reality, the federal and state public servants administer Australia, just ask them! To the public service, it doesn’t matter who wins the election, the monolith will switch its cap of allegiance, and roll on.

No news is good news today. So, we hope we all reach the end of 2022, saying, no news is good news. ‘Hoomans’ will come and go, like politicians. The circle of hot air will be unbroken.