FED:Editorials, Wednesday February 16, 2011

AAP General News (Australia)
02-16-2011
FED:Editorials, Wednesday February 16, 2011

MELBOURNE, Feb 16 AAP - The Gillard government could regain the upper hand if it has
the courage of its convictions and argues the case for a carbon price, Melbourne's The
Age says on Wednesday.

It says the Howard, Rudd and Gillard governments have spent about $5.6 billion on piecemeal
climate programs for little result.

"Not only has public money been lavished on schemes that were dreamt up as eye-catching
election promises, but the pubic goodwill required to achieve emission targets has been
tested," The Age editorial said.

"Piecemeal government intervention hasn't worked," the paper said.

"Climate change has been a political football for so long that the instinct to keep
playing short-term politics is very strong.

"Whoever leads the way with a policy to deliver substantial emissions cuts may find
that this is the way to restore their standing."





A friend we shouldn't take for granted, says Brisbane's Courier-Mail in its editorial column.

Don't take good neighbours for granted is a rule that applies equally to households
and to nations, which is why Prime Minister Julia Gillard's current two-day visit to New
Zealand is more significant than it might at first appear. This is more than an easy offshore
escape from domestic problems for a battle-weary political leader. It is also the first
prime ministerial trip across the Tasman in four years - too long a gap for such a close
and important friend and neighbour.

Australia and NZ, thanks to our common history and geography, have a connection rare
among nations. We have fought together in war and continue to compete fiercely against
each other in memorable and enduring sporting rivalries, from rugby to netball.

The paper says Australia and NZ have a relationship that appears rock solid and in
little need of urgent attention. But even the best of relationships need continual tending,
lest small niggles become something more serious.





Can we expect real competition between the big four banks with the NAB appearing to
break ranks, Melbourne's Herald Sun asks on Wednesday.

NAB says cheekily in its "break-up" letter with the other banks that it's all over between them.

"Customers can be forgiven for wondering exactly what is supposedly over," says the paper.

"A great many bank customers think there has been collusion between the major banks
on interest rates."

It says the NAB states in its full-page newspaper ads that it's probably best for everyone
"if we give each other some space right now and make a clean break"

"Is that code for genuine competition?" asks the paper.

It said the gap between the official cash rate and the major banks standard variable
rate has widened over the past three years with Westpac now the highest rate, followed
by the Commonwealth.

"But the NAB and the ANZ would seem to be bowing to public pressure," said the Herald Sun.





The Sydney Morning Herald says anyone who has walked along the blighted streetscape
of Parramatta Road would understand immediately the appeal of the NRMA's plan to transform
it from a major motor traffic artery to a so-called transit boulevard, with light rail
and cycling lanes. Few do walk there though: at present it is a car sewer.

The NRMA's plan is to put the sewer where it should be - underground. The M4 would
be joined to the City West link by a tunnel between Strathfield and Lilyfield.

But the paper says a few problems must be overcome before we get too excited about
this neat switcheroo

First, how will it be funded in the initial stages? Then there are environmental considerations.

Rejuvenating Parramatta Road would be a major gain, but a big new traffic tunnel would
not. At 8 kilometres it would be the longest in Sydney. Where would the exhaust stacks
go? Lastly there is simply a problem of credibility. Road projects, we know, get built
in NSW - but not rail or light rail. What if, instead of one Parramatta Road, we ended
up with two?





It is an inescapable fact that asylum seekers are a political issue, The Daily Telegraph
writes in its editorial.

The Sydney paper says yesterday's funerals for eight of those who perished when their
vessel, commanded by people smugglers, crashed into the rocky perimeter of Christmas Island
last December was an occasion when all Australians might have wished that politics took
a back seat.

Liberal immigration spokesman Scott Morrison was correct to point out that Australians
attending funerals around the country were not ordinarily entitled to taxpayer-funded
transport and accommodation.

His Liberal colleague, treasury spokesman Joe Hockey, took a different view. Prime
Minister Julia Gillard was of similar mind.

On balance, it is difficult to not side with Hockey and Gillard. In particular circumstances,
when events of extremely tragic scale are involved, there surely is nothing wrong with
directing some public money towards those who are penniless and suffering.

AAP msk

KEYWORD: EDITORIALS

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