Polluters ought to pay

If you don't have a problem with the widely-accepted economic principle that polluters ought to pay for what would otherwise be an externality and want to show your support for (far from perfect) initiatives that begin to acknowledge that Australia is, per capita, amongst the worst offenders and ought to try to at least shuffle a few steps forward, then on 5th June you can join a series of rallies across the country organised by three organisations with a combined membership of over three million in order to say that the ones who cause a problem ought to bear the cost of it, rather than those least able to afford it and least responsible for the mess in the first place. The next few weeks are a critical period during which the details of Australia's climate policy will be negotiated between the Government, the Greens and the Independents. Public support for ambitious targets and affirming the principle of making polluters pay could help to nudge things towards a better outcome.

It's probably not going to save the polar bears. It won't fix the past. It's not going to change the world (though nor will current proposals break the bank, let alone cost the earth). But it is irresponsible to keep sticking our heads in the sand.

There will be a rallies in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Hobart, Adelaide and Brisbane. These rallies will be family friendly and are not just for hard-core activists, but for anyone with a mother who taught you to clean up your own mess.