Mole Creek is a famous limestone cave location. One of the important inhabitants of our caves is the Tasmanian cave spider, Hickmania troglodytes [1,2]. The genus Hickmania is named after an arachnologist called Hickman; and the species name troglodytes is the Greek word for cave-dweller. Some 50 years ago, the word 'troglodyte' acquired a derogatory usage. In keeping with this usage, I hereby formally, but regrettably, label Warren Truss (pictured) as a troglodyte. Who? He’s the federal leader of the National Party. Why? Last week he urged the federal government to delay the 2010 start of Australia’s emissions trading scheme to protect jobs in the mining industry. He said that introducing a tax on the resources sector during the financial crisis would lead to more job losses, and ‘This is a time when industry needs all the help it can get’. My response is: ‘Horse shit, Mr Truss. If you don’t know there are no jobs on a dead planet, then as leader of a major political party, you should. This is 2009, the planet faces dire climate catastrophe, and you’re worried about a few jobs. Sorry, votes. Even the Rudd government, which is woefully inadequate on climate change, has said the ETS won’t be delayed. So return to your cave, Mr Truss, you troglodyte. And don’t come out until you care about my planet and my grandchildren’.
1 comment:
Amen!
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