Saturday, August 25, 2007

We learnt a new word.

It seems our leaders are revealing hitherto unsuspected levels of dexterity, flexibility & acrobatic skill. They appear to have done a complete backflip on the issue of nuclear power. With mid-air half-turn double-pike wrist flap included. Hmmm. Seemingly impressive but Cap Ideas suspect there might be more than meets the eye here. Call us wet blankets (though we do prefer wet cumrags) but aren't our leaders a bunch of straighty-180˚ stiff stick-in-the-mud types? Could it be that what we have witnessed is a sleight of hand, a trick of perspective, a fib?

see Age article

One thing is for certain: We have learnt a new word. & what a pretty word it is.

Just days ago the PM was saying the location of nuclear reactors would be determined by purely 'commercial' interests. Now he's come out saying that actually that's not the case at all - instead there will be 'binding plebiscites' to determine if communities accept reactors in their areas.

Plebiscite: 1 the direct vote of all the electors of a country etc. on an important public question.2 the public expression of a community's opinion, with or without binding force.


It is little wonder that we (or at least the one at the keyboard now) didn't know this word. Community consultation hasn't really existed for the past decade or so.
The thing is - why would they be introducing it now? Could they be serious? Or could it be that they're merely playing fancy word stunts to impress before the election?

3 comments:

meva said...

I vote for nuclear reactors in Brighton, Vic and Double Bay, NSW.

They'd love it. So chic! Radioactive green is so hot right now.

Capital Ideas Australia said...

Yes - & the beauty is that it's not just a passing fad - it's guaranteed to be hot for another 25000 years

kiki said...

maybe he said it, hoping that nobody knew what it meant. this would give him leverage to 'justify' anything he does