Where Obama goes, Rudd follows...

Appearing to "do something" about climate change trumps everything, of course - the economy, standards of living, auto manufacturers... Now Krudd & Co are proposing to impose mandatory limits on emissions for new cars in Australia, in a typical ill-considered "Kruddish" response to the holy words of the Obamessiah:

Transport and environment ministers will tomorrow consider options to improve energy-efficiency standards, including a recommendation for a mandatory standard to lower carbon dioxide emissions from vehicles.

A mandatory standard would be likely to provoke a backlash from car makers, who have campaigned for years to keep their system of pollution reduction a voluntary scheme.

Last night, the car industry warned the Government to think carefully about imposing a mandatory standard."We would be concerned to ensure there is not a knee-jerk response to events in the US," the chief executive of the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries Andrew McKellar said. [Er, that's exactly what it is - Ed]

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd yesterday backed the US move, saying it was pleasing that America was adopting climate change measures.

No surprise there. Industry can go hang, where "tackling climate change" is concerned.

Read it here.