Now to get to work on climate action ...

In the afterglow of a substantial election victory, Kevin Rudd has signalled he will move quickly on some key climate action issues, such as ratifying Kyoto. He has already said he'll be in Bali next week for the Kyoto meeting ...

The ALP's climate change policy in the election was solid and serious; a stark contrast to the Liberal policy replete with embedded scepticism that the issue is even real. Apart from poor lonely Malcolm Turnbull, they still won't accept it.

We know now, from recent IPCC and CSIRO reports, that we need to cut emissions very urgently if we're to avoid some looming climate tipping points, and we need to cut them more deeply than most people are so far contemplating.

The challenge for those of us within the Labor Party in Australia is to ensure all our MPs and members are aware of what needs to be done, and of the enormous benefits from doing it.

It's not just a matter of averting horrendous climate catastrophe, which we have now been warned of by the world's scientists; although this is a bit of a driver! But if we invest in change we will grow a whole new renewable energy-based economy with more jobs and wealth.