Talking Point: A Labour of lethargy is our loss

Bruce Bisset says Labour knows when it comes to climate change there's no time to waste, but they're going to waste time anyway . Photo / File

Right now, New Zealand has a once-in-a-lifetime chance for transformative change.

Which is good, because transformation is urgently needed to deal with the tsunami-like impacts of climate change bearing down on us with mortal inevitability.

The bad news is that despite having the mandate, the majority, and no fears of not being re-elected next time no matter how badly they perform, Labour clearly has no interest in doing anything remotely transformative.

At time of writing, the Climate Change Commission's (CCC) report and recommendations as to how best to address and mitigate climate change in Aotearoa is still a week away from publication.

But I can predict two things about it with close to absolute certainty: it will wave some big sticks but then propose a regime that relies heavily on sector co-operation, not coercion; and it will have plenty of weasel-outs scattered through it to allow politics to triumph over the environment.

In short, it too will not be the driver for transformation that it should – nay, must – be.

Equally, I can predict Labour's initial response: that's all very interesting but we'll need time to work through it; and once we've taken all the vested interests' feedback on board, we'll do something middle-of-the-road that effectively dismisses reality.

In short, business-as-usual with a few extra regulations and brownie points.

Uh, Hello? You (Labour) have been in power for more than three years now. You were elected in large part on the promise of climate change being your "nuclear moment".

That's what turned out the vote enough to make a difference. That's the promise we're all still waiting for you to deliver on.

The fact you, as New Zealand's government, didn't turn up for last year's Climate Ambition summit – because you had nothing to say - underlines just how pathetic your actual record on this issue is, to date.

Why anyone should think that's about to alter is beyond me.

But it should be, because now there's no excuse. Labour could, if it wished, not only introduce measures immediately to meet what will doubtless be the CCC's politically-tempered recommendations, but go "beyond politics" and do something that actually makes a difference.

Like initiating a comprehensive programme of land-use reform. And/or building resilient self-sustaining regional communities.

Or steering a course for isolationism by nationalising the banks and the fossil-fuel industries would be another go-to, if they were really serious.

But even setting a short-term date to phase out fossil-fuelled vehicles and banning nitrogenous fertilisers would be a start.

You know, something that maybe gives some of us a chance to survive.

Because that's what it comes down to. We either shape up, now, or we're "beyond history" - there'll be no one left to write down the failures or pen the epitaph.

But taking any steps to embrace a "degrowth" economy is far too hard, apparently. Even with all the votes and public will for the world.

Instead, we'll go through an interminable period of consultation and hand-wringing, before finally, some time next year, they'll advance a regime that in all probability will allow farmers to continue to cop-out, and big emitters to continue to be able to rely on carbon offsets from overseas, and the rabid capitalist dogs of the Right to laugh up their stocks as they continue to "win" under a supposedly Left government.

When Jacinda Ardern's lot make these and other excuses for delay, ask them why. They knew the CCC's report was coming; they passed the legislation that frames it, so they know roughly what it will say; surely three years is enough time to work out what their response will be?.

Bottom line, they know there's no time to waste, but they're going to waste time anyway.

Which should tell you all you need to know.

The commission's report is a siren that is about to sound. And as folk used to say back in the Cold War days, when you hear the siren, bend over and kiss your rear goodbye.

And if you can't do that, don't worry: Labour will kiss it for you.