Over the weekend, Australia got a new government which has undertaken to sign the Kyoto Protocol.  The new government, Australia's left leaning party the Australian Labour Party, has a unique opportunity and one that it should grasp.  The new leader, Kevin Rudd, has already said that environment will be at the top of his agenda.  This is significant because for the first time in recent Australian history, one party is in Government federally and in all the States. Surely, this alignment, and Rudd's determination, should allow Australia to put through a well thought through and thorough plan for climate change and the environment that disregards politics and the States' interest but looks to a full blown solution that will make Australia an example for others, and especially the US to follow, rather than be a follower.

  The opportunity to lead is even greater, if the third tier of Australian government, local government, is taken into account as that too is dominated by the Labour Party and environmentally motivated groups like the Green Party.

Already, Sydney's mayor, Clover Moore, has asked for more federal assistance to promote sustainable initiatives locally as local councils, at the forefront of sustainability, battle to introduce changes.  Others will be putting their hands up.  Local government wants co-operation, it wants help.

It is hoped that simple initiatives are introduced quickly without the need for expensive summits and accords.  Australia's environment is fragile, its population by global standards quite wasteful.

  Water needs to be immediately addressed, and recycling of water on the world's driest continent, should be mandatory.  Its largest river system, is drying up from over use, salinity is distroying Australian farm land.  Emissions per capita are some of the highest in the world yet Australia has a hugh amount of renewable resources at its disposal, budget surpluses should be put to work to introduce renewable energy on a large scale.  Urban planning legislation should be uniform across the country to facility new technologies and create large business opportunities, that way the gost to government can be mitigated.

Kevin Rudd has alot to do.  The opportunity to make a difference isn't about Kyoto or its next version.  Both have and will fall short of what is needed, the opportunity is a full blown solution from local to state to federal government reform.  It is an opportunity, we all hope is too good to miss.