'If plans to tax drivers by the mile go ahead, we motorists can consign the freedom of the open road to history.'
But the very fact that pay-per-mile is now reaching a potential policy discussion stage should sound a warning bell. It’s yet another example of how Government initiatives on reducing reliance on fossil fuels towards ‘cleaner’ sources of energy are shockingly piecemeal.
They would do well to take heed of what’s happening in Germany. What’s being called ‘Boilergeddon’ or the ‘heat hammer’, is seeing a mad rush amongst households to install traditional gas-fired boiler whilst they still can. This rebellion is the upshot of the Coalition government’s new law that plans to ban the installation of new gas and oil-fired boilers in homes from next year.
The result? A collapse in the Government’s poll ratings and an acrimonious stand-off between two of the Coalition partners, the Greens and the Social Democrats, threatening to undermine political stability and the already fragile German economy. Energy strategy should be the absolute bedrock of all public policy, and in an unstable world, it is ever more important. Yet politicians seem incapable of getting it right. They fail to read the prevailing wind, ignore expert advice and plough on in panic mode. What our politicians should learn from Germany’s troubles, and quickly, is that there is only so far that people can be pushed.
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Train strikes hit FA Cup final and Beyoncé concertDrivers walk out over pay and conditions in the third rail strike this week.
Read more »
Johnson could lose funding for Covid probe, Government declaresBoris Johnson has been told that he could lose all public money toward his legal advice in the official Covid inquiry if he tries to release evidence without clearing it with Government officials.
Read more »
Orlen: is Poland’s energy giant a tool of the government?\n\t\t\tExpert insights, analysis and smart data help you cut through the noise to spot trends,\n\t\t\trisks and opportunities.\n\t\t\n\t\tJoin over 300,000 Finance professionals who already subscribe to the FT.
Read more »
Orlen: is Poland’s energy giant a tool of the government?\n\t\t\tExpert insights, analysis and smart data help you cut through the noise to spot trends,\n\t\t\trisks and opportunities.\n\t\t\n\t\tJoin over 300,000 Finance professionals who already subscribe to the FT.
Read more »