The Wire

The opening of Australia’s new Climate Institute has been marred by criticisms of Bob Carr’s involvement as chair of the Institute’s Advisory Council. There’s concern that the former NSW Premier’s new job at Macquarie Bank, one of Australia’s largest builder of roads and infrastructure, will compromise the venture. Critics say as a financer of several tollways, Macquarie Bank, needs more and more cars on the road to make a profit, an idea at odds with redicing greenhouse gasses. Others say Carr’s environmental record as New South Wales Premier saw him approve an expansion of coal energy. But the new institutes chair Dr Clive Hamilton believes Mr Carr’s involvement will push climate change onto the national agenda. The new body will launch a five year campaign to alert the public to global warming and the economic opportunities of moving to low-carbon alternatives. Clive Hamilton is speaking here with Kirsten Veness.