From the department of political-decisions-can-often -be-the-right-ones:
The new Liberal Party leader Brendan Nelson has reversed years of Coalition government policy, committing his party to supporting Labor's plans to ratify the Kyoto Protocol on climate change.
Dr Nelson was elected in a close vote this afternoon and has given the treasury spokesman's job to his opponent in the leadership race, Malcolm Turnbull.
The new deputy leader Julie Bishop is taking on the role of the party's industrial relations spokeswoman.
Dr Nelson says the new Labor Government must look after Australia's interests at the UN climate change meeting in Bali next month.
"I have heard the message from Australians that was delivered on Saturday and whatever some critics of the Kyoto Protocol might actually think, it's symbolically important to Australians," he said.
"The most important thing for us at the moment is to see that Mr Rudd gets it right."
As much as I realise that this decision is purely political in nature, coming as it does after a heavy election defeat and a desire to show some level of public contrition, this decision is good. Not that Kyoto actually means much any more - it's merely a symbolic gesture though I would get narky if Australia didn't treat it seriously.
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