As Kermit the Frog famously sang "It's not easy being green". Well, it certainly isn't if you're a politician. Green policies may be popular and they may even win you votes. But the flipside is that such policies usually come at a price to the consumer and the taxpayer. So the temptation for politicians is to find a way that will make them look green without actually hurting anyone.The Australian government's policy towards the car industry is a good example. [...]

The Commonwealth's car plan was built around three policy objectives: to strengthen Australia's industrial base, help the environment, and support jobs. None of these arguments hold up to closer scrutiny. In fact, all that the Rudd Government's car plan amounts to is an old-fashioned, protectionist industrial policy, neatly hidden behind a giant green smokescreen. [...]