After a very long summer, I look at my Facebook page like the pile of corrugated iron at the back of the shed - scared of what is lurking within. With a bushfire crisis, a supercharged climate debate, a divided nation and a diverse friendship group from an ever-broadening political spectrum, my social media feed is awful.
Completely opposed views, anger, concern, opinion, the outrage of the day, formed hard and fast, shared faster. People are not listening with curiosity, speaking with honesty and integrity is MIA in the comments section.
Being asked to contribute to this column couldn't have come at a better time. I had to sit and consider my own opinions, the ones worth sharing, the ones to be inked into paper.
I began by considering my intentions, and those of people sharing views on social media. In pixels, I turn off the opinion and shudder negatively about those sharing, in person, I would gladly have a discussion because these are good people with good intentions.
Concern for the environment, a future for themselves and their children - both sides of the argument have the same concerns. But the people in the debate have stopped listening to each other.
Names like Climate Change Denier and Disciple of the Carbon Hoax coined by shock jocks for listeners and clicks, are spread like wildfire, anger begets anger and people stop listening.
If we all stop listening to each other how will we find the good in our intentions?
The Australian beef industry has made an enormous commitment to be carbon neutral by 2030, 20 years ahead of Jacinda Ardern and Atlassian.
Regardless of your opposition to climate change and its causes, carbon in your soil is better than carbon in the atmosphere. And your glorious cows can help put it there.
This goal is tremendously ambitions. Jason Strong recently spoke to the Agforce cattle board about this challenge, the daily calls and discussions, how will we achieve this. I could not be prouder of this great industry.
If only the people that oppose beef knew that in the inner workings of the Australian beef industry, we spend our days and $100 millions of levy funds working towards being carbon neutral faster than any of their progressive demigods.
We need to start to listen to each other and understand the good in our intentions.
- Central Queensland cattleman and food manufacturer, Mark Davie
