Gotti maintains the rage on gas today:
How in Australia did we elect politicians in both the state and Federal sphere that have let us down so badly by vandalising our energy system?
…Our energy crisis actually started back in the first decade of this century when in both state and federal spheres we began to appoint public servants who were just “yes” men and women who would tell the politicians what they wanted to hear. And then we also surrounded ministers with advisers who all had the same view.
…And so if you want to go renewables in power generation to 20, 30, 40 or 50 per cent then you must find people who know what is required. Simply plonking windmills or solar panels on the countryside gets votes and media praise but you need to find the best people to tell you what else you need in the way of distribution and back up.
…The trouble is that the same decision making process, which caused the energy disaster, extends to so many other areas.
For example there is now a much greater risk of war…We have very little stock of refined petroleum product and because we have closed most of our refineries. We are a perfect target. An enemy just has to stop the tankers coming…We are setting up the Tindal air base to make it a perfect target because most of the planes are in the one spot.
…On the basis of opinion polls Malcolm Turnbull is dead meat. So why not “have a go” You did it with Snowy but that is only a small step. Now bring in real experts on gas — we have plenty have plenty of gas without fracking but NSW and Victorian politicians are preventing its extraction — a tell the states that you will ensure their gas is available at non peak prices via a short term Gladstone gas levy; and will make sure the farmers are well rewarded as long as the states develop their gas in accordance with expert safety standards.
And Turnbull must return to that submarine decision in the light of Korea, China and Trump. But in each issue go outside the swamps in the states and Canberra. That’s where the knowledge is.
That a guy with a brain as consistent as a bag of screaming cats makes more sense than national energy policy is a problem.
