Pollie Watch: Joe Hockey reveals true colours on renewables

 

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Australian Treasurer Joe Hockey kicked off a twitter storm this morning when he stated in an 2GB radio interview he finds wind turbines “utterly offensive.”

Joe Hockey’s statement was broadcast to a wider audience by Canberra-based ABC political reporter,Andrew Green, whose tweet generated dozens of responses from the public:

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Hockey’s criticism of wind energy comes amid a government-initiated review of the Renewable Energy Target – Australia’s principle renewable energy policy.

The Renewable Energy Target review is off to a bad start.

Public confidence in the process was lost with the selection of climate change skeptic and former Caltex chairman, Dick Warburton, to head the review.

Mr Warburton’s refusal to join Yes 2 Renewables fact-finding mission has solidified this view. After all, how can the review panel make an informed decision about the Renewable Energy Target if they won’t visit communities to understand how they’re affected by energy policy?

If the Warburton review joined us they’d know that, for Morwell, the Renewable Energy Target offers hope of a clean energy future—one free from worrying about how coal ash and carcinogenic particulate matter will affect their health. And in Portland, they’d discover how the RET has created hundred of jobs and prosperous and resilient economy.

The public is not alone questioning the legitimacy of the Warburton review. Renewable energy industry players say the modelling assumptions are “farcical,” arguing they are set up for a predetermined outcome for weakening the scheme.

“This is an absolute stitch-up,” John Grimes, chief executive of the Australian Solar Council, told The Guardian. “They are predetermining the outcome of this modelling by the assumptions they are making … it is an unprecedented scam in policy-making and it needs to be called for what it is.”

The Warburton review presents a risk for the government. And undisciplined comments on wind energy from Treasurer Hockey don’t help.

Why?… Because wind energy and the Renewable Energy Target enjoy strong public support – even among Coalition voters. With release of its first budget around the corner and a tough program of austerity measures to sell to the public, attacking popular policies is the last thing the government needs.

Leigh Ewbank heads Yes 2 Renewables.

 

 

Comments

6 responses to “Pollie Watch: Joe Hockey reveals true colours on renewables”

  1. Gordon Avatar

    I find Joe Hockey to be an utterly offensive blight on the political landscape, along with his boss.

  2. John McKeon Avatar
    John McKeon

    Yes, Joe was an affable Teddy Bear when interviewed by Annabel Crab in her personalised cooking and dining approach to the pollies. He made out how moderate and considerate he was. But when it comes to the climate CRISIS, he doesn’t have a bloody clue.

  3. Tommyk82 . Avatar
    Tommyk82 .

    The tweet about income for farmers is particularly good. A farmer might be paid $8000 per year per turbine and that is steady income they really need during tough times. I hate that they are being made to feel afraid or ashamed of these beautiful majestic machines.

  4. Chris Fraser Avatar
    Chris Fraser

    Maybe that was Joe’s family all sleeping in the living room in Sydney with the coal heater blazing ?

  5. Colin Nicholson Avatar
    Colin Nicholson

    Chill, he was only saying what he was paid to say by the puppetmasters

  6. Chris Marshalk Avatar
    Chris Marshalk

    Joe hockey is a fat idiot. Tick and tick. Who is he to dictate my viewpoint on wind energy.

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