Tim Dunlop notes that the Coalition has quietly ditched its support for nuclear power in Australia - sort of.
The new policy does not explicitly oppose nuclear-generated electricity, but goes close. The Coalition will no longer advocate nuclear power, recognising that its introduction would only be possible with bipartisan political support and widespread community support.
Tim’s a little bit disappointed they didn’t stick to their guns. Guy Beres (formerly of Polemica is quite contemptuous of the politics of the ditching:
The message from the Coalition seems to be that they are interested in investigating the possibility of nuclear energy, but no, of course they would never actually pursue the development of a nuclear power industry in this country. No, sir. They are just interested in investigating it. Unless of course, the Rudd Government decides to embrace nuclear power, in which case they would be happy to hop on board for the ride
While it’s fun to kick the Liberals when they’re down, I fail to see what other option they can take here, even if they do still privately believe nuclear power is something that will have to be considered in future. The simple fact is that there is no way it’ll get up without the support of the ALP. So while the ALP remains resolutely opposed, and elements of the voting public remain resolutely opposed, it seems reasonable to me for them to say that we won’t touch the issue until and unless Labor looks at it again. And that won’t happen until the emissions trading scheme gets set up and the big power generators start doing their sums, and only if those sums suggest that nuclear is the cheapest way for them to reduce their emissions.
One thing that hasn’t been widely appreciated with regards to the Garnaut Report (though Tim at Greensblog has a lot to say about the risks and ethics on this point) is that it spends some time talking about a massive get-out-of-jail-on-the-cheap card - stopping deforestation in Papua New Guinea and Indonesia. In any case, if we do go down this road (and I share many of Tim’s concerns about it), Australia may not have to make any really hard decisions for some time. If so, the case for domestic nuclear power - or indeed carbon capture and storage, wholesale adoption of renewables, and crash programs for energy efficiency - may fade back into the 2020s.
But, in any case, there are very good reasons why nuclear power might be a dead duck in Australia for another decade, at the very least. If so, is it really fair to ask the conservatives to continue to make themselves a punching bag on the issue, any more than the Labor Party perpetually taking the bait on, say, anti-terrorism laws in the recent past?
Unfortunately, listening to Nick Minchin on Lateline the other night, the Libs still want to ditch the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, as Minchin was criticizing Rudd for “not trusting India with our uranium”.
If the Libs wanted to change a stance relating to nuclear issues it should have been this one.
Why not?
That’s an odd remark to make about a political issue. I’d have thought there should be no “forgive and forget” especially after 11 years of Howard.
I wouldn’t trust them anyway. Nuclear power may be off the radar for a while now, but if the conservatives want it badly enough and don’t get it through the front door they may sneak it through the back.
Never mind fair, it isn’t smart to fix the guns at a target that is not obliged to sit still.
The Liberals will die if they just sit there and pine for Howard, as John Roskam and others would have them do. The party that ditches some of its old policies in opposition is best placed to take on new ones and win back government. Labor has traditionally been slow and lumbering at reinventing itself (or “selling out”), but this is changing as the benefits of reinvention are considerable.
Garbage! A Federal Liberal Government, a State Liberal Government in SA, and you’re away. A willing workforce - imagine standing outside the gates at Tonsley Park just after the closure announcement, how many would have turned up their noses at retraining for guaranteed jobs?
If Howard had been re-elected and an announcement was made yesterday to build one nuclear power station, it would take ten years to come on line.
Bet Ziggy’s annoyed, after all that hard work.
Still, I suppose it’s not a retreat: The Libs are merely advancing in a different (policy) direction.
They’ve been doing quite a bit of that recently. It’s a joy to behold.
It is a shame that they don’t have the sense to recognise that in the gap (between now and when they might next get a chance at government) nuclear fusion power just might get up to operating potential, and so propose putting significant money behind that. Or is it just about selling uranium rather than solving the world’s energy problem?
The explanation of the Libs backdown is simple. They’ll say anything to get elected and do the exact opposite if they are elected.For those very few of you out there who haven’t got it, repeat after me - John Howard was and ia a liar. All Liberals are liars. For those of you who wonder why this so, after 11 years under Howard, they’ve forgotten how to tell the truth.
I’m very suspicious of the Rudd Government, but if Kev is anything to go on, they are not going to lie to us. So I suppose that’s an advance on more than a decade under the Father of Lies.
Paul Burns Mar 1st, 2008 at 8:19 am
For those very few of you out there who haven’t got it, repeat after me - John Howard was and ia a liar. All Liberals are liars. For those of you who wonder why this so, after 11 years under Howard, they’ve forgotten how to tell the truth.
Howard promised a ministry committed to making AUS richer, prouder and stronger. And he kept that promise, which is really the only one the punters cared about.
But its interesting, from a clinical point of view, to observe a genuine episode of Howard-hatred, in all foaming-at-the-mouth, demented goriness. Sometimes, after a particular bit of condescending snark, I feel a bit guilty - have I been too hard on some well-meaning Lefty?
Then I read something like Paul Burns latest effort and rest assured.
JackS,
“Rich is a state of mind!!”.
I haven’t noticed any major shift upwards in the Australian’s self esteem (other than just recently). On a comparative dollar physical wealth basis I doubt that compared to any western place that one might wish to go there is any significant improvement in position. We are, however, better off than our kids. And as they will inherit what is left, then that balances out, so no gain there. Most people have lost family time. Television has become pathetic. No, I don’t think that your argument stacks up. And going on the fact that Howard was given the duck shove by all of Australia, I think that most Australians would also disagree with your assertion.
Good Guy Howard? Myth Busted!!
Funny, Jack. I didn’t get richer. I don’t think we were stronger unless being stronger is asking George Bush how high when he says jump. But most of all I wasd not proud. I felt ashamed during the Howard years - ashamed of JWH, ashamed of my country, ashamed of the people who voted for him, ashamed of myself for being Australian. I might have some reservations about Kev, but at least I can feel proud - of my fellow Aussies, my Government, my PM and my country again. I don’t even remotely expect you to recognise what a moral vacuum we lived in under Howard, or what a moral pygmy he was. Even the scum whose lives are portrayed on Underbelly had more principles than that evil little man.
Indeed, and this is why even though the Opposition rats are pouring out of the Coalition policy sinking ship into the dinghy, I am still going to be alert, though not alarmed…at least not all the time.
It is testimony to the sheer mendacity of John Howard that he is probably more hated by members of his own party than by any number of Lefties of any hue. It seems the more contact one had with him, the more hatred and despair was engendered.
Menzies left office with the respect and admiration of the Australian people. Holt was an affable and friendly man, whose disappearance was greeted by universal shock. Gorton, a genuine war hero, was flawed and not memorable for his administrative acumen, but liked for his common touch. Fraser, initially hated for the events of 1975, has reinvented himself (or maybe has let the real person come out from behind the patrician shield born of shyness)
And all of these men had the respect of their parties.
And of those former Prime Ministers still living, all came to the Apology.
Except for Howard.
Strokey you are a condescending snark, with the intellectual dimension of a sheet of two-ply toilet tissue.
Mmmm, needs qualification Jack. Many were richer and meaner, the Mr and Mrs Negatively Geared McMansions?–prouder and more arrogant, oh yes. Stronger? (In reality Howard made the nation weaker by pissing off most of the Islamic world.)
Under Howard, the Grand Unified Theory of Torpidity and Enervating Dryness (Howardhatespeak “GUTTED”) led to a self destructive and strangely contradictory Wetness.
Well documented here, the “wet” pump priming for votes which explains LNP failures:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Premature_ejaculation
Having lived in a place called Dimboola and not far really from where Gorton resided and not far from Bordertown where the ALP former empire man named Hawke came from,and not far away Jeparit where Menzies came from,do not be clumsy in what you say about these people,after all,as like myself,I believed this genuine war hero stuff,and if you were in a smoked filled room with Menzies habit,would you be inclined to think he was a gentleman?And life wasnt meant to be easy,was certainly true in one respect only,what to look for in managers of property,whilst you continued from the age of 26 to leave a very tall impression on the English dominated Liberal Party..and all that that implies.And Malcolm like the rest of these individuals born with the genes,chromosomes,and Meme I supposed,knew there were two distinct peoples in Australia,no doubt from deep observation ,those who work and those that wont…and there could be no other distinctive analysis,because bludging,is obviously not even the mind working on the princely sums of Those Days.And like somebody hiding a skeleton in the closet of not to distant relatives, the wife of Mal did do something with the Brotherhood of St Laurence,behind closed doors,I suppose in case the ghost got a bit nasty and wanted to see through the keyhole.Yes!If nothing else we breed as leaders its this amazing knowledge of getting in the minds and thoughts of everyone that doesnt want to work,and insisting that they know even that in the most Hardy of ways.Jack couldnt eat Muesli either,it would take his mind off his great achievements in life..which are!?
NBA Rumours,
Appreciate the compliment that you repeat peart of my post w/out attribution or quotes. To moderator ???
[Good catch, Paul. Off to the spam bin with that one. ~tigtog]
Come on,PT. The flip side of that “don’t want’a work so go into management” line is “don’t want’a think so go to work”!!. That just plays into the hands of those who quietly raid the till because they are the one’s who hold the purse strings. This is a team effort. You can’t have one without the other, and you can’t do the other while you are doing which ever one that you are doing at the moment. Let’s have some mutual respect here. Other wise you are no better than Howard the ditch digger setupon building a whole new class struggle.
Paul - I think you’re asking a robot for attribution.
The moderator would no doubt be more concerned with how the script got through than giving you due credit.
FDB, I know. You think the Sarah Connor Chronicles haven’t made me (more) paranoid? What I don’t get is why whoever did it bothered to do it in the first place. Or has the computer behind the blog, as opposed to the people, developed AI recently. Should I seek out the mainfr54ame or whatever’s domicile and bloiw it up?
Thanks anyway, tigtog.