Jeff Kennett: Peter Dutton has a clear vision for Australia’s future

In Peter Dutton we might at last have a political leader who has a vision, and the confidence to execute that vision, while putting the public interest before his own.

When did Australia last, if ever, have a clear vision for our future?

I can’t remember such a time.

In May 1961 US President John Kennedy in a speech to the US Congress suggested the US put a man on the moon. Impossible many thought, but an inspiring stake in the ground for many US citizens.

Many of us saw Neil Armstrong deliver that dream in July 1969. Sadly, President Kennedy did not live to see that momentous occasion.

I have often said Australia is a visionless country. Mainly because our political leaders only live for the day and in the main are reactionary.

Invariably business leaders have to work with the government of the day and are scared to take a public leadership role on economic matters.

Labor premiers have opposed Peter Dutton’s nuclear plan. Picture: Nikki Short

The unions who should be partners in our growth and prosperity again like politicians only argue for benefits today and are not party to any national vision.

That is why Peter Dutton’s commitment to having nuclear powered stations provide part of our future energy requirements is so transformational.

All Australians want the consistent secure supply of energy, to their homes and places of work. We want energy at the cheapest cost possible.

Wind and solar alone will not guarantee that consistency of supply.

Current targets will simply not be met by 2035, putting the whole country at risk. Renewables alone as we are finding will not cut the mustard.

That is why we must ensure we explore for and mine gas as the third ingredient to guaranteeing energy over the next ten or twenty years. Beyond that though as our country’s population grows, demand rises, what then?

The reality is nuclear offers the best hope. The cleanest energy and potentially the cheapest.

It is not intended it supply all our energy needs but is a contributor along with solar, wind and gas when required.

The supply of consistent energy should be a bipartisan issue, but it is clearly not. The day he made his announcement the Labor premiers in rote one after the other came out opposing the use of nuclear.

The supply of consistent energy should be a bipartisan issue. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

Even the Premier of South Australia Peter Malinauskas, who I only a few weeks ago congratulated on his support of a debate for the inclusion of nuclear energy, came out last week with his aimless Labor colleagues opposing the use of nuclear power stations. I am so disappointed. South Australia is going to part assemble our nuclear-powered submarines, employ South Australians in building these subs and perhaps manning them?

Let me move on.

It makes absolute sense to build these modular nuclear stations on or next to the old coal-fired stations the majority of which are closed, to utilise any infrastructure that still exist at those sites, and provide employment for those communities.

Currently 15 countries around the world rely on nuclear energy to supply at least one quarter of their energy needs. From France depending on nuclear for over 50 per cent of its energy needs, but also the United States, China, Russia, Germany, Japan, Spain Sweden the United Kingdom and so the list goes on.

I can understand the Victorian government being against nuclear, as they are against everything except debt and the good management of projects, including the public they were elected to represent.

A nuclear power plant in Japan.

The Allan government should immediately lift its bans on exploration and mining of gas, to reduce the risk of blackouts in the next few years.

So, I congratulate Peter Dutton on having the courage, the foresight, the leadership to talk about the inevitable.

Maybe the country at last has a vision, which will provide cheap clean energy and restimulate manufacturing and therefore jobs in the country.

This is a policy for our young, as they will be the greatest beneficiaries of clean energy that is a combination of wind, solar, nuclear and gas.

They might even live in a time again when Victoria might have the cheapest energy in the country.

This is also a time for the silent majority, to rise up, to speak out and say we no longer are going to allow the vocal minority to be the only ones to be heard. We are tired of the politics of division in the absence of a vision.

I am tired of politicians who think their responsibility is to be photographed every day. I am tired of politicians who sit on the fence, and those who criminally mismanage their economic and social responsibility as is occurring in Victoria.

In Peter Dutton we might at last have a political leader, who has a vision, and the confidence to execute that vision, while putting the public interest before his own.

Peter Dutton is no JFK, but thankfully he is proving to be a genuine leader.

Here is to an exciting future.

Originally published as Jeff Kennett: Peter Dutton has a clear vision for Australia’s future