Steve Price: John Pesutto’s nuclear comments show he’s either crazy, brave or unhinged
Premier Jacinta Allan and her band of hopeless ministers continue to drive Victoria off a cliff, knowing the opposition with John Pesutto at the helm poses no real threat.
Opinion
Don't miss out on the headlines from Opinion. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Pressure on Victorian Opposition Leader John Pesutto to keep his job is again certain to intensify after leaked shadow cabinet documents released to this column show him at odds with some members of his party room.
A number of shadow ministers were gobsmacked listening to their leader on radio late last week dismissing the Federal Coalition’s nuclear plans, knowing a similar plan on our nuclear future had been presented to the Liberal leadership by shadow energy spokesman David Davis.
That led to me being leaked a copy of those confidential shadow cabinet documents and after reading them I can understand why even Pesutto supporters inside the Liberal Party would be confused and angry.
The embattled leader of a major party that’s not been in power in Victoria for 10 years was not only throwing mud at his federal Liberal coalition partners and their major energy policy, but he was also ignoring the advice of his own energy spokesman.
Pesutto is either crazy, brave or unhinged.
The shadow cabinet documents record a discussion on energy policy if the coalition wins government in Victoria.
Leading the plan was reversing the ban on new gas connections — as they should.
The advice presented to shadow cabinet recognises and supports the existing gas distribution network noting its importance as an alternative energy distribution system.
The briefing document then moves on and at point five makes this pledge: it says the Opposition accepts it is legitimate to examine the usage of small modular nuclear reactors located proximate to high voltage transmission lines in the vicinity of previous coal fired power generation plants.
The leaked documents go on to talk about repealing the Nuclear Activities Act of 1983 and support a proper investigation into the potential for carefully located small nuclear reactors.
The leaked papers make the pledge that the Pesutto-led Opposition believes it is necessary to investigate reasonable options, including nuclear power in the form of small modular reactors.
Then this pledge, quoting directly from the leaked documents: “In the event of the federal Liberals and Nationals announcing a plan to investigate and/or implement a role for small modular reactors in base load electricity supply and near coal generation plants that are likely to close over coming decades, we would work with a Federal Coalition Government to investigate the safety, viability and cost effectiveness of this option for Victoria.”
But following this discussion, Pesutto then went on air with 3AW’s Tom Elliott with what is now being seen as divisive statements.
Pesutto needs all the help he can get if he wants to survive as leader until the next state election due in late November 2026.
But he did no favours for himself with Elliott when he refused to back federal Liberal leader Peter Dutton’s push for nuclear energy — including a reactor in Victoria — and seemingly ignored, or dismissed, the shadow cabinet presentation by Davis.
Elliott — and you’d have to be silly not think this was going to happen – started by asking Pesutto why, the day before, at a media conference when asked about nuclear power for Victoria, he didn’t support the nuclear option.
I can only assume at this point several shadow cabinet ministers were desperately shuffling their Shadow Cabinet Paper briefing notes, not believing what they were hearing from their leader.
Tom Elliott rightly pushed the Liberal leader who ploughed on waffling about gas, referring to Elliott’s audience as “our listeners” and then this complete madness.
He tried to argue that nuclear cannot solve the crisis on our doorstep in the next five, 10 or 15 years and said only gas can do that.
Had he, on a whim, chosen to ignore the energy advice from his shadow energy spokesman without talking to any of his colleagues?
In the same week, in a chapter from How To Not Win Friends or Influence People, Pesutto dodged a Peter Dutton fundraising dinner in Melbourne, reportedly because he was not asked to speak.
Instead, he attended a soccer match, even though the Dutton dinner related directly to his shadow portfolio of multicultural affairs.
The bloke is clueless.
No wonder Dutton has put him in the freezer while premier Jacinta Allan and her band of hopeless ministers plough on, knowing the Opposition with Pesutto at the helm poses no real threat, despite polls indicating they are edging their way back.
Has Pesutto not listened to one word his federal leader has uttered over the past six months on nuclear power, or those of Ted O’Brien the opposition Climate Change and Energy spokesman?
O’Brien has prosecuted the case for small modular nuclear reactors like the one in Ontario Canada. He has explained the timelines to build them and talked about locations being aligned with existing coal fired power stations.
Bluntly, Peter Dutton doesn’t rate Pesutto, and it likely goes back to the Moira Deeming affair. This nuclear blunder will only make matters worse.
This latest blunder must again shine a light on whether, good polls or not, this bloke could possibly win an election today let alone in two and a half years’ time.
One can only conclude that he is a time server being left in place to allow a coup closer to election time with a list of potential challengers counting the numbers.
The leaking of these in-confidence nuclear policy details only confirm his time is running out.
LIKES
— Tesla EV sales around the world tanking and second-hand prices collapsing.
— Sky News documentary presented by Josh Frydenberg shining a light on Australia’s growing problem with anti-Semitism.
— Pat Rafter announced for the MND big freeze on Kings Birthday Monday.
— Crackdown on politicians behaving badly including Parliamentary bans.
DISLIKES
— Renewed wave of violent youth crime targeting Melbourne service stations and cigarette thefts.
— A national defence conference revealing without the US Australia is unable to defend itself.
— Increasing numbers of Victorian businesses collapsing under the pressure of rising State Government taxes and charges.
— Anthony Albanese desperately clinging to hopeless Immigration Minister Andrew Giles in the wake of the visa scandal.
.
More Coverage
Originally published as Steve Price: John Pesutto’s nuclear comments show he’s either crazy, brave or unhinged
Bolt: Sam Kerr trial shows we’re losing power to race baiters
Kerr’s comments that a policeman was “stupid and white” were rude at best but was her angry abuse racist? The jury said no, but it’s not that simple.
Bolt: Mass immigration has imported hatred — and it’s tribal
As two NSW nurses boasted of how they’d kill Jewish patients, our politicians have been flailing around for something to make us feel safe from what they unleashed when they opened the doors to mass immigration from the Middle East. But now we must pay.