Why Aussies are facing a political pixie at next Federal Election

Australia could be facing more assumptions and mistruths at the upcoming Federal Election, argues Patrick Carlyon.

Are we doomed to yet another federal election about claims which have no basis in fact, science or logic?

For years now, Energy Minister Chris Bowen has fought valiantly against debate, reason or common sense.

He defended an ALP ad last week which announced that nuclear energy increased the risks for heart attacks, cancer and strokes.

Here was mischievous politics at its baddest. Yes, radiation causes cancer, much as sunlight causes cancer, too. Water is another evil, of course. It causes drownings.

Never mind the dearth of evidence for these nuclear claims. And never mind the dozens of countries clambering to join the dozens of countries which already use nuclear power.

They’re all mad, obviously, or to use Bowen’s take on an Australian nuclear future, they have “gone down a road of slippery assumptions and conscious mistruths”.

Australia is ill-served by a nuclear debate that falls down party lines. Other countries moved past such divides last millennium.

Australian Federal Minister for Climate Change and Energy Chris Bowen. Picture: NewsWire / Jeremy Piper

One party here argues that nuclear is illegal, much like rape and murder, while the other points to the grand uptake of nuclear energy by industry giants such as Google and Microsoft.

All harrumph and spittle, Bowen posts many messages about the perils of nuclear. His battery never runs out. A Christmas toy, he has only one setting – bloody loud.

He talks about “fantasies’ and “wildest dreams” in blathers of preachiness matched only by his colleague, Penny Wong and (to borrow from Bowen’s script) her slippery assumptions and conscious mistruths on Israel.

They’re both zealots. They wage simplistic debates on complicated issues with a religiosity of passion which overwhelms any fact check service.

Political pulpits will multiply in coming months.

Both sides will “fix” the cost of living crisis. Both sides will “lower” power bills. Both sides will “build” more houses, even though there are not enough tradies in Australia to knock up a cubbyhouse.

And both sides will “solve” energy, lest the other side enact their devilish plan to destroy the nation one power station – or transmission line – at a time.

Enjoy the holidays ahead. What follows will be an onslaught of exaggeration which appears to be set to be more dishonest than any other federal election.

And stay away from radiation, sunlight, and water. They can kill you, you know.

Originally published as Why Aussies are facing a political pixie at next Federal Election