Damaging ‘$600bn’ nuclear cost invented by solar panel charity
The Smart Energy Council, a Labor Party donor with links to Climate 200, are the powerful lobby group responsible for placing a $600 billion price tag on Peter Dutton’s nuclear plan. This is the full story
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Six months before Peter Dutton released his costings for a nuclear power industry in Australia – a charity began its fierce campaign to nuke the idea into oblivion.
The Smart Energy Council (SEC), a solar and battery industry group and a Labor Party donor, announced the findings of its own in-house review in June 2024.
“Using data from CSIRO’s latest GenCost report and the Australian Energy Market Operator’s (AEMO) Integrated System Plan, the cost of building 7 nuclear reactors is at least $116 billion” the SEC claimed.
“If you factor in the lived experience in the UK and elsewhere of cost and timeframe blowouts and you include the additional costs of extending and refurbishing coal-fired power and ‘throwing buckets of money’ at State Governments, as Peter Dutton has committed, the Opposition’s nuclear proposals could cost a staggering $600 billion.”
The Smart Energy Council and its long-time CEO John Grimes have declined to elaborate on how this study was assembled, and who in fact conducted the modelling.
But their assumptions had the desired impact.
That “$600 billion” figure has since been weaponised in advertising campaigns, push-polling, a wave of social media posts and cited repeatedly by senior Labor figures including Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
Energy Minister Chris Bowen is on record referencing it dozens of times. Education Minister Jason Clare said it was “as popular as a snake in a sleeping bag” and “the most expensive policy that any opposition or government has ever taken to the Australian people, ever.”
One Liberal source speaking on the condition of anonymity conceded the figure had: “damaged our messaging and hasn’t been challenged at government press conferences.”
It wasn’t until December 2024, five months out from this election, that the Coalition would produce the analysis from Frontier Economics – an independent body used by both major parties.
The detailed report found the total cost of Australia’s energy mix including nuclear, coal, gas, renewables and transmission would be $331 billion – a whopping $263 billion cheaper than Labor’s path to Net Zero by 2050.
It also concludes that it is “very unlikely” the inclusion of nuclear power would ever be more expensive than Labor’s current Net Zero rollout.
One source within the Nationals Party said it had taken the party “too long” for the Coalition to roll out its costings, leaving “too little time” to convince people lifting a long-time ban on nuclear power was even a good idea.
“We were in government for a decade and didn’t put it on the table. We should have spent this whole term selling the message,” the source said.
By the time voters go to the polls on Saturday, the “$600 billion” figure conceived by the Smart Energy Council will have been in circulation for almost a year.
THE CHARITY FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY
The Smart Energy Council, led by CEO Mr Grimes, claims to represent more than 1000 members across the renewable energy sector.
Many of their clients are major solar panel and battery suppliers – involved in a booming, multi-billion dollar industry which has benefited from enormous taxpayer-funded investment.
Climate 200 founder Simon Holmes a Court was a director of the SEC board for five years, finishing his fixed terms in August.
The SEC turned over $8 million of revenue in the most recent financial year, with more than half of its earnings from renewable energy roadshows, conferences and memberships.
According to its website, SEC membership packages reach a whopping $50,000 per annum. Perks offered include “parliament house visits” and the opportunity to “influence policy” through “senior government relations.”
Two of its executives – Mr Grimes and Wayne Smith – have both previously been sponsored on parliamentary lobbyist passes in Canberra.
The SEC has also made at least $71,000 worth of donations to the Labor Party in the last two election cycles.
Nationals leader David Littleproud has told this masthead the ALP donations are proof the SEC “is not a credible organisation that can be trusted.”
‘CHUCK THEM OUT’
While operating as a solar and battery industry group – the SEC also boasts charitable status – on the grounds of taking “action on climate change” and renewable energy being a “key plank on climate change action.” This entitles it to lucrative tax-free earnings.
By law – the SEC is bound by the Commonwealth Charities Act – which restricts it from “promoting or opposing a particular candidate or party” in order to maintain its registration.
Before the 2022 election – the SEC invited people to buy a garbage bin sticker featuring images of then-Prime Minister Scott Morrison and former Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce, with the words “chuck them out” and “bin him” on the label.
The stunt – which attracted media coverage when the stickers sold more than 80,000 units – soon came to the attention of the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC).
In a message on social media dated February 16, 2022 – the SEC warned: “we could be in breach of the charity laws and lose our registration as a charity.”
“That does not mean our election campaign will stop… we are pleased to advise Smart Voting will take forward those elements of the federal election campaign.”
A private company Smart Voting Pty Ltd – was hastily established by four individuals – Mr Grimes, Mr Smith, Steve Blume and Sharon Oliver, who were each in senior roles at the SEC. All but Mr Blume remain at the SEC today.
The new company continued selling the bin stickers until the 2022 election day, while also publishing a range of anti-Coalition attacks on social media and deploying workers to polling booths. In many instances, they were specifically targeting Liberals in seats under pressure from Climate 200-backed candidates.
As the Morrison Government suffered a spectacular defeat – political machine Climate 200 quietly made a $1.1 million payment to the company Smart Voting Pty Ltd.
The payment has been registered by the Electoral Commission under the category of “other receipts”, meaning it did not meet the threshold for an official donation or gift.
Mr Holmes a Court, who founded Climate 200, was a director of the Smart Energy Council when this large transaction was made.
There is no suggestion of any wrongdoing by Mr Holmes a Court.
Smart Voting Pty Ltd has since been shut down.
Climate 200 and the Smart Energy Council declined to answer specific questions about the nature of the payment – Climate 200 simply said its fundraising efforts and “our 11,200 donors in 2022 played an important role in that election by providing support to campaigns.”
‘VICTORY AT LAST!’
With the Morrison Government wiped out and Anthony Albanese confirmed as the new Prime Minister – Mr Grimes and the SEC made their excitement known in the industry magazine published a few days after the vote:
“VICTORY AT LAST!” the front page read.
“Labor’s win heralds a new smart energy and climate action agenda.”
Pictured on the cover alongside Mr Grimes was Mr Albanese and Mr Bowen.
Inside the glossy publication are the following remarks: “the ALP is poised to deliver on all fronts and will be both supported and challenged to do more by the strong presence of teal independents and the Greens.”
James Paterson, a senior member of the Liberal opposition, described the SEC as a “discredited partisan campaigning organisation funded by Australia’s largest political donor, Climate 200.”
“Their failures to be honest about the relationship with Climate 200 speaks volumes. What are they trying to hide from the Australian people with their tricky corporate structures and misuse of charity status?” Mr Paterson said.
DOUBLE UNDER DUTTON
Despite the previous warning from the charity watchdog – the SEC has continued to weigh into political debate in recent months.
In February – Mr Grimes and Mr Bowen appeared side-by-side at an official press conference in Canberra – where Mr Grimes said on behalf of the SEC: “Peter Dutton is not just a renewables denier, he is a renewables liar.”
After announcing its $2.3 billion home battery plan earlier this month – Mr Bowen said “John Grimes and I talked about this at length when I was consulting on the detailed design.” The SEC would then describe the policy as a “no-brainer.”
In a string of other public comments in recent weeks – the SEC has referred to the Coalition’s nuclear vision as “economic vandalism” and referred to Mr Dutton’s energy plan as “gas guzzling”... which “imperils Australia’s climate credibility.”
“The Coalition’s ongoing waltz around the Paris Agreement is not just irresponsible – it’s dangerous” the SEC said on April 17.
A new website has also suddenly appeared – doubleunderdutton.com.au – which claims Australians with solar panels they will be “hit hard 3 times under Peter Dutton’s nuclear policy.” A note at the bottom of the page declares it is “authorised by J.Grimes.”
Shadow Energy Minister Ted O’Brien told this masthead: “the Smart Energy Council is a Labor donor masquerading as a think tank. They are not independent, they are not an expert, and their so-called modelling has the same nutritional value as fairy floss – all spin – no substance.”
This masthead put a range of questions to the Smart Energy Council about its political dealings, nuclear modelling and operations as a registered charity. In response – it simply stated its actions were “consistent with our legal obligations.” It also confirmed the website “Double Under Dutton” was being run out of the charity’s offices.
A spokesperson for Mr Bowen referred to his previous comments, including recently when he claimed: “what the Smart Energy Council has done is looked at the work that the Liberal Party put out and found massive holes in it.”
In a recent message to every charity in the country – Sue Woodward – the Commissioner for the ACNC said “what isn’t acceptable is promoting or opposing a particular candidate or party. Charities cannot have the purpose of supporting or opposing a political party or an individual candidate.
“Having this purpose would disqualify you from being eligible to remain as an ACNC charity” Ms Woodward said.
The ACNC declined to answer specific questions about the Smart Energy Council and stated it was unable to speak publicly about the circumstances of any charity.
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Email:
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Originally published as Damaging ‘$600bn’ nuclear cost invented by solar panel charity
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