Let’s be honest on renewables

Price reductions must follow if renewable technology is to be adopted by the masses, writes Graham Richardson.

There was a time when I regarded Cory Bernardi with not much more than derision. He was a throwback to the distant past. All progressive or decent thoughts had been successfully removed by some sort of neurosurgery. Since dealing with him on a regular basis on the Paul Murray show on Sky I have come to see him in a very different light. He is highly intelligent and thoroughly decent. He is also incredibly well read which means you have to be well prepared if you want to take him on in an argument. Pauline Hanson, for whom Bernardi has obviously little time, came off a very poor second when she had a crack at Bernardi on Paul Murray Live.

He has now closed down his Australian Conservatives Party and he will not be a senator for much longer. The Senate and Australian politics in general will be the poorer for his absence. Bernardi is a different kind of conservative because he isn’t boring. I can imagine having a terrific lunch with Bernardi. His wit runs deep. On the other hand lunch with Eric Abetz or Kevin Andrews does not seem nearly as attractive. Intellect and character are very, very important but without an ability to communicate and minus a natural wit, they won’t stand out quite so much.

From the right to the left now and I can recall only too well fighting side-by-side with Bob Brown on the Franklin River exercise and on logging in old-growth forests. Brown has always been a puritan on these issues and after a three-day Cabinet meeting when I had a massive internal battle to get 21 per cent of Tasmania into World Heritage you might have expected some gratitude from Brown. Instead I was berated for not having a big enough victory. For a man of principle, Brown’s recent performance on opposing a wind farm in the vicinity of his home is very disappointing to me. We all know that there is a considerable amount of noise pollution from wind farms but that has not prevented Brown from being an advocate for them for a long period. I had never believed that Brown could become a NIMBY.

The debate on renewables must happen but it must happen only on the basis of being honest about the need for coal-fired cheaper power for several decades at least. Consumers like to feel good and will always speak lovingly of renewables. The affair will end in tears the moment punters see the price of energy heading north. That, unfortunately, is the direction prices will go at the moment if renewables like wind farms become more significant suppliers of our energy needs. Wishing and hoping won’t cut it. Price reductions must be readily seen if you want this technology adopted by the mob.

The price promises must be delivered or the mob will look backward or elsewhere. They will work you out.