Labor’s spin on energy has not matched people’s experience

Chris Uhlmann’s “Look beyond the spin of this fantasy forecast” (29-30/3) presented irrefutable arguments that led to Labor finally jettisoning the modelling it previously had lauded.

For three years, as prices went through the roof and the queues in energy poverty grew longer, we were reminded of the Prime Minister’s central promise of a $275 cut by 2025. He was emphatic: “I don’t think, I know. I know because we have done the modelling. That is the average reduction in power prices today as a result of the suite of policies which we have announced.” That was the first of many promises broken.

The same fate awaits the party’s 2030 targets.

Obfuscation prevailed as recently as the budget session, when the Treasurer claimed that power prices had fallen by 25 per cent over 2024. Conveniently, he failed to mention the Australian Bureau of Statistics qualification that these reductions were the result of taxpayer-funded subsidies.

The community just wants to be assured that the lights stay on and that their energy supply will be affordable and reliable. Labor’s intermittent, weather-dependent renewables plan will never replace the need for baseload power. Nor are renewables the cheapest form of energy when the whole-of-system costs are added. These costs remain hidden from public scrutiny. All the spin, obfuscation and Band-Aid solutions can’t substitute for people’s experience of the renewables transition. There has been a loss of social licence, especially in regional areas. Energy will be a key issue in the coming election as reality bites.

Jennie George, Mollymook, NSW

“Not responsible”: That’s Anthony Albanese’s stock response whenever he is cornered (“PM walks away from 2030 energy bill cut”, 31/3).

Taking ownership of modelling done by RepuTex, during the 2022 federal election campaign, Albanese and his ministers repeated 99 times that power bills would be cut by $275 a year by 2025. When challenged if he thought it could be delivered, Albanese said: “I don’t think, I know.” At the time, he praised Repu­Tex, saying: “This is the most comprehensive modelling ever done for any policy by any opposition in Australia’s history since Federation.” The cut failed to materialise. Fast forward to today and, true to form, Albanese is wiping his hands of his promise to lower energy bills, this time by $378 by 2030, and laying the blame squarely at the feet of RepuTex. “It’s RepuTex’s modelling … It’s RepuTex’s modelling based on circumstances at the time.” Not responsible. Whenever things go pear-shaped for Albanese, it’s always the fault of someone else.

What we have here is a man who will say anything to stay in power. Is this the calibre of politician we want running the country for the next three years?

Dale Ellis, Innisfail, Qld

Has the Prime Minister ever kept a promise other than to wish an expensive voice referendum on to an uninterested electorate? He and his honchos promised repeatedly to cut electricity bills by $275 by 2025. Well, we’re into 2025 now and our bills have soared. It hurts families, businesses, farmers, everyone everywhere.

He insulted us by offering us a paltry 70c a day – not even a buck – and not even now but on the never-never.

Peter Dutton and the Coalition, please retreat from your “policy light” approach of having a bob each way on renewables. Give voters a point of difference and they will flock to you. Promise.

Ruth Bonetti, The Gap, Qld

Chris Bowen continues to perpetrate the myth that renewables are the cheapest source of power and Labor will not consider the nuclear option. So how does he reconcile this myth with the fact in 2023 no fewer than 14 countries produced at least one-quarter of their electricity from more than 439 nuclear power plants?

Australia is the only OECD country without nuclear power. France alone has 56 plants and produces 70 per cent of its power from nuclear. Ironically, it also exports nuclear power to Britain for when the latter’s renewables are not producing sufficient power.

A further 56 reactors are under construction, and this is primarily because nuclear is a reliable baseload power that is also low carbon. So how long will Labor be allowed to pursue this renewables myth at Australia’s expense? And furthermore, when will Peter Dutton make this clear to the electorate?

Mike Cuming, Carlingford, NSW