Energy Minister Chris Bowen carried a lot of lead in his saddlebags in his debate with opposition spokesman Ted O’Brien on the energy transition. The Albanese government’s pledge to reduce power prices by $275 has proved to be a bust and the Reputex modelling on which it was based has been junked. This leaves the government short on having a solid foundation for its renewables only, business as usual approach.
Mr O’Brien had the big advantage of not being in Mr Bowen’s shoes.
Both could agree there is a real choice for voters.
A lot depends on whether voters believe Chris Bowen that a renewables only approach is the cheapest option, despite rising electricity prices.
And whether they think the Coalition is capable of delivering a staged transition involving longer coal, more gas on the way to nuclear.
Mr O’Brien did well in calling out his opponent’s refusal to actually voice the cost of Labor’s plan. And in exposing the fact that the high cost that Labor puts on the Coalition’s nuclear plan comes from a highly partisan protest group.
Voters can be forgiven for not being able to follow the complex numbers.
But Mr Bowen was evasive and could only offer a ‘trust me’ and more of the same.
Mr O’Brien had the advantage but still did a good job explaining what was at stake and that the Coalition would put things more firmly back into the hands of engineers and economists.
A win for Mr O’Brien.
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