Liberal dreams of zero emissions may Gore NSW finances
Who came to dinner? Geoff Chambers, The Australian, December 20:
NSW Energy Minister Don Harwin, who yesterday attacked Scott Morrison’s energy policy and is lobbying for more renewables and emissions cuts, invited the state’s biggest coalminers to a $990-a-head Liberal Party fundraising dinner last month … (Guests included) Glencore … and AGL … Mr Harwin … is close to lobbyist Michael Photios.
Whose client? Australian Government Register of Lobbyists:
Lobbyist — Premier State — Chairman Michael Photios — Client — Glencore Coal.
Who is whose client? Patrick Begley, The Sydney Morning Herald, September 1 last year:
Kristina Photios … (founded) Conservatives for Conservation … With (former Liberal MP Philip) Ruddock and (former Liberal NSW premier and now federal party chairman Nick) Greiner as ambassadors. The not-for-profit group is pushing for more renewable energy … (and) has also served as a platform for powerful companies that have recently paid Kristina and Michael as professional lobbyists. That includes … AGL, Australia’s largest emitter … Through a series of lobbying firms (Michael Photios) and his business partners represent some of the nation’s biggest … coal interests such as Coal Energy Australia and … Glencore … A third Clean Energy Strategies lobbyist, Ian Hancock, also works for Michael’s firm Capital Hill, which represents coal interests, while sitting on the Conservatives for Conservation committee. Kristina said possible conflicts of interest were managed under a strict policy … When Fairfax Media called Clean Energy Strategies’ office, a voice answered “Capital Hill?”
Pumped about pumped storage and Al Gore. Clean Energy Strategies:
Our team — Michael Photios, Partner … Kristina Photios, Director … Our Projects … We are proud to have advised and work with … the nation’s most successful private pumped hydro consortium on its penultimate project including securing multi-million financial support from the federal government … (and) former US vice-president Al Gore during his … energy and climate visit to Australia
Pumped? Cole Latimer, The Sydney Morning Herald, December 11:
The NSW government plans 24 new pumped hydro projects … NSW Energy Minister Don Harwin said … State and federal governments are not the only groups ramping up hydro projects. AGL … (will) turn a former … coalmine into a pumped hydro storage plant to replace the energy that will be lost when AGL closes its coal-fired Liddell power station … Origin is planning to double its existing Shoalhaven pumped hydro storage capability in the NSW Kangaroo Valley … (and) received $2 million in funding from the federal government.
Zero. Tom Rabe, AAP, December 19:
The NSW Premier and Energy Minister have accused the federal government of being out of touch on energy and climate policy and say it’s time for a change of course … Mr Harwin said he will push for … net zero carbon emissions by 2050.
Zero? Michael Bastasch, Daily Caller, December 19:
Al Gore hailed … (Georgetown, Texas, the second largest US city to go 100 per cent renewable, in his 2017 film An Inconvenient Sequel) but now the city is losing millions on its green energy gamble … The city-owned utility lost nearly $7 million this year … (and) energy costs were more than $23m over budget in 2016 and 2017.