Official portrait of Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. By Australian Government link

What Energy Price Spike? Aussie Greens Call for Coal Ban

Essay by Eric Worrall

As Australia grapples with a savage energy price spike, Australian Greens have chosen now to push for the cancellation of coal projects.

Australia urged to quickly ditch coal to meet new climate goals

26 May 2022 08:20AM (Updated: 26 May 2022 08:20AM)

Australia’s Labor Party formed a new government on Monday (May 23), after unprecedented support for the Greens and climate-focused independents ended nearly a decade of rule by the conservative coalition in Saturday’s general election.

New Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of centre-left Labor has promised to end the “climate wars” – disagreements over the need for action on climate change that have dogged politics in Australia for years.

“The election was a strong vote for climate action,” Joe Fontaine, a lecturer in environmental science at Murdoch University in Perth, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

A phase-out of coal power is “crucial” to meet the Labor government’s new climate goals, added Fontaine, who said Greens and independents may push for even more ambitious targets.

Currently, Australia’s energy consumption is dominated by fossil fuels, with coal providing about 40 per cent, oil 34 per cent and gas 22 per cent, according to government data.

Read more: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/sustainability/australia-urged-quickly-ditch-coal-meet-new-climate-goals-2708086

The energy price spike;

Power bills set to spike as global energy crunch hits home

By Mike Foley and Nick Toscano
Updated May 26, 2022 — 12.13pm

Electricity bills for hundreds of thousands of Australian households will rise by up to $227 a year as consumers feel the pinch of soaring fossil fuel prices and incoming Energy Minister Chris Bowen accuses predecessor Angus Taylor of having delayed the bill shock for political reasons.

While cost-of-living pressures are rising and inflation is sitting at a two-decade high, the Australian Energy Regulator on Thursday confirmed that spikes in the cost of wholesale electricity are set to drive double-digit jumps in household and small business bills across the country within weeks.

The Australian Energy Regulator usually sets the default market offer on May 1. However, in April, the former Coalition government delayed that process until after the May 21 federal election, citing the need for more time for the regulator to compile data on the recent price fluctuations.

The NSW and Queensland default offer price rises are being driven largely by spiking wholesale costs because of higher coal and gas prices adding to the cost of fuelling the states’ biggest power stations. Coal and natural gas prices have been rising sharply around the world as a global energy crunch is being exacerbated by energy utilities shunning Russian supplies and scrambling for alternatives in a bid to starve Moscow of the revenue it needs to fund the war in Ukraine.

Read more: https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/business/the-economy/power-bills-set-to-spike-as-global-energy-crunch-hits-home-20220525-p5aojp.html

The new Australian Labor Government, which was elected on a promise of strong climate action, will likely have to depend on a coalition with Green politicians to pass legislation. But Labor’s razor thin parliamentary majority is in peril, if Labor caves in to their Green coalition partners, and triggers even worse energy price spikes for ordinary Australians with radical fossil fuel bans.

Doing nothing is also a risky choice. Australia’s coal exports might be going strong, but our fossil fuel power stations are rapidly approaching the end of their service life. Power companies over the years appear to have responded rationally to open political hostility, by running their equipment into the ground, patching rather than maintaining, to squeeze every last dime out of their investments before some radical green politician pulls the plug. Our crumbling fossil fuel power station infrastructure is all but ready for the scrap heap.

When my American friends ask me what our new Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is like, my answer is he is like a male version of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

Like AOC, our Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has an economics degree. He also has lots of non mainstream economic ideas, which he frequently shares with the public, such as Albonese’s explanation that the best way to fight inflation is large government mandated wage rises.

Our Prime Minister’s great green energy transition plan allocated a whole $200 million for backup batteries, which I’m sure he thinks is enough.

So I’m really looking forward to writing about our new Prime Minister’s plan to solve the household energy bill crisis.

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Mike Lowe
May 26, 2022 2:21 am

Maybe now would be a good time for Albanese to compel all MPs – especially those pesky Greenies – to attend compulsory elementary science classes concerning the energy industry!

Oldseadog
Reply to  Mike Lowe
May 26, 2022 2:28 am

That wouldn’t work, all teachers from primary to tertiary are compelled to toe the CAGW line on pain of dismissal.
Just ask Peter Ridd and Susan Crockford.

Dennis
Reply to  Mike Lowe
May 26, 2022 2:52 am

Including himself.

Old Man Winter
Reply to  Mike Lowe
May 26, 2022 3:06 am

Thomas Sowell- It is usually futile to talk facts and analysis to people who are enjoying
a sense of moral superiority in their ignorance.

The CAGW Cult is way beyond being reached through reason. The Team™ are thugs who’ve been
brainwashing kids from Day 1 to see themselves as social justice warriors & then filling them with
false beliefs of what social justice is. That’s how the normal questioning that comes with learning-
show me”; the questioning of authority; & arguing one’s point one has in normal living have been
suppressed as they’ve been inoculated from the truth. So True Believers™ never question the
“party-line values” they’ve been programmed to believe. Trying to reason with & present facts to The
Team™ are sadly just a waste of time!

Tom Halla
Reply to  Mike Lowe
May 26, 2022 7:04 am

But, but, but, hard sciences are sexist, racist, and colonialist!!!

Lrp
Reply to  Mike Lowe
May 26, 2022 1:00 pm

It’s a joke, right? Albanese has a degree in economics but has never been a practising economist. His idea of fighting rising inflation is rising wages by inflation rate; guess what would happen then?

Observer
Reply to  Lrp
May 26, 2022 10:30 pm

Like everything else in a market economy, wages are set by supply and demand.

The government can raise minimum wage laws, but it can’t make those jobs profitable for employers; ie, they can demand that employers pay someone a particular rate, but they can’t demand they employ them in the first place.

Pat Frank
Reply to  Mike Lowe
May 26, 2022 1:03 pm

I’d rather he force them to live the lives they demand of others.

Dennis
May 26, 2022 2:51 am

This is the second Federal Election I have experienced with a large group of candidates each presenting as Independent but very clearly sharing a Teal brand colour, supported and at least partly funded by a high wealth source (Climate200), campaign support by a Union established and part funded activist organisation (GetUp) claiming to be individuals, Independent candidates, their first election appearance was in 2019.

On Sky News journalists who have interviewed some of those candidates expressed surprise and concern that they have a narrow political focus, climate change subjects, ask them for comment on the economy or defence and no interest, one replied that she would leave those subjects to others who are interested in them.

Dennis
Reply to  Eric Worrall
May 26, 2022 3:10 am

Of that I have no doubt, and already financial journalist has criticised the new Treasurer’s comments on inflation and other issues, and recommended that readers put a harness on (tighten the seatbelt), so looking back to November 2007 through to September 2013, if they run true to past form again, a very interesting future.

But net zero emissions by 2030, coal mining, mandated electric vehicles and ICEV banned by 2030 could be even more of a battle ground than economics, finance and even defence.

Last edited 1 year ago by Dennis
Ian
Reply to  Eric Worrall
May 26, 2022 5:13 am

I suspect it’s in the eye of the beholder rather than in the intelligence of the cabinet

Old Cocky
Reply to  Eric Worrall
May 26, 2022 2:17 pm

Wayne Swan?

Dennis
Reply to  Old Cocky
May 26, 2022 9:40 pm

I understand that the new Treasurer worked for Wayne.

Spetzer86
Reply to  Dennis
May 26, 2022 3:22 am

How do you cross Oz in an EV? How much freight can a truck train move when most of its weight is tied up in batteries?

Dennis
Reply to  Eric Worrall
May 26, 2022 3:44 am

After I retired I decided to see as much of Australia as possible, after decades of business travel flying over most of the country.

There are very long stretches in between fuel stops, roadhouses and not places to have a vehicle breakdown. I averaged 50,000 Kms a year before mid-2018 when a friend’s inoperable cancer diagnosis and then in 2020 the pandemic stopped me travelling far away. My travelling in retirement began in 2002 when I was in my mid fifties but are still many places I plan to visit.

I read about a Tesla EV that was driven on a Highway One journey around Australia, the driver decided 80 KMH was the most economical speed which must have been frustrating for road trains with up to four fuel tanker trailers and other road trains trying to maintain 100 KMH. And in The outback there is no electricity grid, most electricity is generated by diesel fuelled generators. So what’s the point of driving an EV?

RevJay4
Reply to  Dennis
May 26, 2022 5:38 am

Virtue signalling to the other idiots in EVs.

Observer
Reply to  RevJay4
May 26, 2022 10:33 pm

EV’s are great for cities. Rural Australia? Not so much.

Craig from Oz
Reply to  Dennis
May 26, 2022 6:10 pm

Back in day when I still had hair and was first learning to drive I was told by my instructor that traveling significantly below the speed limit and slowing traffic behind you counted as Failure To Give Way and was – technically – something you could be fined for.

If you cannot maintain 100kmh in a 100kmh zone you should not be using that road for extended periods.

Craig from Oz
Reply to  Eric Worrall
May 26, 2022 6:06 pm

Eric – I believe the point being raised here is that in a real car, provided you are able to plan ahead a bit, it is completely possible to drive large distances.

Fuel is available in nearly every town. Indeed there are some towns that are basically JUST the services station.

And if you can’t ensure fuel at the next stop, you can always invest in a jerry can and a funnel.

The other advantage with fuel is that if you have enough of it your only pragmatic restriction is driver fatigue. Refueling most vehicles is a 10 minute stop/go.

c.f. EV.

Do you have a charging station in the next town? Yes/No?
Can you reliably predict your energy consumption (and hence range) over an extended period? yes/No?
Can you reliably predict the wait time for charging?
Can you reliably predict the charging time?

I believe that is the point being made.

Dennis
Reply to  Spetzer86
May 26, 2022 3:31 am

Four wheel drive flat top truck with EV on the tray?

Oldseadog
Reply to  Spetzer86
May 26, 2022 6:59 am

Spetzer, it is very easy to cross Oz in an EV so long as it has a tow hitch fitted. You tow a trailer with a little diesel genny on it with a big enough fuel tank to allow you to to up the batteries continuously.

Of course you could just take out the car electric drive chain and batteries and replace them with the diesel engine but then you couldn’t brag about the new EV that you have just bought and you can’t have it both ways.

Dennis
Reply to  Oldseadog
May 26, 2022 9:41 pm

I have seen photographs of EV recharge stations connected to diesel generators.

Oldseadog
Reply to  Dennis
May 27, 2022 1:34 am

Yep, including for limos at Cop 26.

willem post
Reply to  Spetzer86
May 27, 2022 2:50 am

During a war, one of the main purposes of battery-powered trains would be to transport batteries and ammo to the front lines.

Without batteries, you could not fight any war.

In the good old days, that used to be diesel fuel and gasoline.

It looks like cyber warfare is the main game left standing.

Mike Smith
Reply to  Eric Worrall
May 26, 2022 11:25 am

The lessons learned by Germany clearly were not harsh enough.

Now Australia has agreed to step up and show the rest of the world how NOT to do energy policy. I think it’s going to prove both informative and entertaining for many.

Be sure to thank all of your Aussie friends for their sacrifice.

Pat Frank
Reply to  Eric Worrall
May 26, 2022 2:17 pm

I don’t see how you can be so serene in the face of willful, conscious, and systematic trampling of your freedoms and destruction of your country, Eric.

fretslider
May 26, 2022 2:51 am

Welcome to the net zero club

Have you got your cheque book handy?

“Financial assistance for developing countries must be at the top of the agenda for UN climate talks this year, the host country, Egypt, has made clear” – Grauniad

If only we had some money!

Dennis
Reply to  fretslider
May 26, 2022 2:57 am

It still amuses me to remember the television news image of a Pacific Island nation leader wearing a suit for the interview, standing on a beach with flattened palm trees and all kinds of washed up rubbish also on the sand, days after a cyclone and massive storm surge, begging for help to deal with climate change, financial assistance.

fretslider
Reply to  Eric Worrall
May 26, 2022 3:10 am

I think they’ve already raided their piggy banks. They’re onto long, long, long range now – say 2100 !!

Last edited 1 year ago by strativarius
Ben Vorlich
Reply to  fretslider
May 26, 2022 10:02 am

I think that Britain didn’t actually pay off the South Sea Bubble, Napoleonic and Crimean Wars, the Slavery Abolition and Irish Distress Loan debts until about 2015 when Cameron was PM. In the case of the South Sea Bubble that debt goes back 300 years.
Us Brits have a long history of using government bonds to pay for wars, it took 60 years to pay off Lend Lease which gave the USA a big stick to force the UK to end its involvement in Suez amongst other things. Ukraine might find Western aid comes at a price.

Richard Page
Reply to  Ben Vorlich
May 26, 2022 12:07 pm

Unfortunately the idea of having wars that pay for themselves stopped when Spain stopped shipping gold, silver and gems across the Atlantic from the South American colonies.

Michael in Dublin
May 26, 2022 2:56 am

Why do the Aussie Greens not prove – for say five years – they can live comfortably without fossil fuels before seeking to impose their views on the Australian public?

J N
Reply to  Eric Worrall
May 26, 2022 3:41 pm

Eric, this deserves a post. The ability to disappoint these people’s supporters and the level of hypocrisy never ceases to amaze me.Of course that she will justify as J. Kerry – she will offset….

Dennis
Reply to  Michael in Dublin
May 26, 2022 3:02 am

From memory decades ago Australian Greens were camping in forests in Tasmania demonstrating against logging activities in those State Forests which were set aside during the 1800s for the timber industry and sustainable logging, they were burning wood on open fires, quickly excused as being renewable energy.

And in the 1980s Greens in Western Australia protesting using the same tactics as Greens used in Tasmania but targeting pine plantation timber planted just after WW2 by a now national timber and hardware group of companies. The Greens were adamant that the timber was natural growth forest.

An island my Great Grandfather purchased which became part of grazing lands for cattle and horses in the late 1800s was sold by my Grandmother during the 1960s, the buyer wanted to develop the island for housing and tourism, the Greens successfully argued and stopped the development application claiming the trees and shrubs by then mostly covering the island was natural old growth forest, the authorities ignored photographs of grass, fencing, cattle and horses, etc.

Last edited 1 year ago by Dennis
fretslider
Reply to  Dennis
May 26, 2022 3:14 am

It’s just elitism…

I have a degree, I know better than you do and you must do as I tell you – or you’ll fry/die in a climate crisis hell.

Look where those attitudes got Sri Lanka.

Forrest Gardener
Reply to  Michael in Dublin
May 26, 2022 3:41 am

King Island is an existing test bed for crash test dummies. https://www.hydro.com.au/clean-energy/hybrid-energy-solutions/success-stories/king-island

The system conclusively proves that the green nirvana is achievable. All you need are windmills, solar panels, about $20K per person, and a whopping big diesel generator.

RevJay4
Reply to  Forrest Gardener
May 26, 2022 5:49 am

Noted that on the “panel” the diesel output would generate a lot of energy, whilst the “renewable” was not so productive. Hmmmm. Best keep the diesel fuel tanks full for not so pleasant weather where the windmills need to shut down to keep them from being destroyed by mother nature.

Retired_Engineer_Jim
Reply to  Forrest Gardener
May 26, 2022 11:36 am

I just looked an diesel was providing 4 times as much as wind, and solar was providing nothing. The batteries were providing negative energy (probably charging). I’m in California, so it is probably night time on King Island, hence no solar (it isn’t in Spain, after all).

Forrest Gardener
Reply to  Retired_Engineer_Jim
May 26, 2022 4:13 pm

Indeed Jim. And that’s the point. The green nirvana cannot exist without a diesel generator to power it.

And who would invest in a diesel generator on the condition that you had to turn it down or off if the sun shines or the roaring forties wind blows?

Samuel Saunders McAllister
May 26, 2022 3:03 am

Australia needs to become self sufficient because of the availability of our natural resources. The Chinese threat to our south pacific neighbors and to ourselves is obvious. Going green and all energy uploaded to green policies and materials is ludicrous if one looks at Europe, particularly Germany and the UK. Their populations are unable to pay for the sky high prices of energy to their households and businesses, because of green policies. Lambie from Tasmania independent group in the Australian Senate, may hold out some hope against extreme green legislation, but the green senators may win the day. We need to build Helio coal fire power stations and portable nuclear plants that give baseload power for energy bills to be at least affordable to our Australian community.

fretslider
Reply to  Eric Worrall
May 26, 2022 3:16 am

 doesn’t have a clue”

This is why the script/narrative is so important. No TV news channel covered the 7 blazing buses in a London bus garage…. Omission too is key.

Michael in Dublin
Reply to  fretslider
May 26, 2022 4:44 am

What if the public called for a ban on EVs in parking garages, in built up residential areas or any area where they could pose a huge danger if they went up in flames? The authorities should agree to pay out of their own pockets for damages if they do not support this ban. Similarly, the public should not have to pay for the busses destroyed but those who approved their use.

fretslider
Reply to  Michael in Dublin
May 26, 2022 4:53 am

There’s a lot of catching up to do.

The fire brigade was trying to put the fire out with water….

Samuel Saunders McAllister
Reply to  Eric Worrall
May 26, 2022 3:17 am

I remember ALP effort to start & build the National Broadband Network(NBN)! cost blowouts and not meeting goals to their plan. I have absolutely no confidence in the ALP to “rewire” nationally, our grid and according to their costings. ALP history shows they came up with the NBN idea suggested to former PM Rudd on the “back of a drinks coaster”.

Sweet Old Bob
Reply to  Samuel Saunders McAllister
May 26, 2022 7:28 am

ALP! I’ve fallen , and I can’t get up !

😉

Ron
Reply to  Samuel Saunders McAllister
May 26, 2022 12:44 pm

The ALP’s NBN rollout was a disaster because as typical “progressives”, they rolled it out to all the “communities in need”, the poorest, most disconnected suburbs and country communities where no one could pay the $100/month fee – so they got no hook-ups. It should have been rolled out to the middle to upper-class suburbs first so that hook-ups occurred and there was money in the kitty to subsidise the poorer suburbs. End result is all the poorer suburbs have fibre to the home, and can’t afford it, and the wealthier suburbs have fibre to the node at a fraction of the speed!

Dennis
Reply to  Samuel Saunders McAllister
May 26, 2022 3:19 am

It really frustrated and annoys me, has done for decades past, that Australia has huge reserves of minerals and energy and most blocked by our elected representatives in State primarily and also Federal parliaments from being realised, revenue sources blocked.

Australia is one of the few nations that has substantial gold and silver known deposits in the ground, part of our common wealth. I recently read a defence review and rankings of nations in terms of being prepared, one indicator was assets and Australia was listed as a high ranking nation with borrowing potential alongside which our Current Account Federal debt almost pales into insignificance (gross debt $963 billion @ 30 June 2022, net debt of course significantly lower).

mikewaite
Reply to  Eric Worrall
May 26, 2022 7:01 am

“Aussie gold hunters” is also one of the few TV programmes that i enjoy these days on British TV. Not just for the tension about whether the prospectors will find anything , but for the ability that is often shown when their wet or dry blowers breakdown 100s of km from anywhere and they have to make an “aussie fix” .
I suppose much of it is artificial TV but it is in contrast to the image given during Covid to the rest of the world of Australia being peopled entirely by wimpy cry babies who couldn’t cross a road without an army of nannies to guide them.

RevJay4
Reply to  Dennis
May 26, 2022 5:57 am

Massive oil/gas reserves in the US as well. Not being tapped due to politics of the greens influencing the lefties in government.

ozspeaksup
May 26, 2022 3:04 am

ABC been full of it today! so seeing as WE provide our OWN coal and gas then whats happening OS isnt our problem, we can sell coal for more but dont need to rip ourselves off. as for needing more infrastructure thats solely the cause of feeding IN solar wind etc
when it was alll incoming via coal/gas the lines were fine.
refusing to provided finance to repair or build new coalplants is a HUGE part of the problem too
at least Scomo wasnt stupid and was going to build a govt funded setup
kiss that goodbye with this daft bugger and the greentard teals n greens

Dennis
Reply to  ozspeaksup
May 26, 2022 3:24 am

I was researching the finance and economy positions of Australia today and noted that Forward Estimates (being three years from Current Account Budget financial year) estimates for export sales prices for minerals and energy, coal and iron ore for example, are remaining higher than the Budget papers estimated, so if that continues the peaking by 2024/25 gross debt estimate of $981 billion should be lower, unless the new Federal Government decides to add more debt to spend.

Maybe that’s why the Treasurer has been waffling and is being criticised for that waffle?

Derg
Reply to  Dennis
May 26, 2022 4:35 am

Countries feel they need to be in debt 😉

Dennis
Reply to  ozspeaksup
May 26, 2022 3:29 am

Yes, of four gas generators proposed by the Morrison Government but subject to the required State Government planning approval and other approvals only one has been approved to date, NSW Hunter Valley location. The others are one each for VIC and SEQ and a second for NSW.

A new coal fired HELE power station proposed, Federal Government offered to underwrite the finance, for NTH QLD has not yet been approved by the QLD Government.

I understand that the Morrison Government also recently offered financial support to ensure that existing coal fired power stations scheduled for closure soon remain generating.

Electricity supply (and water) is State Government responsibility and they sold or leased the power stations and transmission lines, Coalition State Governments following had no choice other than to continue privatisation.

Last edited 1 year ago by Dennis
michel
May 26, 2022 3:22 am

One has the impression, in Australia, the UK and the US, that none of these people understand what the real effects of their proposals will be.

Its weird, its like just to mention Climate takes away all possibility of critical thought.

As usual what is being proposed is both impossible and anyway useless were it possible.

fretslider
Reply to  michel
May 26, 2022 3:29 am

One has the impression, in Australia, the UK and the US, that none of these people understand what the real effects of their proposals will be.”

They do, but it’s a numbers game. Look how many Russian soldiers have been gambled away in the Ukraine invasion so far, then there are the victims of that aggression.

Look how many British and French lives were lost at the Somme in 1916 – and on a daily basis just to move the General staff’s drinks cabinet a few yards closer to Berlin.

Do you play chess?

Right-Handed Shark
Reply to  fretslider
May 26, 2022 8:29 am

Your comment reminds me of Blackadder..

fretslider
Reply to  Right-Handed Shark
May 26, 2022 8:40 am

And nowadays they know their pronouns, too!

observa
May 26, 2022 3:25 am

Already the motley crew of climate changers are blaming the price rises on the rising cost of coal and gas and advocating a faster shift to unreliables. Not a word on the cost of storage to replace these deliverables. Further blaming the outgoing mob for failing to implement more unreliables on their watch as well as calling for more transmission lines for their spaghetti and meatballs Utopia. They simply don’t get it but they’ll have to if they want to keep the lights on and their bums on seats.

Dennis
Reply to  observa
May 26, 2022 3:33 am

I wonder if they have ever heard of engineers?

observa
Reply to  Dennis
May 26, 2022 3:56 am

Those unfeeling types are all yesterdays and they have imagineers now.

lee
Reply to  Dennis
May 26, 2022 4:12 am

Oh they have heard of them. According to one I correspond with all problems have an engineering solution.

Kevin kilty
Reply to  lee
May 26, 2022 3:08 pm

Including the solutions summarized as “do nothing” and “leave well enough alone.”

Disputin
Reply to  Dennis
May 26, 2022 4:22 am

Yes, those people with dirty hands.

Michael in Dublin
Reply to  Dennis
May 26, 2022 5:05 am

Despite the political mess in Italy, they have an impressive engineering record. I was surprised to see how many Italian scientists and engineers (176) signed CLINTEL’s World Climate Declaration. Australia (126) is not far behind though it has a higher ratio. The numbers from the USA (136) may be a little higher but this is actually dismal considering the size of the population. What impresses me most it the spread of these signatories across 39 countries. These are no nincompoops though that would be an accurate description of the leaders of the greens.

Last edited 1 year ago by Michael in Dublin
Right-Handed Shark
Reply to  Dennis
May 26, 2022 8:35 am

Our UK government have engineers that advise them that:

“Of course we can make wind and solar work, all it takes is money. No, more than that. And more. Now double it. Keep it coming..”

Ed Zuiderwijk
May 26, 2022 3:51 am

Australia is going to be the canary in the coal mine of impending green mayhem.

Hopefully the rest of us takes note.

fretslider
Reply to  Eric Worrall
May 26, 2022 4:32 am

You think?

The UK is gung ho for it, just the same. According to alarmism central it has nothing to do with going organic at all.

The south Asian country is the first to buckle under economic pressures compounded by Russia’s war on Ukraine, but it won’t be the last”

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/may/09/sri-lanka-is-the-first-domino-to-fall-in-the-face-of-a-global-debt-crisis

It’s beyond belief – isn’t all religion?

“I’m deeply concerned about developing countries,” Malpass said. “They are facing sudden price increases for energy, fertiliser and food, and the likelihood of interest rate increases. Each one hits them hard.””

Well, Sri Lanka wasn’t using fertiliser…. talk about denial.

TonyL
Reply to  Ed Zuiderwijk
May 26, 2022 8:33 am

South Aus. is still #1 on my board for winner of the International Renewables Crash Test Dummy Award.
Recent strong moves by Germany have moved them up the ranks, but SA still leads.

Quelgeek
May 26, 2022 4:43 am

Elections have consequences. I have zero sympathy for a people harmed by their elected government doing what it promised.

I hope the rest of us look and learn.

Loydo
May 26, 2022 4:43 am

“he is like a male version of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.”

That is a weirdly confused comparison. It reveals more about you than the Prime Minister. My advice to your American friends would be to do their own research.

such as Albonese’s explanation that the best way to fight inflation is large government mandated wage rises.”

And that’s just disinformation. He said his government would make a submission to the independant wage commission for a minimum wage rise that matched inflation – 5.1%. Do you think lowest paid worker’s wages should actually go backwards in real tems? In the same period the well-heeled have enjoyed a 20% increase?

Loydo
Reply to  Eric Worrall
May 26, 2022 5:20 am

Increasing the minimum wage by $1/hr isn’t a “large wage rise”. This is the ‘trickle half-way down effect’, those at the bottom watching the wealthy elites pull away.

http://www.roymorgan.com/~/media/files/morgan%20poll/2010s/2018/september/7733-c1.png?h=426&&w=700&la=en

http://www.roymorgan.com/findings/7733-wealth-inequality-in-australia-is-getting-worse-201809210554

I think it’s obvious where any inflation causing wage pressure is coming from.

observa
Reply to  Loydo
May 26, 2022 6:06 am

You and I know Loydo but why don’t we spell it out for dumb lefties. They’re the folks that think the Gummint should print money for everything that goes bump in the night. The classic being Covid recently. Problem is the banks get it first to lend out at dirt cheap rates (next to zero with enough printing) and guess who gets to borrow that first?

Yes folks that’s those who can show they don’t really need it and not those with their ass hanging out their pants. There’s an even better lurk subsidy mining with the latest and greatest thought bubble from the watermelons and aint crony capitalism great? You can’t possibly have a better bigger mine than changing the global climate in that regard. Utopia at last.

observa
Reply to  observa
May 26, 2022 6:38 am

You have to go with the flow of the greening Loydo-
ARENA-backed energy retailer goes into administration as price surge causes havoc | RenewEconomy

An innovative energy retailer focusing on energy efficiency for backyard swimming pools, and backed by the Australian Renewable Energy Agency, has been forced into administration by the soaring wholesale electricity prices.

and spread the green around or trickle it down-

Pooled Energy on Friday appointed Glenn Livingstone and Scott Pascoe from WLP Restructuring as administrators, according to an ASIC document.

That’s the good oil for you nowadays.

Derg
Reply to  Eric Worrall
May 26, 2022 12:49 pm

Don’t confuse the Lloydo with logic.

Derg
Reply to  Loydo
May 26, 2022 12:48 pm

You cheap b@stard why not $250 an hour minimum wage?

LdB
Reply to  Loydo
May 26, 2022 7:24 pm

The wealth inequality will continue to get worse and increasing the minimum wage will not solve it and has nothing to do with it.

The wealthy people own houses, shares, investments, businesses all of which are subject to growth. None of those someone on the minimum wage will likely ever own as they are house renters and have little in savings or investments.

Given the state of the rental market at the moment every increase per week to those on the minimum wage will fuel that increase per week in house rental .. the competition is that bad. If you want to help those on the minimum wage you need to start with housing.

Last edited 1 year ago by LdB
fretslider
Reply to  Loydo
May 26, 2022 4:59 am

““he is like a male version of ”Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

That is a weirdly confused comparison. 

In a tweet Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez pointed out that trans and non-binary people have ‘always existed’

So what’s your problem, Loydo? Gender fluidity is all the rage. Get with the programme.

Last edited 1 year ago by strativarius
Loydo
Reply to  fretslider
May 26, 2022 5:22 am

Albo reminds you of AOC too? lol

fretslider
Reply to  Loydo
May 26, 2022 5:36 am

No, I have no idea who that humanoid is, he may be of Italian descent?

AOC is more like Minnie mouse. What a ridiculous set of vocal chords.

Agony on a finely tuned ear.

Last edited 1 year ago by strativarius
Derg
Reply to  fretslider
May 26, 2022 12:50 pm

Occasional Cortex still cracks me up.

Derg
Reply to  Loydo
May 26, 2022 12:47 pm

We haven’t heard from you in ages. Are you still going with the man didn’t land on the moon theory?

Lrp
Reply to  Loydo
May 26, 2022 1:40 pm

You just made Eric’s point.

Peta of Newark
May 26, 2022 4:45 am

The ‘child analogy’ is so neat. yet again sigh

Basically, coal was The Favourite Toy and served well for a long time. Still could

But, The Child has become bored with it and come to learn of some fantastic New Toy

Child being Child wants needs and *Has To Have* the new toy. New Toy ‘just does’ everything soooo much better, is cleaner, newer, shinier, high-techier and, all of Child’s friends back it up on that.

Problem is, the only way Child can think it’ll get its hands on New Toy, is by going a bit crazy, stamping its feet and smashing up the Old Toy first – that somehow by doing so will speed the arrival of New Toy.
Without a thought of what it will play with meantime

Oh happy days of sugar sweet innocence

Last edited 1 year ago by Peta of Newark
Geoff Sherrington
May 26, 2022 4:53 am

When the electricity generator plant is sitting next to a large coal mine, by design, how does the world price for coal change your domestic economics?
Geoff S

4 Eyes
Reply to  Geoff Sherrington
May 26, 2022 5:17 am

Give them a break Geoff. Don’t ask trick questions, they’ll blow a fuse

Matthew Schilling
May 26, 2022 5:23 am

Excuse me if this is out of place here. I’m not aware of a Miscellaneous Thread on this site, or of an Open Forum thread. Also excuse me because I think the name I’m about to mention is controversial, to say the least… But didn’t Miles Mathis just conduct some important and valid science? And didn’t he do it the right way?

If I understand him, he proposed a unique interpretation of gravitation, saying what we perceive as gravity is a compound, or net sum of two forces: Gravity plus (or is it minus?) E/M. He published it years ago. He then made a specific prediction regarding the current solar cycle that he says arose from his model of reality and wouldn’t have arisen from the current standard model. He further states data has recently come in agreeing with his prediction and, therefore, validating his theory.

(You can see this at the top link of his Updates page on milesmathis.com)

Is he right? Wrong? I don’t pretend to be anything like a proper arbiter for this.

I’ve only discovered the guy in the last couple weeks, but it seems he really irks many people. But it would be quite ironic to me if anyone to replied to this comment and merely try to dismiss him with, “He is a crank, ignore him!” I would ignore that comment because, well, it would seem to be something a crank would write.

Last edited 1 year ago by MattXL
Matthew Schilling
Reply to  Eric Worrall
May 26, 2022 6:30 am

Nice! Thanks for the reply. It seems like a real and specific point of debate with him. That’s good science, too!

As soon as I read your mentioning his consideration of the radius, I remembered I have also seen that on his site. But doesn’t he say the radius of a body affects his E/M portion of the net sum vs. the gravity portion? Since no one else includes E/M force in a calculation of gravity, no one else would be interested in the radius of a body, but only its center.

I believe the validation and prediction he is touting involves his assertion that E/M is a necessary component of gravity. That would be an amazing insight if true, right? He could be correct in one important area while simultaneously being wrong in another.

Matthew Schilling
Reply to  Eric Worrall
May 27, 2022 6:39 am

As I said earlier, Mathis is a recent discovery for me. So, I decided to search his site for what he has to say about Cavendish. I found it here: http://milesmathis.com/caven.html
and read it.

I highly recommend it. It is a tour de force. He is an excellent writer and a formidable intellect.

No one should think the Cavendish experiment blunts Mathis. He rides it like a gifted surfer riding a wave that would kill others but merely serves to make his talent shine.

I am even more convinced now that Miles Mathis is a gift to modern science. Perhaps he would be judicious to add a spoonful of sugar to help his medicine go down, but grownups shouldn’t need sugar. Establishment science should swallow their pride along with Mathis’ medicine.

Richard Page
Reply to  Matthew Schilling
May 26, 2022 6:28 am

I think you would need to educate yourself before accepting what Miles Mathis has to say on any given subject. Learn what has been discovered and built up over years (and centuries) of intensive research before accepting his theories which, to be fair, appear relatively unsupported apart from his own statements. Use your own critical thinking to determine whether his work is valid or not – it may appear plausible at first glance but be baseless when you dig into it, or you may discover the reverse to be true but do your own research and make up your own mind; no-one should tell you what to think.

Matthew Schilling
Reply to  Richard Page
May 26, 2022 7:01 am

Thank you.

I believe science is in dire need of an iconoclast – probably more than one. It probably needs a generation of iconoclasts. He is at least an iconoclast and can be helpful – especially to the ones who least want his help. But, to have a deeper, lasting effect, he’ll have to be correct about something. He needs his bona fides.

I think Bobby Fisher is an apt comparison, though the animus around him and out from him was 1000x more fraught than Mathis. Fisher said chess has become every bit as much a demonstration of rote memorization as of talent. He proposed rescuing the game from automatons by mixing up the placement of the main pieces at the beginning of each game. Not that anyone took him up on it, but it seems like a great suggestion. As a truly great chess champion, he was in a much better position to suggest it than a random guy like me!

(Also, any thoughts on current events – the supposed validation of a prediction that arose from his unique model of reality?)

Richard Page
Reply to  Matthew Schilling
May 26, 2022 8:48 am

He doesn’t need bona fides to ask questions in any field – we often learn more by being wrong than by being correct but he does need to be seen as credible for his questions to also be credible.

Matthew Schilling
Reply to  Richard Page
May 26, 2022 9:21 am

(I think you are describing how it ought to be in science vs. how it is)

Richard Page
Reply to  Matthew Schilling
May 26, 2022 9:00 am

As to his validation of the underlying EM field as causation of solar cycles, I still have an open mind – whether he is observing something and imposing a correlation or whether he is entirely correct in causation is somewhat open to interpretation. Certainly his observations may be significant but there could be another explanation that he has failed to look at – I think I’ll withold more comment until we get more information.

n.n
May 26, 2022 5:43 am

Unreliables. Planned poverty[hood]. Empathetic appeal. Redistributive change. Renewable green[backs].

Dennis
May 26, 2022 6:12 am

Just heard on Business Now, Sky News, and interview with a spokes person for the energy Council, Australia. She claimed that renewable energy now provides 26 per cent of our electricity, the AEMO Dashboard disagrees with her.

Another example of using Nameplate Capacity to try and impress and ignoring Capacity Factor, AEMO for example rate wind turbines at 30-35 per cent of Nameplate, solar far less.

Unfortunately too many commentators accept the Nameplate Capacity quoted and do not appear to have the knowledge to question it.

Matthew Sykes
May 26, 2022 6:33 am

Ecocide. The intentional killing of ones economy for ecological reasons.

Thomas Gasloli
May 26, 2022 6:43 am

His solution to high energy bills will be government subsidies. The solution to a government created problem is always more government.

Matthew Schilling
Reply to  Thomas Gasloli
May 26, 2022 11:07 am

Have fun creating steel with windmills and solar panels as your energy source! In fact, please record that and post it online. I’d love to see that!

Giordano Milton
May 26, 2022 7:32 am

Western governments seem to have something in common: an electorate and political class on a societal suicide mission.

Dave
May 26, 2022 7:33 am

Typical of the green / leftist agenda: When things get bad, make it worse.

BrentC
May 26, 2022 7:54 am

Since the desire of ending fossil fuel use is to lower atmospheric CO2 concentrations, it stands that the KPIs to benchmark the ROI are easily set. Each dollar spent on non-fossil-fuel power generation or consumption should result in a measurable reduction, of course when factors are applied to get the results into a measurable range. The government should then be accountable by validation that they are “winning the war” against rising atmospheric CO2 concentrations (I refuse to call it “carbon”).

If not, then the effort is for naught and it should be suspended.

We all know how this would end, but it may be a simple demonstration to the useful idiots of the senseless spending by unknowledgeable “leaders”.

James
May 26, 2022 9:05 am

Do it Australia! You know you want to be the crash test dummy for the green energy transition that will never work!

David Anderson
May 26, 2022 9:28 am

Why do we get so much Australian news on this site? They are basically lost to the west.

Mr.
Reply to  David Anderson
May 26, 2022 1:46 pm

Don’t you like to monitor what’s happening in the western world’s energy Petri dish?

pochas94
May 26, 2022 1:04 pm

This is simply self-flagellation. Not for thinking people with a healthy grasp of reality.

Tom.1
May 26, 2022 2:01 pm

I wish for Australia to go full speed ahead on getting to net zero before anyone else. It will be an interesting experiment for the rest of the world to watch.

Edward Sager
May 26, 2022 3:28 pm

Apparently, Australia has its own contingent of scientifically illiterate “greens”. Well, the Bushmen did OK for thousands of years without electricity, metal tools and air conditioning, so maybe the greens should practice what they preach and emulate their lifestyle to see how well that works today.

Kentlfc
May 26, 2022 4:35 pm

The Greens party claim they have a mandate to ban all fossil fuels. Back in 2013 when the conservatives won, they took 90 out of 150 seats in the house but sadly, didn’t control the senate. The Labor Party and the Greens claimed there was no mandate and blocked everything they could. Hopefully, the conservatives can return the favour in the senate this time!

Damon
May 26, 2022 6:05 pm

Most rational people (not politicians) do not embark on projects when they have absolutely no idea whether they will work. If we embark on ‘climate action’, what are the KPIs (key performance indicators)?

Craig from Oz
May 26, 2022 6:19 pm

AOC to An Al?

An Al would need to grow a spine before he gets to AOC’s level.

She may be bonkers, but at least she has confidence in her own insanity.

An Al is a simp to the Mean Girls Network.

(for those playing overseas – Mean Girls Network is the collection of Queen Bee bullies who really run the ALP. Openly accepted to be run Penny Wong, a three times professional minority (female, gay, non-white) who ironically also refused to back Same Sex Marriage when Labor was last in power and cowardly stuck to the official party line.)

Thommo
May 26, 2022 7:52 pm

Maybe the pollies can be shown the AEMO web site just to see how much power generation is coming from coal right now and how much is coming from their beloved renewables and ask them when you shut down the coal power stations where is that missing power going to come from, hundreds of thousands of more wind turbines, solar panels and huge batteries?

Dennis
Reply to  Thommo
May 26, 2022 9:47 pm

While watching Business on Sky last night at 11 pm I checked the AEMO Dashboard;

Solar input to grid = zero (well it was night).
Wind input to grid = 6 per cent
Hydro input to grid = 15 per cent*

So how to achieve 80 per cent by 2030 as the new Federal Government claims it will achieve?

Dennis
May 26, 2022 9:38 pm

A petty point I agree but newspapers today photographed the new PM in his rabbit pyjamas collecting the morning newspapers from his home front gate, and no spectacles!!!

Krudd Gillard of the Commondebt of Australia
May 27, 2022 5:40 am

It won’t be easy under Albane$e.

Last edited 1 year ago by Krudd Gillard of the Commondebt of Australia
May 27, 2022 5:42 am

When my American friends ask me what our new Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is like, my answer is he is like a male version of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.”

You have my sincerest condolences.

Our Prime Minister’s great green energy transition plan allocated a whole $200 million for backup batteries, which I’m sure he thinks is enough.”

Thus proving your aoc comparison.

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