Paul Howes to spruik for nukes at Liberal party seminar
Union leader speaking at Liberal energy symposium
ABC News 19 Sept 09A Federal Liberal MP says he is inviting a union leader to speak about nuclear power at a conference this weekend because there needs to be a bipartisan debate on the issue.
Michael Johnson is hosting an energy symposium in his Brisbane electorate of Ryan tomorrow.
The head of the Australian Workers Union, Paul Howes, will give a speech about his support for a nuclear power industry in Australia….
Mr Johnson said. “Paul Howes certainly has demonstrated vision and courage by speaking out in support of Australia becoming an exporter of uranium and going down the nuclear path.”
Mr Johnson says he hopes to generate a wider debate on the nuclear issue.
“If Paul Howes, a national figure, a leader in the union movement, if he’s got the courage to come out and talk about this, then surely Kevin Rudd can come out and talk about this.”
Union leader speaking at Liberal energy symposium – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
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of the week – Disrupting War & Militarism in Oceania. Active solidarity. Radical practice.
Antinuclear 
The reason for this event is clear. Michael Johnson is about the lowest-profile federal MP, who’s rested on (a) a safe Liberal seat (b) branch stacking to get preselected in the past and (c) a grandfathering clause in the formation of the LNP to get automatic preselection for the next election. After redistribution, (a) no longer applies so he is desperately spending his parliamentary printing allowance on advertising events like this ahead of the election to get PR without apparently spending the money on electioneering. Possibly he thinks he can win some of the Green vote by this but by including nuclear in the mix he is sorely mistaken. Bringing in a union leader is not going to impress traditional Labor voters.
That brings me to the bigger mystery: why Howes would back the re-election bid of a do-nothing Lib in a seat that’s now marginal, ahead of an election Labor is likely to win. Ask Ronan Lee how Labor treats turncoats.
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