Antinuclear

While harmony is a nice-sounding word, it is a rather strange policy goal. Why would a state with as much wind as South Australia want to “harmonise” its reliance on wind energy with less windy states? Will Queensland and Tasmania be expected to “harmonise” their reliance on solar power or hydro-electricity? The ACT would likely struggle to meet any “harmonised” targets for tidal power generation. ……

….Since strong winds ripped 20 electricity transmission towers from their foundations the nation’s media have been full of the most remarkable assertions about what, apart from the obvious, might have caused the state-wide blackouts in South Australia.  And the fact that the experts are yet to provide a detailed diagnosis has not prevented our political debate from already shifting on to what the solution should be. COAG energy ministers have already met, and, drum roll please, a review has been ordered.

Alarmingly for the ACT, the emerging consensus among conservatives seems to be that “the problem” with Australia’s electricity market stems from the fact that some individual jurisdictions have sought to augment the national renewable energy target with their own state-based schemes. Leaving aside the fact that the South Australians are not among those jurisdictions, and leaving aside the fact that all of the wind turbines built in South Australia to date have been funded by the Commonwealth’s renewable energy target, it looks like the ACT’s ambitious target may be next in the political firing line.

On the one hand, ACT residents who are keen to keep driving new investment in renewable energy could draw some comfort from the fact that the ACT Liberals have expressed their support for the local 100 per cent renewable energy target, but, on the other hand, the timidity of Jeremy Hanson’s support for that target this week is a significant source of concern.

The local Liberals were never enthusiastic about the 100 per cent target. ……..

With a week to the ACT election now is the time for Canberra’s aspiring representatives to make clear whether they support the principle of ACT leadership on issues like climate change, even if the federal government or other state colleagues might prefer “harmony”.

Competitive federalism relies on the willingness of individual states to blaze a trail for others to follow. As the election approaches we need to hear not just what aspiring leaders want for Canberra, but they are willing to fight with our federal partners to deliver them.

Richard Denniss is the chief economist for The Australia Institute.   http://www.smh.com.au/comment/politicians-pulling-funny-faces-as-winds-change-20161006-grwy0r.html