Today marks the first anniversary of the Albanese government.
I’m sure the PM will be reflecting on his good fortune as he’s risen from t-shirt wearing, disk-spinning socialist to the highest office in politics.
I reckon few, even in his own party, would have thought he’d make the transition.
To his credit, he has. He wears the suit of PM pretty well, at least much better than I thought he would.
But I do wonder just what the government has actually done these past 12 months.
Their supporters will point to the budget surplus but that’s more symbolic than serious. We face a decade more of debt and Labor remains opposed to the very industries that delivered the billions to prop up their big spending agenda.
One thing the Albanese team has done this past year is win the public politics.
They’ve set aside the chaos - perceived or real - of the hapless Morrison government, and presented a relatively stable front.
However, underneath the smooth surface, Labor is agitating for huge societal change that I don’t think will serve us well over the long term.
The spending initiatives from welfare to the NDIS to handouts are baked in. So too is the virtual dismantling of our electricity system. Over the long term, taxes are set to rise while fewer are pushed into seeking paid work.
We’re bringing in more than 1.5 million people to a nation, already struggling to cope with housing, congestion and service delivery.
The public service will grow while Albanese is backing a new race-based bureaucracy that, win or lose, will only divide Australia more.
On the plus side, the PM has exceeded my expectations on the international stage.
In that respect he truly has grown into the role.
He also seems to be wise enough to let his ministers step up in their portfolio areas rather than wanting himself to be front and centre all the time.
That’s another plus in my book. Too many leaders love the attention and seek to hog the limelight while hamstringing their ministers.
To his credit, the ego and hubris seen in some of his predecessors isn’t evident - yet.
So after a year, I can openly say that while the government is tugging in a different direction than I think they should, even a partisan like me doesn’t dislike the man in the top job.
The real test will be what the people think when the impact of the shift in policy really becomes evident.
One year in, few will accept blaming your predecessors for problems going forward.
Sometimes the ignorance of our politicians is just plain embarrassing. They rarely seem open to any ideas that contradict their current train of policy thought.
To me, that’s the hallmark of a fool and we sure seem to have a lot of them in politics now.
Energy Minister Chris Bowen is no political orphan when it comes to looking foolish, but he moved closer to the top of the class when he sought to dismiss nuclear energy as a possible answer to Australia’s energy crisis.
It’s not a real crisis of course. Our energy woes could be solved overnight if we just used the abundant coal and gas for power in this country rather than just shipping it overseas.
But the energy debate isn’t really about energy. It’s about the idolatry of climate change as a means of enslaving the masses to worship at the altar of the earth.
The high priests of this religious movement are the anti-human Green Marxists, ably abetted by the other authoritarian clowns of the left…and a few fools on the right.
Like all enthusiastic converts, Bowen has caught the bug bad, and it’s clearly clouded his ability to think outside of the wind and solar worship.
Here he is dissing nuclear power for Australia.
The video goes on to rubbish nuclear power as an unviable and posing a potential waste problem. After watching the video, I am confident there aren't many cherries left for Bowen to pick in support of his case.
First off, let’s dismiss his cost concerns, If the plants don’t stack up economically they won’t be built.
You can’t say that about renewables - I can’t think of a single renewable project in this country that hasn’t received some massive handout, rebate, loan or grant from ideologically driven governments.
Bowen’s money worries make a mockery of his term as Treasurer and the cost of moving toward his net zero goals. That’s estimated by the Bank of America to be more than 150 trillion dollars globally; if it can be done at all.
And of course, Bowen ignores how nuclear power is being used in so many places around the world.
One new nuclear power plant switched on in Finland in April has driven electricity prices down there by more than 75%. Nuclear now accounts for 30% of their total electricity industry.
But then again, maybe Bowen has a point.
Why would the renewables crew, or any other electricity provider actually want cheaper power for consumers?
They are all making a fortune thanks to the ridiculous power policies we have in place.
Unfortunately, we are the mugs paying for it and it’s not like we’ve got an alternative source to draw upon in our daily lives.
We’re captive to electricity and electricity providers are in the business of making as much profit as they can.
