Sorry Denis, another one bites the dust

Denis “I love nacelles” Napthine managed to hit the pages of STT before he even hit the ground as the new Premier of Victoria.

Barely a week in the job and he’d already upset the locals at Macarthur with his genuine contempt for his own constituents there.  STT gave Denis a couple of posts to celebrate his innate charm and outstanding ability to “win” the hearts and minds of people who would, ordinarily, be expected to put him as Number 1 on their ballots.

Notwithstanding the Napthine “charm offensive”, died in the wool Liberal Party member, Reg Brownell, has just burned his membership card and joins the growing ranks of Victorians who quite rightly see their new Premier as a failure, at best; or a traitor, at worst. With Denis in charge, the way things are heading at Victorian Liberal Party GHQ, it’ll be a case of “will the last man out, please turn out the lights.”

Reg doesn’t mince his words and gives Denis a double helping, in what could well be our “letter of the week”.  Well, Denis, here’s another vote you won’t be getting in a hurry.

The Premier
Parliament House
Victoria
18th May, 2013

Dear Premier,

As a Liberal party Member and active supporter and donor I am writing to advise you of the action I am taking following your thoughtless and ill informed approach in your recent launch of the Macarthur Wind “Farm”. Your failures included:

• Your treatment of the group of local residents who met with you in the hope of receiving a fair hearing about the impact of turbines on health, amenity and property values, but who were instead effectively dismissed.

• Your eulogising the beauty of wind turbines [You speak as the elected Premier. Your personal views are controversial and it would be appropriate to keep them to yourself].

• Your mindless enthusiasm for the jobs created and the environmental benefits: There is serious research from a number of sources which unequivocally demonstrates that for every job created by wind there are more than two jobs lost because of higher power costs. There are many independent studies which clearly demonstrate that the cost per tonne of CO2 saved by wind energy is exorbitantly high. Many people are rightly concerned at the impact on jobs flowing from the Carbon tax at the rate of $23 per tonne, however, the cost of saving CO2 emissions is in the order of ten times that figure! This situation is farcical.

• Your misrepresentation that Macarthur gives greater recognition and protection for residents because of new regulations introduced under the Baillieu government. In fact, as you well know, Macarthur and many other wind “farms” yet to be built were issued permits under the Brumby Government and are not subject to the current regulatory requirements.

• Your failure to seriously examine and deal with these matters in a professional and responsible manner is a wanton neglect of your responsibilities.

I am now retired but have extensive management experience as CEO with companies operating throughout Australia and overseas. I have a Masters degree in Economics and a strong background in statistics. I have a very sound appreciation of best practice. I am therefore appalled at the gung ho approach to decision making by your Government and its predecessors.

The absence of any serious and rigorous cost benefit analysis before making decisions involving the expenditure of public money [or, in the case of wind and solar energy, huge additional costs borne directly by business and consumers] is nothing short of reckless. Who do you think you are elected to represent? Not even remotely good enough.

Your actions and the accumulated failures of governance over the past twelve years leave me with no option than to take action where I can. I will be reviewing my membership and long standing and regular financial and other support for the Liberal Party. Unless there is some meaningful action by the Victorian Government by the 30th June I will immediately proceed to cancel my membership. That is a firm commitment and is in my diary. Two members of my family are also members of the Liberal Party as are three of my close friends. I am advising them of my concerns and have little doubt that they will similarly consider their positions.

The utter contempt of government for the interests of the community is disgusting and the obfuscation by the Liberal Party both Federal and State on this matter is beyond belief. I have written repeatedly to the Leaders and the relevant Ministers and shadow Ministers over the past twelve years. I have included data and analysis to clearly demonstrate and prove my concerns and have either had no reply or at best a formulaic “non response” Many others have similarly raised their concerns to no effect.

My second step will be to vote for the ALP and offer to support them with letter drops etc in my area as I have been doing for the Liberal Party over many years. I have always voted Liberal, however, I will take the actions I have outlined above if the Napthine Governmnent does not listen to the communities which are being affected and does not take action to seriously address their problems. The Government must simultaneously undertake a rigorous and independent cost benefit analysis including, in particular the unit cost per tonne of CO2 emissions saved by the use of wind energy.

It is long past time for action. This is not only in the best interests of the community, but is also in your best interests politically.

For the record this letter is available for circulation and I am copying it to my local members both State and Federal.

Yours sincerely,
Reg Brownell

Alleluia brother – testify Reg – STT hears you.  But will Denis?