Category: Australia

NHMRC Disqualified from Coalition’s Health Inquiry

**** The NRMRC has been wearing “ribbons of shame” since it rushed to print with its selective, biased and incomplete literature review back in 2010. The very, very Rapid Review was so quick off the mark that it completely missed the decade of work put together by Neil Kelley & Co during the 1980s in … Continue reading NHMRC Disqualified from Coalition’s Health Inquiry

Judith Sloan: Junking the RET is the right thing to do

Judith Sloan has already entered the STT Pantheon with an earlier piece on the insanity that is the RET (see our post here). Well, the lass with a head for numbers - and smarter than brain pie - is back at it with this sizzling piece from The Australian. Junking energy target is right The … Continue reading Judith Sloan: Junking the RET is the right thing to do

Kill the RET and Save the Poor

The REC Tax that comes with the RET is the most regressive tax of all.  The impact on the poorest and most vulnerable is punishing and has led to the new phrase of our time – “energy poverty”. Germany has disconnected some 800,000 homes from its grid simply because they can no longer afford their … Continue reading Kill the RET and Save the Poor

Miners gang up on the RET

Australia’s miners have carried its economy along on a wave of investment and export growth over the last 20 years – so when they talk – governments listen (see our post here). Here’s a cracking piece by Minerals Council Chief, Brendon Pearson that appeared in The Australian. No end in sight to soaring electricity prices … Continue reading Miners gang up on the RET

The RET helped to kill Alcoa’s Port Henry Aluminium Smelter & 980 jobs

**** Proving Ron Boswell’s statement that: “Australia can have a carbon price and renewable energy targets or viable manufacturing. We can’t have both” – aluminium refiner, Alcoa has just announced that it will pull the plug on its Port Henry smelter near Geelong – with the loss of 980 jobs. Here’s The Australian on another … Continue reading The RET helped to kill Alcoa’s Port Henry Aluminium Smelter & 980 jobs

Frank Campbell: Letter of the week

The wind industry and it parasites are working overtime at the minute in a vain attempt to win back the moral high ground - one target are local rural rags that are always keen to print anything that'll fill their pages. Well, no longer do these spinners get a free run, as friendly, farming folk … Continue reading Frank Campbell: Letter of the week

Health Impacts of Waterloo Wind Farm

**** In the recent review (not study) of the health impacts of wind farms, the NH&MRC renewed their call for a precautionary approach and emphasised the need for more research. This recommendation echoed their earlier Rapid review, as well as the Senate enquiry in 2011 - that more research was needed as there was a … Continue reading Health Impacts of Waterloo Wind Farm

Dennis Shanahan: time to scrap the “secret” carbon tax

**** The Australian’s Dennis Shanahan has come out swinging against the RET – calling it the “secret” carbon tax that simply has to go. Abbott finds energy to act on ‘secret’ carbon tax The Australian Dennis Shanahan, comment 18 February 2014 AFTER years of shadow boxing, Tony Abbott has finally decided to act on the … Continue reading Dennis Shanahan: time to scrap the “secret” carbon tax

Acciona Hits the Wall

Spanish wind conquistadors, Acciona set the benchmark in generating community outrage in Australia with the way it has ridden roughshod over the hard-working locals at Waubra in Victoria – where it runs a wind farm that the Victorian government and the Clean Energy Regulator know full well does not and can not comply with the … Continue reading Acciona Hits the Wall

Call to Scrap RET goes from Whisper to Roar: BCA joins the queue

Renewable energy target distorting market: BCA The Australian Annabel Hepworth 14 February 2014 THE nation’s peak business group has warned that the controversial renewable energy target — already blamed for distorting the $11 billion National Electricity Market — could become more expensive when the carbon tax is repealed. In a submission obtained by The Australian, … Continue reading Call to Scrap RET goes from Whisper to Roar: BCA joins the queue