The conservatives are the visually impaired leading the visually impaired. And seem entire unable to reason logically or follow a popular leader! And label the moderate middle as Marxist! Too many there for all the wrong self serving reasons? Others serving asinine illogical imperatives and are a new idea and a science free zone.

Coupled to a level of as plain as the nose on your face bitter twisted infighting! And driving voters away in droves as is the inability to think logically and rationally. Plus genuinely put the nation ahead of personal interest and rank opportunism?

What we nor the country needs, is tiny minds obsessing over how best to marginalize a minority, that may have as many as one million votes and are tired of the bombastic BS.

Time to clean the joint up and throw the malcontents out! Then allow sanity and Australia's needs to decide all policy. And a vastly better way to encourage and allow foreign investment that doesn't include selling the farm or the family heirloom silverware! And I know you know what I mean.

Privatisation of income earning public assets may have served a few individuals and guaranteed a few politicians an income after politics? But never ever served the true interests of the nation.

Every western style economy rest on just two support pillars energy and capital.

Neither of which are served by privatisation; that as we see from the current energy crisis, have only succeeded in making matters far worse.

Marxism wasn't responsible, just wrong headed idealogues unable or unwilling to let go of dogma and ideology, which have largely replaced reason and logic!

Blame the commies, the Jews, the Arabs or anybody else except the real nation destroying culprits, who're responsible! Mentally constipated troglodytes from both sides of the isle.
Alan B.

David

As experienced with Loy Yang power station, which tripped unexpectedly, coal powered stations when ageing are not so reliable. The irony is that South Australia's battery came to the rescue promptly.
South Australia has been attacked by the LNP for their push towards renewables. The attack reached quite a crescendo when a storm bowled over a number of towers causing a major glitch in power supplies.
The question is why was South Australia so heavily abused when storms have caused extended power black outs in other parts of Australia where coal powered stations operate?

But, there has been a concerted campaign to down play matters in relation to climate change, and promote energy security. The US has been hit hard by storms that have had extra energy added through climate change. It has been suggested that hurricane Maria has caused more damage than Sandy and Katrina combined. A few years ago I was reading about how isolated communities in Alaska need to move as the sea ice barriers in place in the past are no longer present, and permafrost is thawing allowing for major erosion of coast lines (eg Newtok, in news recently). The point being that due to the isolated townships being impacted, the costs would be too prohibitive to move those communities.

In Australia, the Great Barrier Reef is at risk of further coal bleaching as Ocean waters generally warm further. It had been extra warmth in marine waters that added to the power of Harvey, Irma, and Maria. Temperature of sea water has been measured off Maria Island, Tasmania, for several years.

Insurance companies are beginning to identify areas they will not provide insurance cover for; or, premiums are so high they are unaffordable. We had been warned years ago about escalating costs created by climate change; the accounts are beginning to flow in.

We need to get right away from fossil fuels as soon as possible.

Why has Sanjeev Gupta elected to use renewable energy for his acquisition of the Whyalla Steel Works?

Ant, you are misinformed. It wasn't the Loy Yang poer station which tripped. The connector from Victoria to S.A. disconnected because it was overloaded. I won't attempt to go into the complex reasons why the S.A. system went into melt down, suffice to say that it wasn't helped by the total mismanagent of the S.A. coal and/or gas fired generating system over the past few years.

David

Ant:

your question:

*...Why has Sanjeev Gupta elected to use renewable energy for his acquisition of the Whyalla Steel Works?...*

The Gupta brothers have had their bank accounts frozen in South Africa because of corrupt dealings in their business enterprises.

It astounds me, these grubby lot were welcomed in Australia to do any business here.

What that shows me is, Australia is fast becoming so corrupted and desperate for ANY enterprise regardless of reputation!

Is this what Abbott really meant with his statement as Prime Minister, Australia is open for business. And that was said with a "smirk" , which I took to mean, wink, wink, nudge,nudge.

Kerry Stokes was kicked out of China for corrupt dealings. China for Christ sake.
As was Kerry Packer and his shady gambling industries.

This country is hitting the skids with corruption. Wherever these known criminal operators are involved will be shady.
So to your question: if Guptas' are involved with renewable energy industries, fair bet that the renewable industry is shonky. Stands to reason!

David

Privatisation of the energy market has not been beneficial for the user. The last reference particularly highlights that.

http://leadingedgeenergy.com.au/coal-fired-generators-trip/

http://reneweconomy.com.au/another-coal-unit-falls-over-leaving-victoria-power-supply-at-risk-10440/

http://reneweconomy.com.au/tesla-big-battery-outsmarts-lumbering-coal-units-after-loy-yang-trips-70003/

Privatisation problems:

http://www.abc.net.au/radio/programs/am/paradise-papers:-loy-yang-owners-exposed/9132748