Fester,

No, I didn’t “fail to mention” the $9 billion. It just wasn’t the smoking gun you seem to think it is.

That figure includes not just generation support, but grid upgrades, transition planning, storage, R&D, and future-ready infrastructure - the kind of investment you’d expect when modernising a national energy system. Framing it as some shady “solar con” is like calling roads a scam because we fund their maintenance.

And your AFR article? It doesn’t show wind and solar are failing, it shows they’re producing so much power during peak conditions that outdated market settings and infrastructure are struggling to keep up. That’s what progress looks like before the system catches up.

Contrast that with France’s nuclear rollout. It succeeded because the government planned for it, subsidised it heavily, and coordinated supply and demand. And yet, even it was paused due to oversupply and falling prices - a “problem” we’re now seeing with renewables. Funny how that gets reframed as success when it suits the narrative.

So let’s not pretend this is about deliberate oversight. I didn’t bring it up because it wasn’t the own-goal you thought it was.

The climate and health costs of pollution don’t show up on your power bill
John Daysh,
You et al from the alternative energy brigade never mention these either ! And, they're worse than from the present misnamed fossil fuel !

Thanks, Indyvidual.

Actually, climate and health costs are frequently mentioned by energy experts, economists, and health professionals - and they consistently show that fossil fuels cause far more harm.

Air pollution from coal, oil, and gas kills millions worldwide every year through respiratory and cardiovascular disease. That’s not fringe opinion - that’s from the WHO, Lancet, and peer-reviewed studies. The cost of these health impacts is staggering, but it doesn’t appear on your power bill, which is why it’s so easy for some to pretend it doesn’t exist.

Meanwhile, what are the health costs of solar and wind? Maybe a bruised ego when a turbine ruins your anti-renewables narrative? They don’t emit particulates, carcinogens, or CO2.

If you think renewables are worse for human health than burning fossil fuels, you're not just wrong - you're dangerously wrong.

Indyvidal,

Take a break from the ratbag with the self-esteem problem and read this from someone who does know what he is talking about.

https://quadrant.org.au/news-opinions/politics/you-get-what-you-vote-for/

ttbn,

Yes, when the facts get too inconvenient, just slap on the label “ratbag” and tell people to stop engaging. Classic move.

Apparently, calmly presenting sourced evidence and dismantling weak arguments qualifies as “troublemaking” now. If I were flinging memes or frothing at the mouth, I might blend in better - but I suppose being too coherent is the real crime here.

You’ve gone from arguing, to sneering, to telling others not to talk to me. It’s pure damage control. “Ignore him” isn’t a counterpoint, it’s a white flag with snark printed on it.

If you truly believe I’m wrong, you’d be quoting me and dismantling what I’ve said. But instead, you’ve decided I’m best handled like an awkward fact - quietly ignored and dismissed with a nickname.

Keep the insults coming if it helps. I’ll keep pointing out the spin. One of us is rattling cages, the other is rattled.

They don’t emit particulates, carcinogens, or CO2.
John Daysh,
Last time I checked they're made from Bauxite, Iron ore, Oil, Fibreglass, Glues, Chemicals, Copper, Plastic, Concrete etc all dug out & brought in by Diesel powered trucks & refined by coal powered electricity.
According to you they must be made from thin air !
No coal fired power station pollutes & destroys as much of our environment than your useless windmills & don't even start about the costs !