I have a confession to make: I feel I don't understand Australian energy issues enough to be able to write about them.
I didn't really get my brain around the Finkel proposal for a Clean Energy Target and how it was meant to work. The main sign that it probably wasn't a bad idea was the fact that Tony Abbott, Alan Moran, Judith Sloan - all ideologically motivated climate science deniers - didn't like it. But the problem is, the well intentioned environmentalists have come up with not great ideas before (emissions trading schemes instead of simpler and transparent carbon taxes), so energy policy just has this aspect that you can't always trust anyone to have the best idea.
Even today, with a vague sounding Turnbull energy plan, we have the mismatched pairing of Tony Abbott (poisonous shallow policy windvane) thinking it a win, as well as Peter Martin (moderate relatively reliable economics journalist). But Greg Jericho - who I think would agree with Martin's takes about 90% of the time, tweets with apparent approval a Renew Economy post that is scathing of the policy.
I need more time for more commentary before I feel I can have a strong opinion.
1 comment:
I am in favour as I outline today.
Isn't it amazing that people such as Abbott, Sloan and Moran who all say they believe in markets actually do not.
The ETS or carbon tax which I prefer merely internalises an obvious externality that Coal delivers in spades ( pun intended). Moreover if a new coal plant is such an obvious money pit why hasn't ANYONE put up a proposal; to build one?
Here is an ironic point. Years ago there was a great debate at Catallaxy on the merits between a Carbon tax and an ETS.
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