Saturday, November 2, 2024

Peter Dutton has placed a staggering bet on his ability to sell Australians nuclear power — it’s a huge gamble

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There’s a great story from Kelvin McKenzie’s stint as editor of Britain’s The Sun newspaper, notorious for its salacious headlines and outrageous beat-ups. A journo came panting back in from a job and gabbled out his story to McKenzie, concluding with the words “and the most amazing thing is, it’s actually true!”

McKenzie is said to have bellowed across the newsroom: “True story alert, folks! Repeat: We have a TRUE STORY!”

Political leaders make policy decisions based on all kinds of factors — too often, the driving force is a sickly alloy of cowardice and polling.

The one that Peter Dutton rolled out today, however, is different. And certainly the riskiest gambit from opposition in many moons. He genuinely believes nuclear is the answer to Australia’s energy problems and is confident that the details (yet to be established) will vindicate him.

In other words: “Genuine conviction alert, folks! We have a GENUINELY HELD BELIEF here!”

There is no chance Dutton and his climate and energy spokesman Ted O’Brien, another nuclear true believer, are basing this decision on polling, unless they’re reading it upside down.

A national energy survey conducted last month by the research company RedBridge, which asked 2,000 respondents how they felt about various energy sources, put public support for nuclear at 35 per cent. Coal was the only less popular option, at 28 per cent. Solar was at 80 per cent.

Dutton has been a highly effective opposition leader for two years now. Just surviving as Liberal leader for two years after a sickening election loss is a triumph, historically speaking. But Dutton has built support, and has a united party room. Or has had, until now. 

This success has been built on caution. He keeps a fairly low profile, and has built political capital among his colleagues by being consultative and concentrating his efforts on criticising the government’s errors rather than making his own.

Today, Peter Dutton has taken every single chip he’s amassed, and he’s put the whole lot on yellowcake.

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