Greg Hunt’s taxpayer funded whiteboard yesterday.
Ever noticed how shrill Environment Minister Greg Hunt is getting these days readers? The man once considered the smiling face of the Abbott’s administration’s policy of dismantling of renewable energy appears to have lost all control in recent weeks.
I refer of course to Gregory’s extraordinary attack on John Grimes, the head of the Australian Solar Council this week on the ABC’s Mornings program in Brisbane. The minister sank the boot into the respected chief executive of the Council saying he should be “ashamed” of hinself and accused him of duplicity. Which sounds quite funny coming from a politician.
So what disturbed the minister so much to resort to this type of debating technique?
Mr Hunt was reacting to comments by Grimes against the back drop of the campaign run by the Council to Save Solar, a campaign to highlight the government’s push against renewables. The main target of the campaign is to raise awareness of the ideological nature of the Abbott government’s campaign against solar energy and the Renewable Energy Target (RET).
“After the election, promise after promise (has been) broken,” Grimes said. “One million solar roofs gone, the RET he wants abolished – he and Joe Hockey are working hard for that outcome. … (And) moderate voices like [Environment Minister] Greg Hunt have been sidelined in the Cabinet.
“This is just not what the people were voting for, and certainly not what they want,” he told 612 ABC.
Broken promises; an ideological campaign against the RET and renewables and sidelining of moderates, these are all fair assumptions given the evidence of the government’s renewable energy policy (or lack of one) since the last election. Grimes pointed out for example the cave in on the one million solar roofs program, the RET, the Budget and others.
Astonishingly though Hunt appeared upset and tried to take the high moral ground.
“We spoke a week ago and I was absolutely crystal clear that we remained committed to the renewable energy target,” Hunt said.
“He knows that, [yet] he [Grimes] said things which were extraordinary and completely at odds with what he said to me in private. It is a deep personal moral duty to myself to say the same thing in private as the same thing in public.
“Mr Grimes should be utterly ashamed of himself today – he is somebody who says one thing in private and another thing in public.”
“Committed to the RET?” “Deep personal moral duty?” You have to laugh. Here’s the link to the full interview for those interested.
Indeed according to Grimes, there’s a darker side to the Minister for the Environment. The ASC head told the ABC that Hunt had “warned me off” the marginals campaign, warning of “consequences”.
Hunt’s personal attack this week underlined the federal government’s dismantling of energy policy has taken a new turn downwards. The government’s personal attacks, sharp invective, baseless accusations and echoing of the fossil fuel industry’s line bodes ill for reasoned debate on clean energy in our country. The key to the strategy may be fear that the ASC’s campaign in marginal seats may be the key to Greg’s dummy spit though, as Mr Hunt would be well aware of the popularity of renewable energy in Australia.
No wonder the Minister is running scared; despite being instructed to run the dismantling of renewable energy policy of the government, he keeps coming up against the good old-fashioned will of the people.
Power to the people.
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I would have thought that he would have enough problems with seeing no great drama by allowing absolute shitloads of marine dredge spill to be dumped into the Great Barrier Reef marine park. He just doesn’t seem to have too much idea of what the environment is outside a financial ledger book or spreadsheet. Out of his depth and captured by ideology and outside interests.
Just like a Hunt!Obey orders,even if it is against logic & the will of the people! Also tipping that shit on our great barrier reef,WORLD LISTED,OH SO DIFFERENT from before the election.You,ll pay Hunt,soon if there,s a double dissolution!
He should be, worst government ever!
Hello Marg,I agree these are the WORST! They tell us barefaced lies & repeat them daily as if repetition will wash them clean! The Abbott turdworm makes no justification for the well-off womens parental inducement,I believe this is his contribution to a 2 tier social system,applied with Pyne,s university scam,you can see just where this is going do you agree?
Hi folks, thanks for your input. Greg Hunt is considered a moderate in the government, do you think the current administration’s renewable energy policy is against his core beliefs? Or has he long since learned to clock off his environmental credentials when he starts the day?
It seems to me that Greg Hunt is a person who wants to be thought of as important and so clings to the misguided belief that his colleagues actually give a rats arse what he thinks before deciding on policy for him. He’s like the person who the boss promised his mother to give him a job, so he gets to lick stamps all day.
Can’t help but think Hunt is in the same position Turnbull has been for years. A moderate in a far right government who has to toe the line or get sidelined. Over the last year he has made some comments that suggest he isn’t always happy about what he has to do.