{"id":3737,"date":"2014-06-16T12:10:18","date_gmt":"2014-06-16T01:40:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/?p=3737"},"modified":"2017-10-25T10:03:20","modified_gmt":"2017-10-24T23:33:20","slug":"ipas-influence-undermining-renewable-energy-policy-australia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/ipas-influence-undermining-renewable-energy-policy-australia\/","title":{"rendered":"How the IPA poisons renewable energy policy in Australia"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"The<\/a>

The hardcore right-wing IPA hates renewables. We love renewables (and beer).<\/p><\/div>\n

Ever wondered why our government is so quick to destroy clean energy initiatives? Why the great work\u00a0of agencies such as ARENA is ignored? How the green sector rarely gets a look in when it comes to energy policy? One clue as to the source of this ‘slash-and-burn’ mentality may lie in the influence of a powerful think tank called the Institute of Public Affairs (IPA). This week we’ll peel back the extent of that link and examine the power of the IPA in renewable energy policy.<\/p>\n

In a May 31 article<\/a>, The Saturday Paper’s Mike Seccombe showed\u00a0that last month\u2019s draconian Budget was not a bitter pill for all sectors of the Australian economy. Some did very well thank you very much. These included the big food, pharmaceutical and fossil fuel energy sectors, to name but a few. One of the big losers was the renewable energy industry.<\/p>\n

However in analysing the budget in more depth, Seccombe suggests that one organisation had its shopping list not only satisfied but (cynics may say) helped drive the policy behind the document. This is the Institute of Public Affairs (IPA)<\/a>. As well as getting their way on issues such as Medibank, the NBN and the mining tax, the IPA has had another big win on behalf of its members: Having its anti renewable energy measures taken up by the government.<\/p>\n

The IPA bill themselves as the world\u2019s oldest right wing think tank and date back to the founding of the Liberal party. Their reason for existence has always been to lobby and represent the interests of their members: usually big business, media moguls, banks and oil and mining companies. They occupy the extreme economic rationalist wing of Australian political opinion with support for unfettered deregulation, free trade deals, increased centralisation of media ownership and the slashing of funding for public institutions such as the ABC.<\/p>\n

They also list energy policy as one of their key areas of interest.<\/p>\n

But why does the IPA oppose renewable energy? One look at their website shows the IPA to be bitterly opposed to any forms of support for the sector. Their publications and opinion pieces in newspapers follow the familiar anti-renewables message (download their submission to the Renewable Energy Target Review Panel here<\/a> for a look). This isn’t surprising given their main funding source. While\u00a0extremely secretive about the origin of their funds, the think tank has previously admitted\u00a0receiving funds from companies such as Caltex and Esso, according to Seccombe. Throw in support from Rupert Murdoch and Gina Rinehart and you have the main players behind the anti green energy stance.<\/p>\n

Any key government initiatives such as the establishment of the highly successful Australian Renewable Energy Agency<\/a> (ARENA) is viewed as a threat to IPA members. By attracting funding from overseas and the private sector, ARENA is proving itself a success story in investment and research and development in projects such as the CSIRO Newcastle solar thermal breakthrough<\/a>. ARENA\u2019s positive work therefore runs counter to the interests of the fossil fuel-supporting IPA and must be undermined at all costs.<\/p>\n

More evidence of the IPA\u2019s power emerged with this week\u2019s revelations that a senior minister was forced to backtrack over the Coalition\u2019s solar energy policy. The sorry tale of intrigue and embarrassment may reveal the full extent of the think tank\u2019s influence.<\/p>\n

According to the Sydney Morning Herald<\/a>, Environment Minister Greg Hunt was forced into a humiliating backdown after announcing the government\u2019s full commitment to the \u201cone million solar roofs\u201d program without the permission of the PM\u2019s office.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s what The Hapless Hunt told the Clean Energy Council in a November 29 presentation.<\/p>\n

”The government will provide $500 million for the 1 Million Solar Roofs program,\u201d
\nAnd a further $50 million each,”… to ”the Solar Towns and Solar Schools programs”.<\/p>\n

”Each of these three new programs is being prepared for implementation and will commence in the 2014-15 financial year,” he promised.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Senior colleagues, understanding the PM\u2019s (and I suggest the IPA\u2019s) vehement opposition to government support for renewable energy programs, forced the embattled minister to backdown on his promise. He was forced to beat a bitter and cold retreat, an exit from relevance from which he has never really recovered.<\/p>\n

The fact that the IPA\u2019s line influence the PM and his senior colleagues over a senior Cabinet minister may well give you an understanding of how pervasive \u2014 and dangerous \u2014 the influence of the IPA is in regard to our present government.<\/p>\n

Agree? Or do you think the influence of the IPA in renewable energy policy is perfectly benign and legitimate? Please have your say.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Ever wondered why our government is so quick to destroy clean energy initiatives? Why the great work\u00a0of agencies such as ARENA is ignored? How the green sector rarely gets a look in when it comes to energy policy? One clue as to the source of this ‘slash-and-burn’ mentality may lie in the influence of a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":19,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[54],"tags":[36,397],"class_list":["post-3737","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-solar-policy","tag-australia","tag-politics","entry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nWhy the IPA's influence is poisoning renewable energy policy.<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"This week we'll look at how the dastardly IPA's sorely outdated views on renewable energy technology influences government policy.\" 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A new report from the Climate Council states all Australian states and territories (except WA) now have strong renewable energy targets and\/or net zero emissions targets in place. 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In an interview with AM's Tom Iggulden, Craig Kelly said power prices pushed up by subsidies for renewable\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General Solar & Storage News"","block_context":{"text":"General Solar & Storage News","link":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/category\/solar-battery-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Craig Kelly - Renewable Energy","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/craig-kelly-renewable-energy.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/craig-kelly-renewable-energy.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/craig-kelly-renewable-energy.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/craig-kelly-renewable-energy.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3498,"url":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/will-states-call-shots-solar-power-policy\/","url_meta":{"origin":3737,"position":2},"title":"Will the states call the shots in solar power policy?","author":"Staff Writer","date":"March 31, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"The sweep of Coalition victories throughout the land has been abated with the narrow victory of the incumbent Weatherill government in South Australia but what does this mean for solar power policy? As the always perceptive Giles Parkinson points out in his regular column for RenewEconomy, there is now some\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Solar Policy"","block_context":{"text":"Solar Policy","link":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/category\/solar-policy\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"the states of Australia","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/solar-states.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/solar-states.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/solar-states.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":5074,"url":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/have-we-turned-the-corner-on-clean-energy-policy\/","url_meta":{"origin":3737,"position":3},"title":"Have we turned the corner on clean energy policy?","author":"Staff Writer","date":"October 9, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Trying to determine the present government\u2019s stance on renewables is confusing to say the least. Has the Turnbull\/Bishop palace coup brought on a complete rethink of clean energy policy? Have we seen the end of the relentless \u201cwar on renewables\u201d of the Abbott era? Or is it more of the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Solar Policy"","block_context":{"text":"Solar Policy","link":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/category\/solar-policy\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"windmill on a corner","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/turn-corner-wind.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/turn-corner-wind.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/turn-corner-wind.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":19388,"url":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/sa-election-renewable-energy-mb0473\/","url_meta":{"origin":3737,"position":4},"title":"SA Labor Commits To 75% Renewables By 2025","author":"Michael Bloch","date":"February 21, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"South Australian Premier Jay Weatherill says if Labor is re-elected, it will boost the state's Renewable Energy Target to 75 per cent by 2025. South Australia's current target is 50% by 2025, but the state is way ahead on achieving that goal - already starting to bump up against that\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General Solar & Storage News"","block_context":{"text":"General Solar & Storage News","link":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/category\/solar-battery-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"South Australia renewable energy target","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/sa-labor-renewables.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/sa-labor-renewables.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/sa-labor-renewables.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/sa-labor-renewables.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3856,"url":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/public-support-australia-renewable-energy-superpower\/","url_meta":{"origin":3737,"position":5},"title":"Public support for Australia as a renewable energy superpower","author":"Staff Writer","date":"August 4, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"It's been mentioned more than a few times that Australia could be the next renewable energy superpower. With our wide open spaces, almost unlimited sun and centres of research excellence we could show the world the way in solar power and other forms of renewable energy. 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