The
Third-Rail
And how it affects the average household
Australian Politics have many issues that
when dealt with, result in the death of the party and most likely the
minister’s reputation. A prime example is the energy policy otherwise known as
the third rail. Infamous energy policies like the National Energy Guarantee
have been debated by both members of parliament and the public, resulting in
unstable and erratic energy prices. However, energy crises are not limited to
the domestic political climate. On an international level, countries such as
Canada and America have also struggled to uphold previous agreements and
targets that kept them in public favour. Similarly, in Australia, disagreements
regarding energy policy often stem from the so-called ‘donations’ made by the
oil and coal industries to the federal government. This then dictates the
development of sustainable green energy, the funding of coal, oil and gas
industries that only have limited natural resources. Although not officially
recognised as bribery, this begs the question of how independent International
and Australian governments are from corruption. Sustainable energy and
affordable energy prices have been portrayed as mutually exclusive, however
many studies have found otherwise.
Previously in politics, there have been
reforms and band-aid solutions to a much bigger, more significant underlying
issue; that the world’s current trajectory is not sustainable both in the
environmental and economic sense. There are two instances in which the
government has attempted to find permanent solutions to the dilemma of Demand
versus Price and Sustainability. The first in the 1950s with the centralisation
of the NSW energy industry and the second occurring in the 70s in which - as a
result of the decline in hydroelectricity and the increase of coal-fueled
energy - caused a drastic change from the previous flatline prices (of energy
per household) at the beginning of the decade. The general prices spiked and
trends such as the constant increases in national energy prices begun (APH -
Thornton, July 2018).
Energy Crises are nothing new to Australia.
Post-WW2 Australia began the ongoing uphill battle against the demand for
energy and the available energy that was generated (see graph 1). Under the
Menzies government, Australia was able to reform the energy sector with the
strict centralisation of the industry. Coupled with Menzies as the longest
serving Prime Minister, the nation saw direct effects of the liberal’s targeted
areas like domestic economic growth and the general wealth of the country,
which elevated and supported the coal industry through relations that remain
even in current times.
Australia’s general population is
continually concerned for the future, especially in regards to energy & gas
costs. This weariness is reflected in the current events that surround Malcolm
Turnbull and the Coalition’s National Energy Guarantee; events such as the
Leadership spill and the overall disbelief in the success of the policy put
forward. There is a distrust of the current coalition and the instability that
is a direct result of the conservative-progressive liberal divide. The energy
policies, in turn, are then struggling. Without a current energy policy, Audrey
Zibelman states that “energy market agencies are forging ahead with measures to
help the grid work better” (Oct 7 2018 - Financial Review), with the NEG
abolished it is increasingly easier for the energy markets to create sustainable and economically viable energy within Australia. If the energy
market is required to run itself without parliamentary supervision, why is
the current coalition continuing to push a policy that is detrimental to the
industry and in turn Australian households?
On an international level, many countries
like America, particularly California, have faced similar issues surrounding
energy policy and as a result have created fast-acting, brutal long-term plans
as a solution. California is environmentally progressive as a direct result of
being a “deep blue state” and coupled with the ‘jungle primary’ electoral
system is doesn’t appear to be likely to change any time soon (The Daily Signal
- Jarrett Stepman, April 17 2018). Through the elimination of coal dependency
in California, they have been able to support and expand the sustainable energy
industry which in turn creates reliable jobs for the future. It is clear the positive effects of having a
one-party like system is for the state’s energy policies and further emphasises
the detrimental effects of constant leadership changes in Australia as a
Historically, there are two options when
trying to achieve a successful policy. Either the party needs to remain in
power for long enough to see through to the end of the polices necessity like
California’s state government, or there needs to be a bipartisan agreement on a
particular policy so that both parties can - both in the present and future -
uphold it and have it succeed. Therefore, when addressing Australia’s current
political issues, it can be beneficial to observe other governments on a global
scale and learn from their behaviours to further our own endeavours.
It is widely accepted in Australia that
cheap energy and sustainable energy are mutually exclusive. However, this
notion has been proven false again and again by countless studies and should be
disregarded as no longer relevant when putting forward an energy policy.
Australia is facing increased gas and oil prices and to combat this the
government has put millions of dollars into building better infrastructure for
a dying industry (Energy Market Challenges - Australian Government). No
transition goes smoothly, however ignoring the blatant problem that the nation
is currently faced with - increased demand, but limited sources - is not the
solution. There are two sides to this issue that are calling for action. APPEA
(a representative of the oil and gas industry) wants to “welcome the White
Paper’s (2012) advocacy for reducing red and green tape that continues to limit
the development of Australia’s immense gas resources”, which is all well and
good until we consider why the tape is there in the first place: to prevent
major companies ruining natural resources for the future in the name of profit.
On the other hand, sits the environmentally-focused members of the public and
science sector. Many are concerned for the future and APPEA’s want to remove
the red and green tape.
“So where does the
Australian government sit in all of this?”
The problem with a representative
government is in the very essence of the system; it represents the public. A
public which is divided to the point in which a decision cannot be made. A
decision needed to form the much-required energy policy. The reason energy
policies are such a hot-button topic is that for one to come into existence the
coalition must make a strict decision on how to run the industry and what parts
have precedence overall. Turnbull’s government decided to put forward rather
“progressive” (in terms of the liberal party) policies and as a result,
Turnbull was kicked out in the recent leadership spill. Although Turnbull was
trying to cater to public opinion he was at a disadvantage within his party,
due to the conflict of interest between the public and the government.
Therefore, the idea that creating an energy policy is the third-rail for a
political career has been proven, because of course if you touch it you die.
Thus, it is not the energy policy itself
that creates the conflict of party and public, but the indecisiveness of
parliament and inconsistent leadership that hinders the country. The third rail
exists to be a reflection of the weariness and distrust the public has of the
coalition and represents why Australia needs a collaborative government to
create an energy policy that will be upheld in the future by all parties.
Australia needs its government to recognise that sustainable energy and cheap
energy aren’t mutually exclusive and need to form an energy policy to
encompass that. Furthermore, the Australian government needs to fulfil their job
as parliament and provide the energy industry with the policy they need so that
Australia will have the services promised to them. Therefore, the third rail is
not the energy policy it is the government that made it.
- http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-01-04/solar-image-conversation-custom/9298446
Picture 1 (Cover Page): The Conversation: Marcella Cheng 4 Jan 2018 ABC
- http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-01-04/energy-policy-solar-electricity-bills-air-conditioning-costs/9298346
(Graph 2 - ABC, Blowers 4 Jan 2018)
- http://aph.org.au/decisive-new-south-wales-government-action-solved-the-electricity-crisis-but-that-was-in-1950/
((Graph 1) APH, Thornton July 18 2018)
- http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-08-19/labor-unveils-plan-to-cut-power-prices/10137298
Interview with Malcolm Turnbull on the Energy Policies.
- http://www.iea.org/publications/freepublications/publication/EnergyPoliciesofIEACountriesAustralia2018Review.pdf
International Energy Agency (Australia Review 2018)
- https://www.appea.com.au/industry-in-depth/policy/energy-policy/
- http://gobulk.com.au/a-brief-history-of-energy-in-australia/
- https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_Departments/Parliamentary_Library/pubs/BriefingBook45p/EnergyMarket
Energy Market Challenges - Australian Government
- https://www.energy.gov.au/government-priorities/better-energy-future-australia
- https://www.energy.gov.au/government-priorities/energy-markets
- https://www.energy.gov.au/sites/g/files/net3411/f/enr032-1017-powering-forward-brochure_faweb.pdf
National Energy Guarantee. (Turnbull Government)
- https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_Departments/Parliamentary_Library/pubs/BriefingBook45p/RenewableEnergy
Renewable Energy Targets (Turnbull Government- 2018)
- https://www.cleanenergycouncil.org.au/policy-advocacy/renewable-energy-target.html
- http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-02-13/industry-groups-demand-bipartisan-energy-policy/8263928
13 Feb 2017 Peta Donald ABC
- http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-08-19/turnbull-announces-more-changes-to-energy-policy/10137746
Video - Turnbull, Policy Changes 19/08/2018
- http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-07-04/pm-says-energy-policy-has-almost-universal-support/9940020
Video - Turnbull, “universal support”
- https://www.afr.com/news/special-reports/afr-focus-energy/australias-energy-policy-is-shipwrecked-on-the-same-reef-again-20181001-h163p5
Oct 7 2018 - Financial Review
- https://www.dailysignal.com/2018/04/17/the-changes-that-made-california-become-a-liberal-fiasco/
The Daily Signal - Jarrett Stepman, April 17 2018
- https://theconversation.com/california-aims-to-become-carbon-free-by-2045-is-that-feasible-102390
The Conversation - Professor Sarah Kurtz Sept. 12 2018
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