Australian politics - Perpetual Thread.

[rainynight65]

Nuclear is mainly being pushed by one side of politics, and it is entirely for political reasons. They know that it's the most expensive form of electricity we could possibly adopt, they know it will cost more and take longer to build and roll out than they 'confidently project', they know it's not viable.

But they also know that Australia sits on large Uranium reserves (so adopting nuclear would benefit the mining industry), they know solar and wind energy harm the mining industry (because they can't sell as much coal, oil and gas), and they know that pushing solar nuclear pisses off 'the greenies'. That's the long and short of it.

Edited a mistyped word

 

[Faceless Man]

Nuclear is mainly being pushed by one side of politics, and it is entirely for political reasons. They know that it's the most expensive form of electricity we could possibly adopt, they know it will cost more and take longer to build and roll out than they 'confidently project', they know it's not viable.

But they also know that Australia sits on large Uranium reserves (so adopting nuclear would benefit the mining industry), they know solar and wind energy harm the mining industry (because they can't sell as much coal, oil and gas), and they know that pushing solar pisses off 'the greenies'. That's the long and short of it.

You forgot that the lead time on developing Nuclear means we stay committed to coal and gas for the foreseeable future. I mean, we could attempt to bridge the gap with solar, wind, and tidal, but by the time Nuclear comes online, it will be unnecessary. So they have to make sure we stick with fossil fuels until Nuclear is ready, so more mining profits.

 

[Camacan]

Man the idea of Australia not using solar+battery power and instead using nuclear is crazy to me. The costs keep coming down and you guys have like one of the sunniest conditions in the world.

The problem with solar panels is that if they melt down they can contaminate huge areas, terrorists might try to steal them and you have to pay to manage the products of solar power generation for hundreds of years.

 

[ScruffyNerf]

Eh, there are PV recycling places springing up in Adelaide at least - Adelaide is known as being a city with both an early adoption and a high level of consumer level rooftop solar installations, which are all ageing. Consumer batteries though are another issue, and if I recall correctly, are much more problematic - both in terms of EVs and residential solar battery installations.

 

[Gary Patterson]

Man the idea of Australia not using solar+battery power and instead using nuclear is crazy to me. The costs keep coming down and you guys have like one of the sunniest conditions in the world.

Historically the wealth of Australia was built entirely from resource extraction. If we can dig it up, farm it or shear it, we can sell it. We don’t build industries around manufacturing and exporting finished goods (although there are some that survived political neglect and antagonism).

We’re the lucky country, after all. Lucky in our unearned resources. Lucky in our success despite our often second rate leadership.

This endless flow of resources has led to vast wealth for a tiny few, and adequate wealth for many more. Right wing pollies see this as normal and natural, and have squashed innovation in this country (we once were in the space race, for example, but pulled out of no good reason as part of our great cultural cringe). We don’t need brains, just strong arms to pull out those resources.

They look at the new model of energy generation and see that there’s no need to constantly feed resources into it. That directly harms their rich friends with resource extraction businesses, so they do everything they can to destroy solar and wind.

If you can’t dig it up, farm it or shear it, they don’t want to have it in this country.

 

[Camacan]

Historically the wealth of Australia was built entirely from resource extraction. If we can dig it up, farm it or shear it, we can sell it. We don’t build industries around manufacturing and exporting finished goods (although there are some that survived political neglect and antagonism).

We’re the lucky country, after all. Lucky in our unearned resources. Lucky in our success despite our often second rate leadership.

Yes it's very unfortunate that the meaning of "the lucky country" was basically flipped in popular parlance. The man needed himself some scare quotes.

Very second rate leadership, as a subculture: narrow minded, complacent, privileged, ossified ruling class which isn't up to dealing with the big changes in the world. It blows my mind that given what the US is doing to Canada and Europe our politics continues to be so inward looking. (As just one example.)

Did you catch the recent Four Corners about where the Libs are at? There was a lot to see in just what kinds of people are meant to be leadership material and what their concerns are, at least in terms of the Liberals.

(@ScruffyNerf I was joking, sorry.)

 

[Matisaro]

The problem with solar panels is that if they melt down they can contaminate huge areas, terrorists might try to steal them and you have to pay to manage the products of solar power generation for hundreds of years.

They are sharp and can be flung like ninja stars as well.

 

[Faceless Man]

They are sharp and can be flung like ninja stars as well.

And you can stub your toe on them if you're not looking where you're going.

 

[zenparadox]

And you can stub your toe on them if you're not looking where you're going.

I'm told they fade the curtains too....

 

[ScruffyNerf]

Alright, I'll consider myself 'wooshed'

 

[SpocksBeer]

Alright, I'll consider myself 'wooshed'

Long standing joke about certain parts of the country being concerned daylight saving time will affect their sun drenched fabrics (and cows) disproportionately.

Didn't mean anything much by the turn of phrase "tax burden", except as a short hand way of referring to anything a perfectly spherical corporate entity's view that anything not profit (up to and including actual employees ) is a burden.

Nuclear is an even stupider proposition when you consider that by the time we could even get there (decades), the only way it could work in the grid of that time would be by paying renewables to not generate at peak times.

I'm not anti nuclear, but I'm very much pro reality. It just doesn't make practical sense in the grid Australia is building today, let alone what will exist in a decade or two.

 

[Faceless Man]

Long standing joke about certain parts of the country being concerned daylight saving time will affect their sun drenched fabrics (and cows) disproportionately.

Didn't mean anything much by the turn of phrase "tax burden", except as a short hand way of referring to anything a perfectly spherical corporate entity's view that anything not profit (up to and including actual employees ) is a burden.

Nuclear is an even stupider proposition when you consider that by the time we could even get there (decades), the only way it could work in the grid of that time would be by paying renewables to not generate at peak times.

I'm not anti nuclear, but I'm very much pro reality. It just doesn't make practical sense in the grid Australia is building today, let alone what will exist in a decade or two.

I am anti-nuclear, for a number of reasons. But even so, the time for nuclear, if we were ever going to go there, was decades ago, and now it's really too late for it to make sense, unless you're planning to develop a nuclear strike capability. Which I really hope we aren't.

Also, remember when the catchphrase of nuclear power was "too cheap to meter"? Solar keeps forcing energy prices negative during peak generation times, and yet nuclear power plants overseas are still charging their customers.

 

[zenparadox]

And now, for a little light hearted fun...

Spoiler: Shits and giggles take on the Lib spill

View: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DUhdXjdiKPX/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==

Very clever. We resume normal political commentary..

 

[bjn]

Eh, there are PV recycling places springing up in Adelaide at least - Adelaide is known as being a city with both an early adoption and a high level of consumer level rooftop solar installations, which are all ageing. Consumer batteries though are another issue, and if I recall correctly, are much more problematic - both in terms of EVs and residential solar battery installations.

Redwood materials in the USA is happily recycles batteries. The main problem with recycling batteries is that there aren’t enough of them to sustain large industries because they are lasting longer than people expected.

 

[bjn]

But they also know that Australia sits on large Uranium reserves (so adopting nuclear would benefit the mining industry), they know solar and wind energy harm the mining industry (because they can't sell as much coal, oil and gas), and they know that pushing solar nuclear pisses off 'the greenies'. That's the long and short of it.

Edited a mistyped word

Australia is also the largest miner of lithium in the world, more tonnes dug up than uranium. That always seems to be ignored when the mining argument comes up. Also not short of phosphorus or iron needed for LFP batteries.

 

[zenparadox]

Alright, I'll consider myself 'wooshed'

Just to fully explain the joke; when Daylight savings time was proposed for some states Qld with, there were some who genuinely seemed to think there was an extra hour in the day, and would complain that DST would 'fade the curtains'.
It became a joke about deliberate misinformation over time, as some who opposed it in the city seemed to actively stoke the fires of poor folk who believed this for want of a better understanding.

A bit like nuclear; anyone pushing it clearly has NFI what they're talking about...and many pushing it know that it's total BS but do so for their own political goals.

 

[ScruffyNerf]

One Nation now polling higher than either Labor or Liberal in the Victoria State election polling.

https://www.roymorgan.com/findings/10133-victorian-state-voting-intention-february-2026

Victorian State Voting Intention: One Nation (26.5%) now ahead of ALP (25.5%) and L-NP Coalition (21.5%) on primary vote nine months before Victorian State Election​

With those numbers though, what would be theoretically looking at? Some new coalition in order to form government, as none of the sides have enough for an outright victory? Or would it wholly then depend on preference deals and a resulting hung parliament?

 

[wco81]

So called hate imagery seized from a Canberra bar. Images were of figures like Trump, Musk and Netanyahu dressed like Nazis.

Supposedly the first enforcement of laws passed in the wake of the Bondi mass shooting.

https://www.theguardian.com/austral...ahu-in-nazi-uniforms-from-canberra-bar-ntwnfb

 

[Faceless Man]

So called hate imagery seized from a Canberra bar. Images were of figures like Trump, Musk and Netanyahu dressed like Nazis.

Supposedly the first enforcement of laws passed in the wake of the Bondi mass shooting.

https://www.theguardian.com/austral...ahu-in-nazi-uniforms-from-canberra-bar-ntwnfb

I'm not such a big fan of the owner's Assange T-shirt. (Sure, Assange shouldn't serve time for the espionage charges brought against him, but he still should have had to answer the sexual assault charges in court.) I walk past that bar almost every day, but I don't usually look in the window.

I'd be interested to know who called it in. Canberra is typically pretty progressive, although we do have plenty of cookers and RWNJs as well.

 

[SnoopCatt]

I'll be interested to see what the ACT Police Minister says about the action. The kindest interpretation is that because the law was only recently passed, the police didn't know about the exception for artistic purposes.

 

[NavyGothic]

With those numbers though, what would be theoretically looking at? Some new coalition in order to form government, as none of the sides have enough for an outright victory? Or would it wholly then depend on preference deals and a resulting hung parliament?

Extremely hard to predict. Statewide (or national) polling is great for tracking trends over time; but with the huge increase in three-party contested seats plus a strong urban-rural divide, any specific outcomes become speculative.

I still think the most likely outcome is that the rise of One Nation ultimately benefits Labor (as per the 1998 QLD election; Labor will lose some regional seats, but threaten the Liberal's remaining Melbourne seats), but I have to admit that 26%+ primary vote does bring that into question. Can One Nation start seriously contesting Melbourne's suburbs?

 

[Gary Patterson]

Oh god, it'll be just like Reform in the UK. They won a heap of council seats, took control of a bunch of councils and have absolutely no idea what they're doing. They don't go to important meetings, voted for more pay and are putting council taxes up because they're a bunch of reactionary morons who talk a lot about reducing taxes but never thought up a plan to actually do it.

 

[Cognac]

It's pretty bizarre. My uncles, who had to endure the extreme anti-gay hate of the 80s in various places around Australia, and one of whom is the son of Italian immigrants, live in inner suburban Melbourne and have voted The Coalition their entire lives as far as I know. They are now seriously discussing One Nation as a prospect.

It just doesn't make sense.

 

[Faceless Man]

Oh god, it'll be just like Reform in the UK. They won a heap of council seats, took control of a bunch of councils and have absolutely no idea what they're doing. They don't go to important meetings, voted for more pay and are putting council taxes up because they're a bunch of reactionary morons who talk a lot about reducing taxes but never thought up a plan to actually do it.

That's a very likely scenario. The council election were all contested by newbies to politics, which is why none of them have any clue. The people in Reform who know anything about the process, and have actual plans are all contesting the General Election, and won't worry themselves with local politics.

Same sort of thing is likely here. You'll have your Barnabys and Paulines at the Federal level, but you'll just have some gullible oik in any local, or even State elections. And they don't really have any policy beyond getting elected.

 

[Faceless Man]

It's pretty bizarre. My uncles, who had to endure the extreme anti-gay hate of the 80s in various places around Australia, and one of whom is the son of Italian immigrants, live in inner suburban Melbourne and have voted The Coalition their entire lives as far as I know. They are now seriously discussing One Nation as a prospect.

It just doesn't make sense.

No hatred like self-hatred.

Actually, it's probably a bit more complex than that. The appeal of being in the "In Group" is strong. Recent immigrants, especially from Europe, who had to endure racism and bigotry in the 50s and 60s have won the right to be considered "Australian" by the conservative establishment, and now they want to preserve the "way of life" that they were once accused of undermining.

It's like how if you've been bullied for years, it can feel really good to get to join in on bullying someone else. Even if it's just because it isn't you. Or you might justify it because "I had to go through it, so these new people need to go through it before they get accepted."

 

[Velk]

Just to fully explain the joke; when Daylight savings time was proposed for some states Qld with, there were some who genuinely seemed to think there was an extra hour in the day, and would complain that DST would 'fade the curtains'.
It became a joke about deliberate misinformation over time, as some who opposed it in the city seemed to actively stoke the fires of poor folk who believed this for want of a better understanding.

I think the lady being interviewed is somewhat unfairly maligned. Curtain fade due to sunlight is dependent on them being closed, with people generally opening them when getting up in the morning. So while it's a ludicrously trivial issue to complain about, it isn't actually completely insane.

 

[Faceless Man]

I think the lady being interviewed is somewhat unfairly maligned. Curtain fade due to sunlight is dependent on them being closed, with people generally opening them when getting up in the morning. So while it's a ludicrously trivial issue to complain about, it isn't actually completely insane.

Except that, if you're on daylight saving time, you're getting up an hour earlier than you would be without it. So the curtains would be exposed to an hour less daylight in the morning. So, really, using that model, not being on daylight saving should fade the curtains.

 

[Velk]

Except that, if you're on daylight saving time, you're getting up an hour earlier than you would be without it. So the curtains would be exposed to an hour less daylight in the morning. So, really, using that model, not being on daylight saving should fade the curtains.

Sure, if your response was what she got that would be completely reasonable, rather than being mercilessly mocked for being so stupid she thought it would increase the amount of time the sun shines. Mockery which goes on decades after the incident in question.

 

[bjn]

No hatred like self-hatred.

Actually, it's probably a bit more complex than that. The appeal of being in the "In Group" is strong. Recent immigrants, especially from Europe, who had to endure racism and bigotry in the 50s and 60s have won the right to be considered "Australian" by the conservative establishment, and now they want to preserve the "way of life" that they were once accused of undermining.

It's like how if you've been bullied for years, it can feel really good to get to join in on bullying someone else. Even if it's just because it isn't you. Or you might justify it because "I had to go through it, so these new people need to go through it before they get accepted."

My mother, who spoke with a very thick Italian accent and was victimised for being an immigrant used to go on about the “Bloody Lebanese” later on in her life.

 

[SnoopCatt]

No hatred like self-hatred.

Actually, it's probably a bit more complex than that. The appeal of being in the "In Group" is strong. Recent immigrants, especially from Europe, who had to endure racism and bigotry in the 50s and 60s have won the right to be considered "Australian" by the conservative establishment, and now they want to preserve the "way of life" that they were once accused of undermining.

I don't think it's self-hatred. I agree with insight about "in group" behaviour. One possible explanation is that migrants who have made an effort to integrate are possibly hyper-sensitive to non-conforming behaviour, and are thus more critical of very recent immigrants.

 

[zenparadox]

Can we import this guy? Just goes to show that more often than not, going against 'the consensus of economists' is generally good for everyone but the people who pay the economists.

 

[NavyGothic]

Sorry, are you claiming that the 'consensus of economists' is against immigration?

 

[rainynight65]

Someone hasn't read the room...

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-02...igned-for-gold-coast-says-developer/106376738

 

[SnowGhost]

It could potentially fall afoul of anti corruption laws.
It would be clearly trying to curry favour with a corrupt POTUS.

 

[rainynight65]

That's if said POTUS is even still alive by the time this thing completes construction...

 

[zenparadox]

Sorry, are you claiming that the 'consensus of economists' is against immigration?

No, but thank you for finding the exception/outlier to his overall approach versus the 'consensus of economists' of the type you've referenced prior. The kind that would froth at the mouth at the vast majority of his chosen actions in Spain.

Also once again it depends again on your selection of economists. I mean Trump/the far right could put forward a 'consensus' of selected economists whose consensus would be that yes immigration is bad. They would know that they're lying but do it anyway.
Like any profession, you can find economists that will tell you basically what you want to hear.
What's that saying about liars and statisticians? Economists are very loose statisticians on a good day.

In reality you can only find real consensus amongst economists from a particular political leaning or school of thought, whatever that may be.

 

[zenparadox]

Someone hasn't read the room...

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-02...igned-for-gold-coast-says-developer/106376738

Tate is exactly the kind of stooge that would pander to Trump and see him as a winner.
He never met a developer with a lunch date complete with a brown paper doggy bag he didn't like.
Tate will do anything within his power to kiss the ring, and fast-track the project laws be damned.

I'm shocked I tell you....wait, nevermind.

 

[Faceless Man]

Someone hasn't read the room...

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-02...igned-for-gold-coast-says-developer/106376738

Hope they aren't expecting to get paid...

 

[SnoopCatt]

That's if said POTUS is even still alive by the time this thing completes construction...

The Guardian report has the developer dealing with Eric Trump, not Donald. The Trump Organisation is a family business.

 

[Gary Patterson]

The Trump Organisation is a family business

... the value of which will drop to zero three seconds after Donald Trump drops dead. Currying favour with his idiot children will mean absolutely nothing to the next US administration of whatever stripe.