If yesterday’s Newspoll is any indication, the stage is set for a Coalition annihilation at the next federal election.

With Scott Morrison becoming the first PM in nearly 30 years to not receive a post-spill bounce in polling numbers after a leadership change, it looks as though the Labor Party will pick up power with ease.

So Michael McLaren thought it was an appropriate time to put the spotlight on Labor’s policy. He took Labor Senator Murray Watt to task on the party’s energy agenda, questioning how their 45-50% emission targets will be achieved without compromising reliability and escalating prices.

“Renewables have now become a much, much more reliable and cheaper form of electricity,” says Senator Watt.

“With the advances you’re seeing they have actually now got to a point where they are cheaper and more reliable than traditional coal-fired power stations.”

It was an argument that Michael was quick to shut down.

“You can’t seriously make the claim that wind generation is more reliable then coal-fired power?”

“Australia, we’ve got 7% of the world’s black coal, 24% of the world’s brown coal, 427 trillion cubic feet of gas and 34% of the world’s uranium resources. Yet we have some of the highest power prices in the world and a pretty unreliable grid?”

“ Leaving party politics aside, is that not the clearest example we have of the schmozzle that is leadership in this nation? With those resources, couple with these prices, we have been let down as voters.”

Though Watt went on to emphasise the “importance” of Australia sticking with its Paris targets, Michael was quick to point out the hypocrisy of this view.

“ In 2017-18, in your own state of QLD, the state Labor Government racked in $3.16 billion in coal royalties alone. It would be a little hypocritical wouldn’t it? Reducing our coal usage but allowing the export of Australian coal to some pretty big emitting economies around the world and cashing the cheque in the process?

If yesterday&rsquo;s Newspoll is any indication, the stage is set for a Coalition annihilation at the next federal election.
With Scott Morrison becoming the first PM in nearly 30 years to not receive a post-spill bounce in polling numbers after a leadership change, it looks as though the Labor Party will pick up power with ease.
So Michael McLaren thought it was an appropriate time to put the spotlight on Labor&rsquo;s policy. He took Labor Senator Murray Watt to task on the party&rsquo;s energy agenda, questioning how their 45-50% emission targets will be achieved without compromising reliability and escalating prices.
&ldquo;Renewables have now become a much, much more reliable and cheaper form of electricity,&rdquo; says Senator Watt.
&ldquo;With the advances you&rsquo;re seeing they have actually now got to a point where they are cheaper and more reliable than traditional coal-fired power stations.&rdquo;
It was an argument that Michael was quick to shut down.
&ldquo;You can&rsquo;t seriously make the claim that wind generation is more reliable then coal-fired power?&rdquo;
&ldquo;Australia, we&rsquo;ve got 7% of the world&rsquo;s black coal, 24% of the world&rsquo;s brown coal, 427 trillion cubic feet of gas and 34% of the world&rsquo;s uranium resources. Yet we have some of the highest power prices in the world and a pretty unreliable grid?&rdquo;
&ldquo; Leaving party politics aside, is that not the clearest example we have of the schmozzle that is leadership in this nation? With those resources, couple with these prices, we have been let down as voters.&rdquo;
Though Watt went on to emphasise the &ldquo;importance&rdquo; of Australia sticking with its Paris targets, Michael was quick to point out the hypocrisy of this view.
&ldquo; In 2017-18, in your own state of QLD, the state Labor Government racked in $3.16 billion in coal royalties alone. It would be a little hypocritical wouldn&rsquo;t it? Reducing our coal usage but allowing the export of Australian coal to some pretty big emitting economies around the world and cashing the cheque in the process?

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A fast-paced show, focusing on current events, social issues, sport and entertainment.

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