<
https://reneweconomy.com.au/it-makes-my-blood-boil-bowen-fumes-as-dutton-leads-new-attack-on-csiro-integrity/>
"The federal energy and climate minister Chris Bowen has reacted with anger and
horror as the federal Coalition, led by Peter Dutton, renewed its attack on the
integrity of the country’s premier scientific organisation in the wake of the
CSIRO’s latest nuclear costings.
The latest draft version of the CSIRO
GenCost report found – as it has done
on each and every occasion since 2018 – that integrated wind and solar is by
far the cheapest and lowest emissions option for Australia to replace its fleet
of ageing, polluting and increasingly unreliable coal generators.
At the insistence of the Coalition, the CSIRO also investigated its claims that
nuclear’s longer life, higher capacity factors and build times made it a
credible alternative. But it found, to no surprise, that nuclear is between two
and four times more expensive.
Dutton immediately responded by accusing the CSIRO of “bagging” its own nuclear
plan, and suggesting that Bowen had a hand in it, even though the conclusions
have been consistent with the first four iterations that were delivered under a
Coalition government.
“It just looks to me like there’s a heavy hand of Chris Bowen in all this, and
I don’t think people want to see that,” Dutton told reporters, according to
News.com.au.
Bowen, in a later press conference, said he was appalled by the suggestion.
“I don’t care what he says me; I couldn’t give two hoots,” Bowen said.
“But it makes my blood boil when he attacks the integrity and independence of
the CSIRO, who deserve better from the alternative Prime Minister of Australia
to suggest that the government would seek to interfere with the CSIRO.
“To suggest that the CSIRO would let a government of any persuasion interfere
with their work is deeply, deeply offensive. I’ve seen 6-year-olds on the
soccer field pay more respect to referees than Peter Dutton has shown today. He
should apologise to the CSIRO as a matter of urgency.”"
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
