Chris Bowen is seen by many to have failed in every portfolio he’s held since his stint as Immigration Minister during 2010-2013 right through to his current role as Climate Change & Energy Minister.
His obsession with renewables has created huge additional energy costs that have increased retail electricity prices and the cost of all goods and services that require energy.
Consequently, we are all paying unnecessarily high prices as a direct result of his know-it-all attitude and woeful incompetence.
Our cost-of-living has spiralled out of control and mortgage rates have increased as a result of inflation that’s also been largely driven by high energy costs.
And now Bowen has failed to ensure that we have adequate supplies of fuel – and he even has the gall to blame us for causing it by ‘panic buying’.
Instead of him accepting personal responsibility for the fuel crisis that has brought parts of our country to a standstill – especially in critical food- and fibre-producing regions – he claims we are to blame.
Who in their right mind wouldn’t top up their fuel once word gets out that prices may soon go up – it’s a perfectly sensible thing to do Mr Bowen!
Moreover, it would be equally sensible for people who depend on fuel, to continue to top up on a regular basis when there is a likelihood of fuel shortages.
Inner-city dwellers can’t understand this because they’re not as dependent on cars. But those living in the suburbs and regional areas are usually totally dependent on cars and other vehicles for everyday transport to work, schools, shopping etc.
And farmers, graziers and fishing industry operators are even more dependent on fuel – especially diesel – for their work vehicles and transportation of produce to market.
These are the people who have been entirely overlooked by the Albanese government and, in particular Chris Bowen, as he is the responsible Minister.
All he is doing is trying to pacify us at a time when we have to pay up to $2-40 a litre for petrol and $3-00 for diesel – assuming we can buy any at all, as many service stations are closed.
“Demand has doubled,” he told Parliament. “Use has not.” That means, in his view, that it’s our fault for increasing demand – not his for not having enough fuel readily available for a crisis such as the one we’re currently experiencing.
Bowen admitted at the outset of the crisis that Australia had only 36 days of petrol, 29 days of jet fuel, and 32 days of diesel. But under an agreement with the International Energy Agency (IEA), Australia should have at least 90 days’ worth of fuel in reserve.
None of the other 32 members included in the IEA agreement were in breach. Europe, for example, had 129 days of fuel available at the outset of the Iran war.
Australia’s stocks have been low throughout the 4 years the Albanese government has been in power – and nothing has been done to rectify the situation.
In addition, our vast continent has only two oil refineries. We used to have eight 20 years ago when we were almost self-sufficient. Now we have to import 90% of our fuel, mainly via Asia.
Up-to-date figures are not available but are unlikely to show any significant stockpiling by this government ahead of the Middle East war that was always likely to occur given the many warnings made to Iran by President Trump.
Now that one fifth of the world’s oil seaborne supplies have ceased, Bowen’s earlier assurances ”not to panic” are seen for what they are – total nonsense based on ignorance and an unbelievable level of stupidity.
The Liberal Party’s Shadow Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction, Dan Tehan, argued it is difficult to claim everything is okay when empty petrol stations appear on the evening news and regional people are crying out for diesel to save their family businesses.
“You’ve had the Minister responsible, Chris Bowen, telling the Australian people there is no problem with the supply of fuel and then he is also declaring it to be a national crisis,” Tehan told the ABC.
It’s hard to see how even his comrades in the Labor Party can overlook Bowen’s obvious incompetence. He may even help bring down the Albanese government if he continues with his adventures in fantasyland.
Remember, he helped put an end to Bill Shorten’s almost guaranteed Labor win at the 2019 election by telling voters not to vote for them if they didn’t like their policies!
And a lot of people did just that! Just how ridiculous is this bloke!?
It’s clearly way past time for Bowen to go. And if Albanese has any sense, he will expedite his early appointment to some entirely unimportant posting overseas where he can do no further harm to Australia.
Failure to do so, may well prove to be a key factor contributing to the Albanese government losing the coming election. Think about that Prime Minister.
Thanks to The Nightly together with Instagram and Johannes Leak for his cartoon
