Owen Inquiry: Ask a silly question, get a silly answer

Dr Kaye said: “Professor Owen has delivered a report that will drive NSW down a one way path to higher emissions.

“The Inquiry discarded the possibilities of reducing over-night demand by replacing electric off-peak water heaters with high efficiency and solar units.

“By failing to adequately test the need for new baseload capacity, Professor Owen inflated the capital requirements of the industry and manufactured an argument for selling off the retailers and the generators.

“This might please Treasurer Michael Costa but it is a dangerous fantasy.

“Professor Owen’s logic started with the need for new baseload capacity and argued that this can only be delivered by private ownership or leasehold of generators.

“His case for privatising the retailers hinged on allowing them to be owned by the generators as part of their risk management portfolio.

“In effect, Professor Owen is sacrificing the benefits of public ownership for a baseload power station that is not needed, using logic that is at best questionable.

“This is an expensive and dangerous mistake that will commit NSW to an energy industry with ballooning emissions.

“The report also fails to rule out a new coal fired power station and instead suggests that  the decision be left up to the market, with the state government smoothing the way with a well-oiled development approval process.

“The Greens will be campaigning to expose the failures of the Inquiry.

“Any developer of a new coal fired power station should know that they will face the mother of all battles,” Dr Kaye said.