It really is hard to believe.
Australia may soon rely on China to keep the lights on.
China, by the way, is a nation where about 82 million people get by on less than $1 a day. But, unfortunately, our governments have been so irresponsible with their energy policy that we might have to rely on this nation for electricity.
From The Australian today:
The Chinese conglomerate that controls Australia’s largest cotton farm has approached Malcolm Turnbull’s office to express interest in buying the Liddell coal-power plant in the NSW Hunter Valley…
…AGL so far has refused the government’s request to extend the life of the 1800-megawatt power station, instead planning to replace Liddell’s power capacity with renewables, gas and a planned battery.
The Australian reported last week that Liddell’s closure may cause power outages because only 100MW of the replacement capacity has been funded.
And it’s not just governments who need to answer questions over this.
The banking royal commission should force the banks to answer why they’ve black-listed Australians from owning assets like the Liddell power plant.
It is almost impossible for Australian consortiums to loan money for any new project involving coal. I can guarantee that Chinese companies will not face this problem.
And that means our next generations are missing out twice. Not only are we siphoning off their financial future by borrowing for insanely expensive and inefficient ‘climate-friendly’ renewable energy.
But we’re also preventing them from even owning the assets that have the ability to power prosperity in future years.
March 30, 2018
China, Liddell & Environs ─ Two
Chinese agents of influence flaunt their wealth and buy politicians and any other useful idiots and fellow travelers who suit or serve their interests. The China propaganda arm, Australia China Relations Institute, headed by Bob Carr, former Premier and Foreign Minister, not surprisingly was established with a $1.8m donation by property developer Huang Xiangmo.
Other players include Andrew Robb, former Trade Minister recruited for $880,00 by agent of influence Ye Cheng, owner of Landbridge, lessee of Port of Darwin. Similarly, Huang Xiangmo donated $50,000 to Robb’s campaign organisation Bayside Forum on the day he signed the Free Trade Agreement. In 2014.
And what of Sam Dastyari? Amongst other things this is the traitor who publicly defended China’s South China Sea policy, in detail, flanked by Huang Xiangmo to a Chinese media conference. Additionally, following advice from Comrade Bill Shorten that Huang was an ASIO subject of interest, Dastyari warned Huang that his phone was probably bugged. Following Dastyari’s resignation, Joel Fitzgibbons, onetime Labor Defence Minister, removed by Rudd, praised Dastyari, describing his departure as “a great loss for Labor.”
Similarly, Fitzgibbon had significant China ties. In his case it was business woman Helen Liu believed to have links with Chinese diplomatic and consular intelligence officers, senior Chinese Communist Party officials and People’s Liberation Army officers. Both were investigated but a senior Defence Security intelligence official said “”I don’t think it went up the chain of command at all. We looked at Fitzgibbon and Liu, and the links between them raised real concerns that we thought were worthy of an official investigation, but it was clearly too much of a hot potato for the hierarchy. In a department in which arse-covering is an art form, no one would want to be the person who broke this news to the secretary and the CDF (chief of Defence Force), who had enough troubles with the minister.”
Whilst fifth columnists infiltrate government and its organs, the adversary prepares on our doorstep. Having seized and militarised the Spratly and Paracel Island chains, former CDF Sir Angus Houston admitted to the National Security College that “it’s too late” to stop China taking ownership of the South China Sea. At the present moment a Chinese carrier group consisting of at least 40 ships and submarines and the carrier Liaoning have traversed the Taiwan Straits to engage in combat drills in the vital trade waterway.
Adm Chris Barrie, a CDF predecessor to Gen Cosgrove went further than ACM Houston. In an interview with ABC Chief Asia Correspondent Stan Grant, Barrie said: “Australia is plunging headlong into catastrophe and we are utterly unprepared. In fact, we may be past the time when we can prepare. The time-bomb is ticking and it will explode in our lifetimes. All certainty will be lost, our economy will be devastated, our land seized, our system of government upended. Australia, will be invaded.” He fears for the country his grandchildren will inherit.
Either way it looks like China will get Liddell coal-power plant.
Further Viewing: Tomorrow, When the War Began. 2010 (Australian Version)
March 30, 2018
China, Liddell & Environs ─ One
Pig Iron’ Bob Menzies earned his nickname in 1938 when he ordered protesting unionists at Port Kembla to load the steamship Dalfram with pig iron bound for Japan and destined for weapon production, eventually used against Australia.
That decision pales into insignificance when compared with our relationship with China. And this despite the 2017 ASIO warning that Chinese clandestine intelligence gathering, illegal espionage and influence operations have overwhelmed ASIO resources. Chen Yonglin, Chinese diplomat and defector, warned of more than 1,000 Chinese spies in Australia and that the majority of Chinese community representatives work for the Chinese Government. He described the 99-year lease of Port of Darwin to Chinese-owned company Landbridge as stupidity warning of its strategic importance in the event of invasion by China.
The Marxist dictum “control of the means of production” is increasingly being extended to Australian agriculture, mining, real estate, business, manufacturing and energy by Communist China.
Cheung Kong Infrastructure/Power Assets owns a 51-per-cent share in both CitiPower Electricity Distribution Network Victoria and Powercor Electricity Distribution Network Victoria. Cheung Kong owns a 50% share in the transmission link which transports renewable energy from the Mt Mercer wind farm to the Victorian grid — Transmission Operations (Australia) Pty Ltd Victoria. Retailer, Energy Australia, is owned by China Light and Power. Together with AGL and Origin it supplies more than 70% of electricity and 80% of gas to southern and eastern Australia.
Not surprisingly they want to get their hands on Liddell.