Green power let us down

WHEN we were kids, the dream for the year 2020 was hovering cars, robot butlers and the best of science fiction.

Clearly, we’re not there yet and it might be 2120 before we have enough electricity to power the dream cars of the future.

Welcome to the real-life summer of 2020, where the government is warning people of blackouts because we don’t produce enough electricity for the days when everyone turns on their fans.

Sadly, this is not a joke.

This week, energy regulators issued a dire warning – increase the amount of energy being produced or there will be rolling blackouts to ensure the whole system doesn’t collapse.

After years of refusing to build more power stations, our population has boomed and – surprise, surprise – we are at breaking point.

This is what happens when governments cheer on the blowing up of coal-fired power stations.

The inconvenient truth is that the Left won’t allow us to point out the fact that wind and solar can’t do the job coal and gas can.

They may one day, but only when we can build a battery big enough to store the power.

We have the world’s biggest battery in South Australia, but it struggles to power 20,000 homes each day.

I’m all for new technology, but at the moment it can’t do the job coal and gas does.

All sides of politics and levels of government have got us here. They have listened to green groups and hysterics for too long.

They have sold off power assets and given control of building new power stations to companies whose only interest is to close down old stations. Then they charge through the roof for the power that comes out of the ones they still own.

The time has come for this to be seen as the emergency it is.

Government should tell these companies to build power stations that will do the job.

But if we have to have rolling blackouts, let’s start with the suburbs that choose to be ruled by Greens councillors, who live in 21st century Australia but hate everything about the modernity we take for granted.

Why is China sending fake police cars here?

CHINA’S attempts to control its citizens who live in Australia hit a new low this week.

We have already heard claims that the family of a Brisbane student, who protested in support of the people of Hong Kong, was visited by authorities back in China to deliver a chilling warning.

Now this week, both South Australian and West Australian police have confirmed sightings of cars here in Australia that have been painted up to look like police cars in Beijing. The word “police” is written in Cantonese down the sides of the vehicles, next to a Chinese police logo. It’s illegal to make a fake police car in Australia, but it’s not illegal to make a copy of a foreign police car.

The use of these cars, parked in very public places in suburbs with a very high Chinese immigrant population, is a not-so-subtle message: despite living here in freedom, home is watching.

This is disgraceful intimidation and our authorities should boot these cars out of the country.

Thank you, Broome

I SPENT much of the past week in Broome, WA. It’s a magical place, where the red dirt meets the blue water. It has to be seen to be believed.

It was the latest stop in our national adventure which takes my TV show, Paul Murray Live Our Town, to places often ignored by the media, allowing locals to tell their stories. I can’t thank the people of Broome enough.

The next time you are planning a holiday, forget Bali and Rome. See the wonders of Australia first.