Opposition leader Peter Dutton visited Torquay on 30 April 2024 to endorse Darcy Dunstan as the new Liberal Party candidate for Corangamite. Later, a transcript of Dutton’s speech and statements at the occasion was posted on his website. What he told the Torquay residents deserves some scrutiny.
The quotes below are copied straight from Mr Dutton’s transcript.
1. Energy prices and the cost of living
Mr Dutton:
“The energy costs continue to spiral, we know that insurance costs are up, we know that every input cost for business at the moment is going through the roof.”
What he doesn’t tell people is why.
Energy prices have been volatile primarily due to the high cost of gas and coal. Renewables, by contrast, have been consistently lowering power prices in Australia where they are widely deployed.
Insurance costs are going up because of climate change – because of the destructive and extreme weather events that are a direct result of our continued burning of fossil fuels. More floods, bushfires, and storms mean higher insurance payouts, leading insurers to raise premiums or withdraw coverage altogether.
Dutton complains about rising prices, yet his own policies will directly contribute to further increases.
How does a politician manage to get away with fooling everyone like this? Because of the incompetence and disinterest within the media outlets. Journalists hold Dutton accountable when he lies and misinforms, because they don’t know the facts themselves.
2. Incorrect myth about solar and night-time energy use
Mr Dutton:
“In some businesses we’ve spoken to, their energy costs are up by 300 per cent. When you look at efforts that people are making to put solar panels on the roof, to try and defray some of the cost, that goes part of the way, but for a business, a manufacturing business that works at night time, well, of course those solar panels aren’t of any support to them at all.”
This is utter nonsense.
Solar panels help significantly reduce costs, and businesses with solar that operate at night export surplus daytime energy – especially in summer – and can draw power from the grid or batteries at night. Australia already has the capability to store renewable energy via large-scale batteries and pumped hydro.
Take South Australia, for example, which is leading the way in battery storage. The state has one of the most reliable electricity grids in the country despite running at times on almost 100 per cent renewables.
3. The myth that ‘we need gas’
Mr Dutton:
“We need gas, obviously, that’s the reality of our economy.”
No, we don’t.
We need to get off gas. The reality is that gas is expensive, polluting, and unnecessary for Australia’s energy future. The International Energy Agency and the United Nations are absolutely clear on this: no new fossil fuel projects can be developed if we are to stay within safe climate limits.
Countries around the world are transitioning to fully renewable grids, proving that gas is not “essential” – it is simply what the fossil fuel industry wants us to believe.
4. The slogan that ‘nuclear energy is a necessary part of the mix’
Mr Dutton:
“That’s why we think there should be a mature conversation about having nuclear in the system, which is zero emissions, it’s latest technology, it’s adopted by 19 of the 20 G20 countries.”
This is misleading.
Yes, nuclear produces no direct emissions, but it creates nuclear waste, the safe storage of which which is a massive unsolved problem.
Second, nuclear fission is not new – it has been around for over 70 years, and in spite of reactor design development it remains by far the most expensive energy technology (CSIRO 2024), and with by far the longest lead time (CSIRO 2024). The “latest” nuclear technology might be eventually based around fusion, but this is still experimental and difficult, and is not expected to be commercially viable for decades – time we no longer have..
Finally, the claim that “19 of the 20 G20 countries have adopted nuclear” makes it sound like nuclear is the dominant energy source in most of these nations. In reality:
- Some countries, like Germany, have shut down their nuclear plants in favour of renewables, and Japan is on a similar course.
- Others, like France, are struggling with massive delays and cost overruns on new nuclear projects.
- The UK’s newest nuclear project, Hinkley Point C, is already billions over budget and behind schedule.
Nuclear is too expensive and too slow to be a viable solution for Australia’s energy transition.
5. False claims about battery storage
Mr Dutton:
“I want to believe that the battery can last longer than two hours, but the current technology just means that it can’t, or this factory here would run on batteries.”
This is factually incorrect.
Big batteries already power entire regions.
- Victoria’s Big Battery (operational since 2021) can store enough energy to stabilise the grid and support businesses.
- The Hornsdale Power Reserve in South Australia provides multiple hours of backup power during peak times.
Battery technology is rapidly improving, and both local and grid-scale storage is already replacing fossil fuel generation in many parts of the world.
6. The blackouts scare campaign
Mr Dutton:
“By 2034, we know that 90 per cent of the firming power in our system – that is the 24/7 power – is going out of the system. So, we’re going to have a big gap, which is why the energy regulators are saying that we’re likely to see blackouts and brownouts and a continuation of price escalation – that is higher electricity bills and higher gas bills under this Government’s policy.”
This is not what the Australian Energy Regulator AEMO says.
In reality, electricity bills are forecast to go down as more renewables enter the grid.
Denmark, which generates over 50 per cent of its electricity from wind power, has one of the most reliable grids in the world.
Meanwhile, Australia’s most frequent cause of blackouts is coal-fired power station failures, not renewables.
7. Baseless claims about why businesses leave Australia
Mr Dutton:
“That’s why we’re seeing businesses leave Australia at the moment and go offshore. Then we just re-import the product back into Australia.”
This claim is baseless.
Businesses are not leaving due to renewables – they are relocating due to:
- High energy prices caused by fossil fuel reliance
- Global competition and cheaper labour costs overseas
- Insufficient government support for clean technology industries
In fact, businesses want more renewables, not less. The Australian Industry Group and the Business Council of Australia both support the transition to clean energy, because they know it will lower their long-term costs.
A dangerous distraction
Dutton is repeating misinformation that benefits the fossil fuel industry, while ignoring the very real climate and economic crises facing Australia.
His push for nuclear is a distraction. His opposition to renewables is ideological, not practical.
The facts are clear:
- Renewables are cheaper than fossil fuels
- Batteries and wind power provide 24/7 reliability
- The green transition is already happening worldwide
Torquay’s residents deserve truthful leadership, not a fossil-fuel-backed scare campaign.
Source: Transcript on Peter Dutton’s website
The Liberal Party got caught lying—again. Why? Because our laws let them. Truth in political advertising should be non-negotiable. theklaxon.com.au/uh-ooh-ad-gi…
— Zoe Daniel (@zoedaniel.bsky.social) February 26, 2025 at 6:35 PM
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As Trump imposes tariff on imported aluminium, he wants USA to revert to producing its own. USA and Canada smelt aluminium with clean hydro power. Australia smelts with coal, even dirty brown coal in Victoria. This industry has always been subsidised and still complains not profitable. Emissions are big too.
How much longer do we protect aluminium smelting from going extinct? It’s pure virgin aluminium that’s exported. The aluminium alloys we use are imported!!