The headline in the Australian reads. “Wentworth by-election: Ex-Liberal leader John Hewson urges protest vote in crucial seat.” That is misleading in my book.
For starters they should define John Hewson as a failed faux Ex-Liberal. And why is Dr Hewson advocating for a protest vote and in doing so throwing his weight behind so-called Independent (but in reality) Labor Trojan Horse Kerryn Phelps? Well, this might only be a guess (nudge, nudge, wink, wink) but I’m guessing self-interest is the motive behind Dr Hewson’s revolt.
Dr Hewson is a Director of Solastor, North Queensland Bio-Energy and Non-Executive Director CDP Waste2Energy Holdings Pty Ltd. He has been a climate activist since the late 80s. He has developed climate related businesses addressing household garbage recycling, energy efficient light bulbs and data centres, bio-fuels, solar thermal and battery storage. He is a Patron of the Smart Energy Council. As Chairman of Solastor his mission was to deliver the cheapest solar energy in the world. He failed.
I’m guessing the businesses I’ve associated him with have been the beneficiary of very large green energy funding gifts from Government. A tap which under the Coalition is being turned off in 2020. A Labor/Union/Greens Government should the Australian public be foolish enough to hand them the keys in 2019 will turn that tap back on make no mistake.
Dr Hewson is active in the media. Not once have I ever heard him divulge his large financial interest in green energy. That is deceptive behaviour. The media aren’t blameless either. Instead of presenting Dr Hewson as an ex-Liberal leader they should profile him as a climate activist and significant investor in green energy. And, instead of using bylines like this; Former Liberal leader suggests a loss for the party might alter government’s thinking on climate change. The media should be pressing Dr Hewson to state what does he have to lose if the Government sticks with their current policy?
In summary:
If Dr Phelps wins the seat of Wentworth, she will support Labor in this current parliamentary and any future parliamentary term (assuming she returned in 2019). Dr Hewson is backing Dr Phelps and helping to undermine the Liberals for self-interest. So is the media in not being upfront about Dr Hewson’s obvious conflicts using his earlier Liberal ties to undermine the Liberals and to assist in puting Labor back into power? Perhaps we should asking what has Labor promised Dr Phelps, Dr Hewson and the Media Barons?
