Trooble at coal face

Infrastructure Australia is a national statutory body created “to provide advice to Australian governments about infrastructure gaps and bottlenecks that hinder economic growth and prosperity.”

Apparently one of its members, Professor Peter Newman, recently committed thoughtcrime, saying “plans to double the coal export capacity in Newcastle should be abandoned.” He further said...

... the environmental damage done from burning coal meant the construction of new coal loading facilities in what is already the world’s biggest coal exporting port should be stopped now.

“If I was in charge of coal loading facilities, I would say no, don’t do it,” Professor Newman said in an interview with the Herald.

The Ports Minister in NSW, Joe Tripodi, was shocked and “says he now has serious reservations about Professor Newman’s ability to be impartial.”

“Mr Newman needs to decide whether he can comfortably meet his obligations,” he said. “We need to remind him to not allow his personal views to affect his obligations.”

I’m guessing Mr Tripodi believes Prof Newman ought to be more partial to the coal industry and the jobs it provides, as evidently is Mr Tripodi.

Further, perhaps Joe believes all members of Infrastructure Australia — of which Prof Newman is merely one of 11 members — should all subscribe to an unambiguously pro-coal position.

After all, we can’t have something like diversity of opinion on a key national advisory body, can we? It’s scaring more folks than just poor old Joe Tripodi.