Huge potential of pumped hydro at Snowy Mountains could pave the way for a 100% renewable energy grid, but don’t tell the prime minister’s colleagues
Once there was a well-tested system for leaders who wanted to achieve policy change. It wasn’t that complicated really. They thought through the idea and then they advocated it. First to their own party, then to the public and the interest groups directly affected and finally to the pollies whose votes they needed to get it through the parliament. Winning the debate at each step helped build momentum for the next one.
It wasn’t always smooth – special interest groups fumed and spluttered, backbenchers sometimes folded under the pressure, cabinet ministers disagreed. But there was an accepted direction of travel and it was propelled by a leader advocating a policy.
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