Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Gas pipeline monkey's curly tale


I’ve said it before but it’s worth saying again: for whatever reason, Nationals Leader and Regional Development Minister Brendon Grylls is an uncommonly impatient politician. And his willingness to compromise process for outcome is why he and Premier Colin Barnett often come to blows.

A case in point is Monday’s post-Cabinet announcement that the Government will almost deliver on its election promise and probably build (but not this term) a Bunbury to Albany gas pipeline.

Back in August 2008 when Colin Barnett was the again new Leader of the Opposition and the Libs thought they had a chance of winning back Albany, it was a Liberal Party policy to spend $225 million on starting the project this term if elected. We know Albany stayed in Labor’s hands in 2008 but is now seen as “winnable” by both the Liberals and the Nationals in 2013. The lack of a formal coalition means both Parties are fielding a Candidate next year and consequently, the ability to tick off on a pipeline – any pipeline – before then is critical to both the Liberal and National “Vote for us because we deliver for Albany” message.

And that dynamic explains why one of the strongest champions of the pipeline in Government became Brendon Grylls.
Indeed, as Chief of Staff to the Energy Minister I recall a number of meetings and communications with Minister Grylls himself, urging me to...


Read the rest at Gas pipeline monkey's curly tale

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