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Why I won’t watch the Oils

15/11/2017

7 Comments

 
Peter Garrett, Photo Mark RogersPeter Garrett, Photo Mark Rogers
​As a veteran of the campaign against desalination, John Gemmell won't fall for Peter Garrett again. 

By John Gemmell

IT WAS in August 1990 under the shadow of the looming First Gulf war that I listened to Peter Garret’s powerful message delivered on stage. “Stand up for what you believe in, don’t be another cog in the machine – get out there, make a difference and don’t listen when the generals talk!”

To a thirsty young man adrift in the desert of a soulless and materialistic world, Midnight Oil’s lyrics were like the promise of cool clear water at the oasis on the horizon.

To the despair of my well-meaning but conservative parents and with “Power and Passion” playing full bore on the tape deck of my station wagon, I loaded my camping gear and surfboards and abandoned my secure future as corporate executive in Melbourne. I was determined that these would not be my forgotten years.

On this journey one of the most amazing nights of my life was spent watching the Oils play in the rainforest at Kuranda, near Cairns.  Intoxicated by perfume of the warm forest and the girl in my arms, I cheered on Peter Garrett as he warned of the dire consequences of privatisation, the US invasion of Iraq and the overdevelopment of Cairns. The only discordant note was a drunk heckler swilling a smuggled in stubby and calling out for Garrett to “Stop the bullshitting and keep singing”.

Fast forward to 2007. Through hard work and sacrifice I’d found my oasis, a little coastal hamlet east of Melbourne where my young family lived and I practised as an acupuncturist and was president of the local Boardriders club. How to live more simply and help people to understand the rhythms of nature was and is important to our young family. We’d rejected opportunities in the city out of the principles we valued the most. We felt blessed, able to contribute to our community and lucky enough to have pristine beaches to enjoy and commune with.

Meanwhile south-east Australia was in the grip of a drought, exacerbated by the effects of climate change. Victoria was particularly hard hit due to successive state governments failing to upgrade water infrastructure. In France, maps of first-world countries gripped by drought sent desalination companies into a marketing frenzy, and soon slews of snake oil salesman were fluttering glossy brochures at decision makers across Australia. The fix was in.

During his 2006 re-election campaign, Victorian Labor Premier Steve Bracks had denigrated plans by the opposition for three 50-gigalitre desal plants to be constructed as needed around Port Phillip Bay, decrying the exorbitant amount of energy and money required to produce water from this process. 

In July 2007, the re-elected Premier shocked the state by reneging on plans to recycle water, instead opting for the country’s largest desalination plant, to be built on Bass Coast.

My wife and I felt like a bomb had been dropped on our world. We worried about the impact on the local environment, but our main concern was that such a huge policy mistake could be made when what was needed was real action to stop climate change.

Instead the Premier had simply said to the electorate and business alike, “You don’t have to change your behaviour at all – here’s a shiny new machine that will fix all our problems!”

Inspired by Garrett and the Oils, among others, we knew we had to stand in the way. Uppermost in my mind was that if we could convince Melbournians to do the right thing (conserve energy and recycle water) we would send shockwaves through the nation. There was a line in the sand and we Victorians would not choose our comfort over a safe climate.

So over late 2007 and 2008 I and my fellow Boardriders club members worked with other environment groups lobbying everyone we could. A key part was to talk to the ordinary punter, leaflet drop and write letters and petitions to politicians.​
Anti-desalination protest, Kilcunda, November 18, 2017  Ten years ago today, Bass Coast surfers staged a protest against the proposed desalination plant. And that’s when Peter Garrett lost John Gemmell.
Bass Coast surfer protest against the desalination plant, Kilcunda, November 18, 2017
In July 2007, when the desalination plant was announced, Peter Garrett was in the federal shadow cabinet. When Labor was elected later that year, he became federal minister for the environment in Kevin Rudd’s first government.

A frequent comment at that time was “Why don’t you talk to Peter Garrett? Surely he’ll help you.”

Like many others, I wrote email after email to his parliament house address. These first emails were polite and courteous and simply asked for a meeting to start a dialogue and to help him understand what was going on in Victoria. Over time, they became more incredulous and then angry as it became clear that he had no intention of even responding. He did what no one who had sung any of those Midnight Oil songs had the right to do – he hid behind the levers of government and refused to get involved.

Regardless of the virtues or otherwise of the project, as federal environment minister, Garrett had to approve the project under the federal Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act. Environmental groups, including Your Water Your Say (bankrupted by the State Labor Party in an act of political thuggery) and its successor, Watershed, made continual approaches to Garrett based largely on the unacknowledged fact that migratory whales frequented the coastline on which the plant was to be built.

​Ironically, after Garret approved the desalination plant, one of his advisers did finally visit the site on the Bass Coast to ascertain whether or not Watershed was likely to mount a potentially embarrassing legal appeal against his decision. When confronted with the pristine beauty and location of the plant, the adviser slumped his shoulders and mumbled, “We had no idea ... We just kept out of it because it was a Labor state government, so we trusted them.”
I can’t begin to describe how bullied and demoralised by the Labor machine and its allies our community was after our defeat. The fear and terror whipped up by the marketing department that Melbourne would run out of water was used to justify a botched and enormously expensive project that continues to make a lot of bankers rich at the expense of our environment and ordinary Victorians.

Now, 10 years later, Peter Garrett is resurrecting his reputation as a warrior for the environment while we who fought to protect environmental values look on in disbelief.

I’m sure other environmental groups will feel a similar sense of betrayal by a man who promised so much on stage and yet failed to deliver when he had the opportunity. Garret may have tried to make a difference but ultimately all he left us was empty words sung to a catchy tune.

I can’t listen to the Oils now as it reminds me of the hurt and anger at being so disillusioned with the political process and Peter Garrett. His failure to engage with people who believed in what he preached and who took it to heart is a betrayal of epic proportions.

Perhaps now he has heeded the words of that drunk all those years ago in Cairns to stop the bullshitting and just sing, but casting my mind back to the Oils’ amazing performance at the Olympic games I can still see the SORRY T-shirt Garrett proudly wore that night.
​
Peter Garrett will need to wear that shirt a lot more before I can listen to the Oils again.​
Midnight Foil. Cartoon: Colin Suggett
Cartoon: Colin Suggett
7 Comments
Jeff Sim
17/11/2017 07:44:58 pm

That heckler was right, when they played at the Island years ago with Painters and Dockers, the Oils were way too serious. The Dockers blew them off the stage!

Reply
Sue Saliba
17/11/2017 07:52:42 pm

Thanks, John, for such an articulate and moving article. I am filled with rage whenever I see Peter Garrett in the news, particularly in recent times as he has the gall to get back on stage and assume his old persona (it seems to me). Such utter hypocrisy and I'm astounded that, for the most part, it seems no one calls him out on it. It truly is dispiriting.

Reply
Andrew
20/11/2017 01:46:05 pm

Absolutely so true.
I too was inspired in the late 80s.
I had the oils tattooed on my back and thought Peter stood for so much more.
Only to find the desal plant, the home insulation scheme and even mining up north.
It’s a shame he sold out and wants to go back

Reply
Mark Robertson
17/11/2017 08:26:15 pm

Well said John - Garrett and Burke, along with the Victorian Labour experts ,denied the existence of our special winter visitors for years, despite the heroic efforts of caring locals - even the stunning photos of Geaff Glare and Lisa Schonberg failed to convince them. The Winter Whale Watch program which was initiated by Watershed eventually spawned the Bass Coast Whale Trail signs along our coast - validating our concerns. I have tried to have the Watershed logo included on the signs, in recognition of the hundreds of people who contributed, but it has been decided that it is not appropriate. Even a direction from council is not enough. Last week, the Sentinel times proclaimed that Harriet Shing is throwing money into the Island Whale Festival -the very state government who dismissed our valid concerns are now promoting the Bass Coast whales.!!! I am both proud and befuddled at the entire process -proud that our efforts are recognised, and befuddled that all the so-called experts got it so wrong. Our question was simple - if the voluminous desal EES could not see something as big as a whale, then what else had been overlooked? That question still stands, given the complete lack of evidence surrounding the long-term environmental impact s during operation of the Great White Elephant. The desal protests displayed the caring nature and incredible expertise of our residents, and I am incredibly proud of all who stood up to the big and nasty bullies. Mark Robertson . President. Watershed Victoria

Reply
David Norton
20/11/2017 05:46:30 pm

Reminds me of when the GFC hit and all the ministers had to come up with plans on what to do to invigorate the economy. Peter Garrett's idea was to insulate every house in Australia. We know how that turned out and Kevin Rudd took the hit for it even though it was his minister Peter Garrett's idea and Peter Garrett had information from New Zealand on what not to do but still did it and people died as a consequence of his inaction

Reply
Duke
26/11/2017 10:28:53 pm

Spot on John this is my home this is my sea Don't paint it with the future, of factories Peter Garrett's legacy

Reply
Jef
31/1/2018 12:05:25 pm

I love the Oils but I would never listen to a rock star or movie star about politics. Global Warming is a cult scam, the earth will change, as will the weather. Please stop spreading this big lie and focus on real issues. Every single doomsday prediction has not come to fore.

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