Power Failure: The Inside Story of Climate Politics Under Rudd and Gillard

by Philip Chubb

The inside story of a wicked problem … What should Australia do about climate change? A succession of leaders has tried to answer this question – and come unstuck. Politicians and public servants call it a “wicked” problem – one highly resistant to solution – and many approaches have been developed and discarded by the major parties. Some believe Australia’s dependence on coal makes effective action impossible.In this book, award-winning journalist Philip Chubb examines the tenacity of fossil-fuel interests and their allies in business, politics and the media when their power is challenged. He reveals and analyses the political strategies of prime ministers Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard as they tried to overcome the obstacles created by Australia’s carbon-intensive economy.This is a dramatic study of leadership replete with new revelations. Using more than 75 interviews with key figures (including Julia Gillard, Kevin Rudd, Wayne Swan, Greg Combet and Penny Wong), freedom-of-information requests and good old-fashioned leaks, Chubb gives a persuasive account of success and failure in climate policy, and of the strategies that leaders must use in future.‘[Philip Chubb’s] reading of the power struggles at the centre of Labor’s climate politics is detailed and revelatory’ —The Conversation‘Power Failure … reads like a Greek tragedy. It is, mainly, the story of how hubris, madness, malice, political misjudgement and misunderstanding bring down an enterprise forged in common sense and goodwill.’ —the Monthly‘This is an important book because it methodically chronicles Labor’s failures and, in the process, serves as a how-not-to manual for anyone interested in social reform.’ —Canberra TimesPhilip Chubb was the creator of the renowned documentary Labor in Power, which told the inside story of the Hawke and Keating governments and won a Gold Walkley Award and a Logie. He has worked as National Editor of The 7.30 Report and held senior editorial positions at the Age and Time Australia. He is currently Head of Journalism at Monash University.

Genres: Climate Change, Politics, Nonfiction, Australia

462 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 12, 2014

Reviews

[Tad Tietze · Rating 2 out of 5]

A history of the elite process around climate action under Rudd and Gillard, which shines some light on the conflicts within the government. However, it is marred by almost complete acceptance of wonkish insider views of how politics works, which leads to extreme hostility to Rudd (whose every move is seen as bad leadership that deserves to fail) and unwarranted sympathy for Gillard (who is seen as a victim of forces arrayed against her and her occasional missteps in bravely trying to hold them at bay). To sustain this case the author continually disconnects climate politics from other domestic and international political developments, especially the long-run problems of the Labor party, except when it suits his overall case.

Nevertheless, there is much useful factual information about behind the scenes arguments and process once one gets past the author's insider preferences.

[Gervy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating. I'd have to say I became completely disillusioned with Australian climate change policy when the CPRS legislation failed to pass in 2010; conveniently I had a new baby to distract me. This is a very good overview of Australia's "climate wars" from 2007 until 2013. Gillard and Combet come out looking OK; Rudd, Wong and the Greens, not so much. Ultimately, Chubb pins the failure of climate policy reform on Rudd's leadership style as well as the lack of a strategic communications campaign to bring the Australian public along and counter the very effective communications of the "Greenhouse Mafia" and climate change skeptics.