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Privatising our once state owned electricity assets without certain caveats, must now be categorised as one of those “..it seemed like a good idea at the time..” moments, all in the name of and at the altar of free markets. No problem with that basic underlying principle and I’m sure the belief and intent was that the new owners would keep it running as a coal fired power station and if not, sell it to someone who would.

I’m sure that not in their wildest imaginings did anyone think for a minute that AGL would use its free market acquisition and the exclusive corporate clout it affords in the delivery of an essential service, in a dog in the manger style and manner, to then restrict the freedom of that same market by deliberately setting out to game the system and play Liddell as a chess piece to drive up prices in an already totally distorted market place.

And all aided and abetted by a government which sells itself as a spear carrier for free markets and a level playing field whilst at the same time hobbling coal by paying out billions to the purveyors of renewables.

As commented on already, Andrew Vesey, the absent American landlord/CEO of AGL is fast catching up if not already overtaking the American boss of Telstra in the early 2000’s, the rambunctious and much loathed Sol Trujillo