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Angus Taylor (born 30 September 1966 in Nimmitabel, New South Wales) is an Australian politician. He is a Liberal member of the Australian House of Representatives, representing the Division of Hume in New South Wales, since 7 September 2013.

Early life and education

Taylor was brought up on a sheep and cattle property near Nimmitabel, New South Wales, and was educated at Nimmitabel Public School and The King's School, Parramatta. Taylor then studied at the University of Sydney whilst in residence at St Andrew's College, University of Sydney, where he earned a Bachelor of Economics, winning the university medal, and Bachelor of Laws. He continued his studies to gain a Master of Philosophy in Economics from New College, Oxford, as a Rhodes Scholar. He wrote his masters thesis on competition policy, with a focus on the ties between brewers and pubs in the UK brewing industry.

His father was heavily involved in agricultural politics, as a President of the NSW Farmers and Vice President of the National Farmers Federation. His maternal grandfather, William Hudson headed construction of the Snowy Mountains Scheme for hydroelectricity and irrigation in Australia from 1949 to 1967.

Career

After leaving university, Taylor worked for global management consulting firm McKinsey & Co. He was made a partner in 1999, and then went on to become a Director at Port Jackson Partners, an Australian management consulting firm. Most of his consulting work has focused on agriculture, infrastructure and resources.

Taylor has founded and worked with a number of agricultural businesses, including Farm Partnerships Australia, Growth Farms Australia and Eastern Australian agriculture. He was the Director of Rabobank's Executive Development Programme for leading farmers in Ausrtralia and New Zealand, as well as their Farm Managers Programme which was focused on younger farmers.

Political career

Following an April 2012 decision by the incumbent Liberal Member for Hume, Alby Schultz, that he would not recontest the seat at the 2013 federal election, Taylor sought and gained Liberal endorsement. Under Coalition rules, the Nationals were also entitled to run a candidate against Taylor; however decided not to. Taylor was elected as Member for Hume with over 61% of the two-party preferred vote and over 54% of the primary vote.

Opposition to Wind Energy

Taylor has called on the Coalition government to reduce its support for wind farms and is concerned with Australia’s renewable energy target (RET) on the basis that renewable energy projects, in particular wind, are driving up electricity costs and crowding out cheaper carbon reduction methods. This view is based on a report prepared by Taylor’s former employer, Port Jackson Partners, and has been criticised for containing a series of false assumptions regarding: generation costs; viability of the wind industry and a lack of understanding about how the National Electricity Market works.

Taylor was a speaker at the "Wind Power Fraud Rally" a “tea-party style rally” organised by the anonymous anti-wind blog StopTheseThings.com and hosted by Alan Jones on 18 June 2013 in Canberra. Taylor’s attendance with other liberal parliamentarians widened the rift in Coalition ranks over renewable energy targets. Stopthesethings.com refers to Taylor as "The Enforcer."

In April 2014, Taylor, along with New South Wales state Members of Parliament Pru Goward, John Barilaro and Katrina Hodgkinson, criticised the ACT government’s commitment to a 90 per cent renewable energy target by 2020, prompting ACT Chief Minister Katy Gallagher, accused the politicians of ‘launching a scare campaign’ regarding the target.

Publications

Taylor has published reports as part of the ANZ Bank Insight series. The first of these, Earth, Fire Wind and Water - Economic Opportunity and the Australian Commodities Cycle, focused on the opportunities and challenges faced by Australia's commodity exporters in the face of the commodities boom, and was described as a "landmark report" by The Australian. The second report was Greener Pastures - The Soft Commodity Opportunity for Australia and New Zealand, arguing that a soft commodity boom was taking over from the hard commodity boom. Other reports and articles include The Future for Freight, focused on reform in the freight transport sector, and "More to Nation Building than Big Bucks", critiquing the Labor Government's comparison between its National Broadband Network and the Snowy Mountain Scheme.

In February 2013, Taylor authored the report “A proposal to reduce the cost of electricity to Australian electricity users” while a director at Port Jackson Partners. The report claims that the Coalition could immediately drop the renewable energy target entirely and save up to $3.2 billion by 2020 and still meet emissions reduction targets. This report has been criticised over its use of false assumptions (such as overestimation on the cost per MWh of wind energy and an underestimation of cost of electricity produced from gas) and a lack of understanding of how the national electricity market operates, with energy commentators suggesting that cutting the renewable energy target is more likely to push up costs by around $1 billion a year.

Taylor, was a member of a taskforce asked by the Victorian government to investigate the development of a coal seam gas industry in the state. Reporting in November 2013, the report found that the State of Victoria should promote the production of additional and largely on-shore gas supply. The taskforce was headed by former Commonwealth Minister Peter Reith with other members representing energy companies, associated industries and lobby groups.

Personal life

Taylor competed in the 2009 triathlon world championships, representing Australia.

He lives near Goulburn on a farm with his wife Louise and their four children, moving to the area from Sydney six months prior to winning pre-selection for the seat of Hume, in May 2012.

References

1. ^ Chan, Gabrielle (28 May 2012). "Smart, rich, charming: Angus Taylor made to stand". The Australian. Retrieved 15 September 2013.
2. "New Member for Hume: Angus Taylor". The Daily Advertiser. 7 September 2013. Retrieved 15 September 2013.
3. ^ "Angus Taylor: Liberal for Hume". Liberal Party of Australia - New South Wales. Retrieved 14 September 2013.
4. Coorey, Phillip (1 August 2012). "Coalition split over candidate for Hume". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 15 September 2013.
5. "House of Representatives: NSW: Hume". Election 2013. Australian Electoral Commission. 13 September 2013. Retrieved 15 September 2013.
6. Financial Review Liberals tilt at expensive wind mills. http://www.afr.com/p/national/liberal_tilts_at_expensive_windmills_RGhiIrXS72p6gaeCrApwlJ 26 February 2013. Retrieved 15 May 2014
7. RenewEconomy “The dangerous thinking behind the Coalition renewable energy policy” http://reneweconomy.com.au/2013/the-dangerous-thinking-behind-coalition-renewable-energy-policy-84896 29 August 2013. Retrieved 10 June 2014
8. The Sydney Morning Herald “Libs defy party on wind farms” http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/libs-defy-party-on-wind-farms-20130525-2n3rn.html 26 May 2013. Retrieved 10 June 2014
9. "Alan Jones lacks wind at protest". 18 June 2013.
10. The Guardian “Canberra windfarm protests demand end to ‘renewable energy scam.’ http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/jun/18/canberra-windfarm-protesters-renewable-energy18 June 2013. Retrieved 10 June 2014
11. YouTube Stop These Thing 29 June 2014 National Wind Power Fraud Rally https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=evzuiIEgfmw#t=265 Retrieved 16 May 2014
12. The Sydney Morning Herald “Libs defy party on wind farms” http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/libs-defy-party-on-wind-farms-20130525-2n3rn.html 26 May 2013. Retrieved 10 June 2014
13. "Angus Taylor aka "The Enforcer"". 25 June 2013.
14. Australian Broadcasting Commission NSW politicians up in arms over ACT Government's wind energy plan http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-04-01/nsw-politicians-up-in-arms-over-act-wind-energy-plan/5358890 1 April 2014. Retrieved 15 May 2014.
15. Canberra Times Put windfarms on Red Hill and not in NSW say politicians http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/put-windfarms-on-red-hill-not-in-nsw-say-politicians-20140401-35vlw.html 1 April 2014. Retrieved 15 May 2015
16. "Decades of wealth from boom as commodities exports forecast to hit $480bn", The Australian, September 9, 2011
17. More to Nation Building than Big Bucks
18. “RenewEconomy” The dangerous thinking behind Coalition renewable energy policy. 29 August 2013. Retrieved 3 April 2014.
19. State Governmnet of Victoria 2013 Victorian Gas Market Taskforce Final Report http://www.energyandresources.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/205469/Victorian-Gas-Market-Taskforce-Final-Report-October-2013.pdf Retrieved 15 May 2014
20. State Government of Victoria 2013 Victorian Gas Market Taskforce Final Report Http://www.energyandresources.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/205469/Victorian-Gas-Market-Taskforce-Final-Report-October-2013.pdf Retrieved 15 May 2014
21. Australian Broadcasting Commission ‘Victorian Premier Denis Napthine won't be pressured into making coal seam gas decision’ http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-11-06/victorian-premier-denis-napthine-won27t-be-pressured-into-maki/5073310?section=vic 7 November 2013 Retrieved 15 May 2014
22. "Pre-selection race well underway". 4 March 2012.
23. "Taylor whips Liberal Field". 14 May 2012.

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