Australian Christians Giving Solar To Tony Abbott For Christmas

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Common_GraceAn interdenominational Christian group in Australia is currently raising funds to purchase solar panels and installation for the Prime Minister’s official residence, a crowdfunding opportunity that will either act as a push in the right direction for Australia’s leader, or yet another slap in the face for his current political stance on energy and the environment.

I’ve made no secret of the fact that I am a Christian — heck, it’s the first line in my bio below. It’s also of no surprise to anyone that I’m Australian, and fed up with my government’s current set of policies dealing with energy, the environment, and climate change in particular.

So when I read the title over on SunEdison’s Energy Matters blog — “Australian Prime Minister Getting Solar For Christmas” — I was immediately sceptical, and then stoked, once it appeared to be a genuine story — and even a successful story, having already raised $5,300 (AUD) of the necessary $6,000 for 12 solar panels and a contribution to installation.

Common Grace is the name of the interdenominational group, bringing together Christians from across Australia “who are passionate about Jesus & justice.”

In their blog post announcing their plans to crowdfund solar panels for Kirribilli House — the traditional residence for Australia’s Prime Minister — Common Grace state that “we long to see a flourishing world, but our chance to pass on a clean energy future to our children is quickly slipping away.” They reference the existing popularity of solar energy across Australia, and even reference the “staggering 70% drop in investment into Australian renewables this year” that stems from Tony Abbott’s anti-renewable policies.

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“The panels will be delivered to the current occupant, Prime Minister Abbott, on behalf of the nation by a diverse bunch of local church leaders as a gift to symbolise public support for a clean energy future,” the group wrote on their website.

With enough money to purchase the panels already raised, the news got even better for Mr Abbott’s Christmas present, with the Australian Solar Council offering to install the panels for free.

If Mr Abbott and the independent Trust that looks after Kirribilli House refuses the Christmas gift, Common Grace have said that they will be donating the solar panels to the Davidson Brigade of the Rural Fire Service, where Mr Abbott served for many years.

“Fire fighters are on the front line of climate change fighting increasingly frequent and intense bushfires,” the group wrote. “It’d be a small way we can say thank you for what they do.”

But, for me personally, I’m really hoping that Tony Abbott will accept this gift. All politics aside, this would be a positive step for my country’s leader to take, and I hope he does.


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Joshua S Hill

I'm a Christian, a nerd, a geek, and I believe that we're pretty quickly directing planet-Earth into hell in a handbasket! I also write for Fantasy Book Review (.co.uk), and can be found writing articles for a variety of other sites. Check me out at about.me for more.

Joshua S Hill has 4403 posts and counting. See all posts by Joshua S Hill