The early closure of Australia’s biggest coal plant caught Angus Taylor by surprise – but it shouldn’t have

The federal energy minister, Angus Taylor, said he was was not told about the early shutdown of the Eraring plant until the night before. Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAP

Angus Taylor was refreshingly upfront on Thursday about the extent to which he was sidelined from a major decision affecting the future of Australia’s electricity grid.

Speaking to Ray Hadley on Sydney’s 2GB, the federal energy minister said he did not find out about Origin Energy’s decision to shut Australia’s biggest electricity generator, the Eraring coal-fired power plant, seven years earlier than scheduled until the night before.