Dick, just put up the mill yourself and let them go for it. Call it the Dick Smith Electric Challenge.
Back in 1919 it was fair enough that the govt put up the cash, as it was about connecting Australia to Europe by something more efficient than the steam ship. Even by the 1934 race the prize money had to come from a private source.This is just about an alternative power plant to what is already available. An admirable target, but hardly in the general public interest. I would rather see my part of a million dollars of tax payers money go to a hospital or some such.