The Queensland Government says the Liberal National Party’s ‘Real Plan’ for energy, including solar power, shows an ideological obsession with coal.
Treasurer and Acting Energy Minister Curtis Pitt said the LNP cannot be trusted on wind and solar energy.
He said the Government’s ‘Powering Queensland Plan’ is the better choice.
“Queenslanders haven’t forgotten the 43 per cent increases they saw during the term of the previous LNP government with Tim Nicholls as Treasurer,” Mr Pitt said.
“He promised households a $120 saving, but instead whacked them with a $436 increase on average.”
Renewables booming under Palaszczuk Government: Pitt
Mr Pitt added that the LNP’s plan was “vacuous” in terms of renewable energy. He also described it as “a shoddy policy made up of existing procedures”.
“We saw a renewable energy blackout under the LNP, not one large-scale renewable project was commissioned during their term and 1,300 renewable industry jobs were lost.”
Mr Pitt said a renewable energy boom is occurring in the state under Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk.
“Queensland is reaping the benefits of renewable investment because we have got the policy settings right through our 50 per cent Renewable Energy Target by 2030.
“The independent Renewable Energy Expert Panel confirmed our RET will be cost neutral over 13 years.”
New coal-fired station would cost $3 billion
Mr Pitt dismissed the LNP’s plans for a privately-funded, high-efficiency, low-emissions coal-fired power station in north Queensland.
“A new coal-fired power station will take seven years to build and cost upward of $3 billion,” he said.
In addition, he said the Palaszczuk Government’s ‘Powering Queensland Plan’ kept electricity assets in public hands.
He said the $1.16 billion plan promotes Queensland’s sustainable energy mix. This includes coal, gas, wind and solar power, and provides power bill concessions to vulnerable Queenslanders.
In its ‘Real Plan’ the LNP claims Queensland’s oversupply of electricity generation means no new sources are needed until at least 2021-22.
However, it states that new renewable capacity is being developed to meet the national Renewable Energy Target.
Although it points to decreasing costs of renewable energy, the policy claims it is “still more expensive than fossil fuels”.
