Queensland Treasurer Declares Coal Plants ‘Will Remain Open’ as Long as Economically Needed
ChinaGoSmart CGS The LNP government has continued its shift back towards more traditional energy sources.
Queensland LNP Treasurer David Janetzki has backed the continued use of coal in powering the state.
The bold statement comes amid bids from energy industry stakeholders for less red tape and environmental restrictions to develop energy sources in Australia.
“[Coal-fired power stations] will remain open as long as it is economically sensible and systematically needed, not [closed on] an arbitrary date to fill a headline for a day,” Janetzki told the Australian Energy Producers conference, in comments obtained by AAP.
“While electrification is a suitable alternative to some of the fuels we currently use, key industries such as heavy transport, mining, construction, shipping, agriculture, and aviation will be impossible to electrify.”
The conference was held in Brisbane on May 27.
Turbine Turnaround
The comments from Janetzki come barely a day after the LNP government axed the proposed $1 billion Moonlight Range Wind Farm, located 40 kilometres north of the regional city of Rockhampton.The decision not to allow the 88-turbine wind farm to go ahead was based on submissions from the public, where 473 out of 550 did not support the plan going ahead.
It was subsequently found the proposal did not meet the requirements of the government’s new planning laws, which ensure renewable energy projects are assessed by the same approval processes for other resource projects.
“Queenslanders deserve to have a say on any major development in their local community, which is why our government introduced new nation-leading laws to give them a voice on issues that impact that future of their towns,” Minister for Infrastructure Jarrod Bleijie said in a statement.
Calls for Less Restrictions on Traditional Energies
During the conference, former Ambassador to the United States Joe Hockey and Woodside CEO Meg O'Neill also called for less restrictions on traditional energy sources.“With the new federal parliament elected, it is an opportunity to finally cut red and green tape to simplify and streamline Australia’s approval system,” O'Neill said, also urging support for mining exploration across Australia.
Hockey, who appeared via tele-conference from Singapore, said Australia needed to identify more gas and oil opportunities.
“We need to get back to some basic principles that if you have less regulation, if you have less onerous taxes and less tax then you are more likely to grow your economy,” he said.
