David Crisafulli signalled he would lengthen the lifetime of a coal-fired energy station, as Steven Miles spruiked the federal government’s inexperienced credentials, on the primary day of the official Queensland election marketing campaign.
Whereas Miles visited the governor, Jeannette Younger, on Tuesday, to formally name the election, Crisafulli was in Bundaberg, the state’s most marginal seat, making a second youth crime dedication in as many days.
Questioned about his vitality coverage, the LNP opposition chief recommended he wouldn’t shut Callide unit B when scheduled in 2028, if the renewables rollout couldn’t sustain. Callide unit C, which blew up in 2021, reopened final month.
“The last thing Queenslanders want is for us to be prematurely closing power generation at a time when they can’t afford their bills and there isn’t sufficient supply into the market,” he mentioned.
The get together voted for the Labor authorities’s legislated 80% by 2035 carbon emissions discount goal earlier this yr, however doesn’t assist its renewables goal. Crisafulli final month mentioned the goal was “not possible”.
It additionally guarantees to cancel a huge deliberate pumped hydro scheme in central Queensland and as an alternative construct a number of smaller hydro tasks.
The opposition chief has but to element the place or when the smaller tasks could be accomplished, or how a lot they might price.
“It would be absurd to close down baseload power at a time when Queenslanders are struggling to eat,” Crisafulli mentioned on Tuesday.
“But we do have a vision to make sure that there’s a renewable future, and that’s why I’ve spoken about the need to have a long-term plan.”
Callide unit B was commissioned in 1988.
The Queensland Conservation Council campaigner Stephanie Grey mentioned any transfer to increase its life could be technically difficult, a catastrophe for decreasing Queensland’s local weather air pollution and prohibitively costly.
“We have a strong pipeline of renewable energy projects in Queensland and with policy certainty we could easily build enough new generation to replace Callide B, which has been scheduled for closure for decades,” Grey mentioned.
Grey mentioned the LNP should as an alternative “just maintain policy certainty and support Queensland’s existing renewable energy targets”. QCC estimated energy costs would rise about $200 if the state didn’t meet its renewable vitality targets, with wholesale electrical energy costs rising as much as 36%.
Tuesday was the official first day of the election interval, with simply 26 days left till the ultimate ballots are solid.
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In a marketing campaign flourish to focus on the federal government’s 50 cent fare coverage, Miles caught the bus to the governor’s mansion this morning to ceremonially ask her for an election. The LNP has dedicated to retain the 50 cent fares no matter who wins.
I’m on a 50 cent bus to see the Governor and formally begin the election marketing campaign.
This election is about who you belief most to sort out the price of dwelling and take our state ahead.
I’ve clear plans – the opposite aspect has slick slogans.
That’s why I’m asking on your vote. pic.twitter.com/OUiWjdXpKI
— Steven Miles (@StevenJMiles) September 30, 2024
The premier then travelled to Townsville for his first marketing campaign cease, the place he spruiked the federal government’s “energy and jobs plan” to attain its renewables and emissions targets. The plan was legislated earlier this yr.
Miles mentioned unbiased modelling by Deloitte recommended the plan would unlock $270bn in new funding and 84,500 jobs in north Queensland and the outback by 2050.
The premier accused the opposition of hiding a secret agenda and missing a constructive imaginative and prescient for the state’s future.
“The choice for Queenslanders is really clear. Who do you trust to take our state forward?” he mentioned in Brisbane.
“Because right now, the risks of going back are so great. David Crisafulli and the LNP, they’re playing small target politics, trying to avoid answering the hard questions. They expect to be able to slip into power with just slick slogans and soundbites, but they’re hiding their real agenda. Their real agenda is a risk to our state’s recovery.”
Crisafulli introduced a $40m fund for companies to pay for CCTV and different crime deterrence upgrades. He additionally promised to not kind authorities in minority or put the Greens above Labor on the get together’s easy methods to vote card.
He additionally once more confirmed the state get together’s opposition to nuclear energy, regardless of the federal opposition chief, Peter Dutton, promising to push forward over state objections if the Coalition is elected.
