Coal powers NQ future

THE sight of Tigerair’s first jet landing in Townsville yesterday would gladden the hearts of every tourism operator and business leader in the city.

It is a critical step in repositioning our city as a great place to both live and visit.

Tigerair has looked at the numbers and calculated there is a solid two- way market for the Melbourne route. It is confident flights from Melbourne will be immensely popular with southerners wanting to escape the Victorian city’s miserable winter climate.

If it works, there’s every likelihood it will expand its operations to other metro capitals, including Sydney and Brisbane.

It follows Air Niugini’s successful foray into the market with direct flights from Townsville to Port Moresby launching in March.

The route sealed Townsville’s link to Asia with a one- stop flight to Hong Kong.

Townsville has repaid Air Nuigini’s faith by jumping aboard the route in healthy numbers.

Indeed, considering how flat the overall economy has been over the past year, Townsville has returned commendable growth in passenger numbers. Which makes the stubborn refusal of Qantas to come to the table on the proposed airport upgrade all the more frustrating. Qantas is refusing to sign off on a $ 3 passenger levy which would partly fund the $ 42 million project.

The airline has repeatedly stated that Townsville Airport should fund the upgrade themselves, which is a stance it takes by default at all airports, but particularly at vulnerable regional gateways that are, by their nature “price takers’’.

Civic leaders have been unanimous in the support for the upgrade which is seen as essential for North Queensland’s tourism market to grow. If we want to develop and prosper in years to come we need to provide a 21st century tourism experience for people arriving in our city. The current passenger terminal is grossly inadequate and provides a poor first impression for visitors touching down in the city. The upgrade will include expanded retail, upgraded check- in systems and more seating, creating a vastly improved passenger experience. Qantas is simply playing games in denying this vital upgrade. It claims Queensland Airports Limited, the owner of Townsville Airport, is not contributing out of its coffers for the upgrade.

Whatever the case, the bottom line is that Townsville is again being treated as a secondclass citizen by a southern- based corporate behemoth. It’s time everyone grew up, got in a room and sorted it out to ensure Townsville’s future prosperity isn’t hamstrung. WE have a choice between building a base- load thermal power station in North Queensland or 50 per cent of our electricity coming from renewables, mainly solar PV.

For North Queensland this is a key factor in the upcoming state election. It is a decision that goes to the heart of our economic future. I support a new Ultra- Modern Supercritical High- Efficiency Low- Emission ( HELE) coal- fired power station in NQ.

My support is based on real economics, reasoning and logic. I hope the people of Queensland, of NQ and Townsville, can put aside party allegiances and blind ideology to make a logical and informed decision based on economics and common sense.

Vote for what you believe is best for our future, our children’s future and the future of NQ. Whether you agree with me is not the issue. The important issue is that you make an informed and rational decision, and the consequences are understood.

Once this decision is made at the next state election there is no turning back. NQ will either have a base- load HELE power station or we will have 50 per cent of all the electricity generated in Queensland provided nantly by solar PV.

Energy Minister Mark Bailey has written many times espousing the Palaszczuk Government’s 50 pre cent Clean Energy policy as a silver bullet solution.

Mr Bailey zealously makes claims which fail common sense, e. g. that a new coal fire power station in NQ will cause the demise of the Great Barrier Reef.

Japan is building 45 new HELE base- load power stations. The Palaszczuk Government supports Queensland coal being exported to Japan to fuel these new power stations. The Palaszczuk Government claims it supports the new Adani coal mine that will export predomi- coal to India power stations.

Emissions and climate change is a global problem, not a problem specific to NQ.

In the year 2030, 50 per cent renewables will reduce Queensland’s emissions from power generation by 20 per cent. HELE base- load plants can reduce emissions by 48 per cent.

If the Palaszczuk Government supports coal exports, it must support NQ having its own HELE base- load plant.

Mr Bailey and many others argue that Solar PV is cheaper and it can provide base- load power. If that is true why are China, Japan and India bothering to build new to fuel new coal HELE power plants and incur the expense of importing coal from Australia to fuel those plants?

Labor Treasurer Curtis Pitt stated that the Palaszczuk Government would consider using Townsville’s two peak- load gas turbine power plants, as base- load power stations. That is an admission that renewables do not and cannot provide base- load power.

Gas turbine peak power plants are expensive to operate and not suitable as continuous base- load generators.

Claims that Solar PV is cheaper are based on the cost of a single solar farm. The truth is that multiple solar farms are needed to match the output of any one thermal base- load power plant. This multiplies the costs.

It also ignores the fact Solar PV is intermittent weather dependent.

Save the Reef by reducing emissions, build our economy, create regional wealth and jobs … build a HELE base- load power station in NQ.

I welcome response. Mr that and Bailey’s BARRY LOWE Kirwan