Left in dark on power pricing

MINISTER assisting the Premier on North Queensland Coralee O’Rourke could not confirm when electricity prices would stabilise in North Queensland at last night’s State Government Estimates hearing.

Hinchinbrook MP Andrew Cripps asked Ms O’Rourke how the State Government’s $ 386 million Powering North Queensland plan would stabilise prices and when it would occur. But Ms O’Rourke could not provide a specific date.

“Energy is an issue that gets raised with me on a weekly basis,” she said.

“It is a concern that North Queenslanders do have, ( we are) making sure we provide an affordable and secure and clean energy future.”

Ms O’Rourke said as a result of the Powering NQ plan, “Queensland had the lowest 2018 forward wholesale prices in the country”.

“What we’re saying is we need leadership from the Federal Government to provide stability,” she said.

Mr Cripps asked again whether a date for the stabilisation of prices could be provided but Ms O’Rourke could not confirm.

Mr Cripps also asked Ms O ’ R o u r k e about the region’s crime levels, including what the Stronger C o m m u n i - ties group had achieved. Ms O’Rourke said the region had experienced a “drop” in crime from October 2016 to May 2017.

“Offences against a person have reduced by 4 per cent,” she said. “Other offences which incorporate drug and traffic offences is a reduction of 11 per cent.”

However, when Mr Cripps asked what the result of the stocktake of each department and agency involved in the Stronger Communities was and whether the results were publicly available, Ms O’Rourke had to take the question on notice.

Ms O’Rourke could also not answer Mr Cripps’ question regarding “what further actions were decided upon with relevant directors- general and ministers involved in Stronger Communities initiatives”, what time frames were set and whether the actions had been completed within those nominated time frames.

Ms O’Rourke also admitted to having once used her private email account for ministerial work after Mudgeeraba MP Ros Bates asked her. Coralee O'Rourke