Power bills can be cut
TOWNSVILLE has more than 300 days of sunshine a year.
Three hundred days of sunshine that could, with the right investment and infrastructure, help generate new energy, lower power prices, less pollution and more jobs.
Three hundred days of sunshine that could help turn Townsville into the renewable energy capital of Australia.
That’s what Labor wants for Townsville. It’s got the perfect climate for clean energy technology – and it’s got people who are smart enough to make it happen.
But right now Townsville is being held back by an energy debate which is stuck in the past, and bogged down by politics.
The rising cost of energy is squeezing local businesses and putting jobs at risk.
It is absurd that small businesses in Townsville are forced to choose when to turn on their airconditioning in 30C heat due to high power costs.
Businesses like Sun Metals, a key Townsville employer, have seen their energy bills rise by more than 70 per cent over the past few years.
It’s also hurting local families, as more and more of the weekly budget is gobbled up by rising power bills.
We’ve got to tackle the energy crisis right now and take advantage of the opportunities that renewable energy can offer.
Labor has been urging the Turnbull Government to restrict how much gas is being exported from Australia. We should be keeping more Australian gas here, securing supply and lowering prices.
It’s ridiculous that Australian gas is cheaper in Japan than Australia. We want to fix that with strong export controls.
And this week, we announced new policies to help create cleaner and cheaper power for Townsville, and create more jobs for locals.
A Shorten Labor Government will create a series of Renewable Energy Zones all over Australia, including in Queensland. These zones will help co- ordinate investment in new projects for power generation and storage.
With its world- beating sunshine, Townsville is perfectly positioned to be at the centre of a new Renewable Energy Zone.
Labor will also make it easier for solar and other renewable energy projects to access finance from the Clean Energy Finance Corporation.
Whether it’s more solar, hydro, or battery manufacturing, there are heaps of opportunities for new projects in Townsville. We want to help get them off the ground. These polices build on the plans we’ve already announced for Townsville such as a $ 100 million commitment to deliver long- term water security, and $ 200 million towards the construction of a new hydroelectricity power station at the Burdekin Dam.
These are practical commitments that will make a difference, for lower power bills and more jobs.
We also want to deliver a responsible Clean Energy Target because it would keep power bills lower and encourage more investment in cheaper renewables.
A Clean Energy Target was the central element of the chief scientist’s blueprint for the electricity system. For months, we’ve been saying we want to work with the Government to make it a reality.
Independent modelling shows that if we implement a Clean Energy Target, average annual power bills would eventually be $ 160 a year lower compared to doing nothing.
It’s really disappointing that Malcolm Turnbull and his gang in Canberra are walking away from a Clean Energy Target because it means they are walking away from lower power prices.
People in North Queensland aren’t interested in the pointless arguments in Canberra. They just want their power bills to be lower and their jobs to be secure.
And that’s what we want for Townsville too.
Townsville should be a renewable energy hub not just for the north, but for the nation.
And you shouldn’t have to wait until the next election for this.
But if Mr Turnbull won’t deliver lower power prices, more renewables and more jobs – then we will. BILL SHORTEN AND CATHY O’TOOLE