Abbott supports coal plan

FORMER prime minister Tony Abbott has applauded the State Opposition’s plan to build a coal- fired baseload power station in North Queensland, claiming the party is the only one serious about ensuring reliable and affordable electricity.

Mr Abbott’s endorsement follows state LNP leader Tim Nicholls saying on Tuesday that the Turnbull Government was paving the way for a coal- fired plant in the North with its new energy policy.

Mr Abbott ( below) said if coal was good enough to export to places such as India and China, it should be good enough to use at home.

“By promising to scrap Labor’s 50 per cent renewable energy target and promising to deliver reliable baseload power in North Queensland, Tim Nicholls and the LNP are the only ones serious about ensuring reliable, affordable power for Queenslanders,” he said.

“If political risk is stopping the market from building a new coalfired baseload generator, the Government must step in so that when you flick the switch, the lights come on and you don’t pay through the nose.”

The Coalition policy would require retailers to purchase a minimum amount of baseload power from hydro, coal or gas.

The move is expected to reduce household power bills by up to $ 115 a year.

Former Mundingburra MP David Crisafulli, who will run for the seat of Broadwater on the Gold Coast in the state election, said he fully supported Mr Nicholls’s move.

“The fact Tim is pushing it shows he’s going to lead a government that understands that Queensland is bigger than a capital city,” he said.

“It is such a vital piece of the next stage of development for regional Queensland. Anyone who takes an interest knows how tough things are for regional Queensland.”

Mr Crisafulli stressed that facilitating a power station in the North would also benefit the southeast.

“It will help deliver more affordable electricity, it will also help a part of the state that is economically on its knees,” he said.

“Surely we owe that to a part of regional Queensland that has given so much for so long.

“Renewable energy is part of the mix but if you don’t have adequate baseload power every day, people can’t afford to live and businesses will never invest and there’s the double whammy.”

State Energy Minister Mark Bailey said the Coalition’s proposal required more investigation.

“We need to see more detail on what this plan would mean for Queenslanders’ electricity prices, renewable investment and emissions before we can even think about signing up to it,” he said. “Given Queensland has retained ownership of its power generators, we are better placed than other jurisdictions to be able to assist the Turnbull Government to honour its power generation guaran

tee.”