Premier rejects energy price plan
PREMIER Annastacia Palaszczuk has shot down a request to allow regional Queenslanders to shop around for their energy providers.
LNP agriculture spokesman Tony Perrett addressed the Premier in State Parliament Question Time yesterday, asking the Government to consider adopting the LNP’s regional electricity plan.
“Given the benefits of retail electricity market deregulation for southeast Queensland residents, will the premier listen to Labor’s own electricity pricing inquiry and adopt the LNP’s plan to allow regional Queenslanders to shop around and save $ 300 off their electricity bills every year?” Mr Perrett asked yesterday.
Ms Palaszczuk said Queensland had the best energy mix in Australia.
“The answer to that question is ‘ no’,” she said.
“And why? Because Queensland’s electricity prices are coming down.”
Ms Palaszczuk’s comments were met with a significant outburst from MPs on both sides.
“I’m glad you asked me a question about energy, because it allows me to talk about the complete lack of national energy policy,” she said.
“I feel sorry for the Minister for Energy and the former Minister for Energy for wasting years of their life working with the LNP national government down in Canberra for what? For absolutely nothing. “It is an absolute disgrace.” Ms Palaszczuk called for clear acknowledgment at the upcoming federal election of where each candidate stood on the issue of climate change.
“We can no longer have elected representatives denying the impacts of climate change,” she said.
“Australia is coming late to the party. Every other country is embracing this, they are making policies relating to it.
“The Federal Government has their head in the sand.”