Teal-ly not the way to go
Cost-of-living pressures bearing down and time to be mindful of others
AS cost-of-living pressures bear down on every resident and small business, we all need to be acutely aware of how our actions can impact others.
Today, I am hearing more from families and small business how 40 per cent spikes in their power bills are significantly hitting the bottom line – at a time when business is also struggling to find staff and deal with supply issues.
There are a myriad of factors pushing power prices upwards – and one is the influence the newlyminted Teal Independents are having on federal politics.
I will vehemently defend the right to free speech but it needs to be remembered that the Teals are largely backed by the lobby group Climate 200.
Therefore, they owe a debt to their backers and repaying that debt can come at a cost to everyday mum-and-dad homeowners and small business.
Hysteria attracts headlines but can equally unduly impact wholesale power prices and we can’t let the national energy debate become hijacked by the Teal Independents, pushing their “no coal” future in favour of what they term renewable energy.
I agree there is a place for green energy solutions but equally, there is a critical need for coal and gas fired power plants in Australia.
In every way, coal and gas fired plants remain a key plank in our national energy future.
As our city council starts its annual budget planning sessions, we will examine expenditure across every facet of the City’s $1.83 billion budget.
Our mantra – as it has been for the 11 years I have been mayor is: valuefor-money for ratepayers.
Councillors meet with senior officers to literally cross check every dollar against its proposed project.
The aim is to deliver the services ratepayers expect, at a price they can afford.
If a suburb needs a new footpath, it will be delivered but the path may be three metres wide instead of 4.5m, a saving of several thousand dollars which can go into other community projects, or to pay down debt.
What has been achieved over the past 12 years is successive rate increases being capped at, or below,
CPI, as well as this council paying down its debt to around $650 million (from almost $880 million in 201213).
Over the same decade (20122022), we have invested record funding into transport projects,
delivered the 2018 Commonwealth Games and spent more than $600 million on community assets including our Home Of The Arts, Pimpama Sports Hub, Gold Coast Aquatic Centre, Gold Coast Sports and Leisure Centre, Miami Aquatic Centre and the Broadwater Parklands. These projects have been delivered to improve our city’s social connection, without hitting ratepayers in the hip pocket.
To partially address our council’s spiralling power prices, we have converted dozens of City buildings to solar generation – proof that we are proactively playing our part in “going green”.
Similarly, we are modernising our fleet with e-vehicles where it is practical and represents true valuefor-money.
My message to the Teal climate alarmists and anti-coal crusaders is: Climate 200 has its place in the national political landscape but don’t let the debate become so skewed that mum-and-dad battlers cop the political fallout courtesy of escalating power bills.
Right now, that bill could be the one that adds further hardship to the family budget and that’s the last thing people need right now.
The aim is to deliver the services ratepayers expect, at a price they can afford MAYOR TOM TATE