Mike O’Connor: It’s time Crisafulli got off the green bandwagon if he really wants to be Premier

The LNP leader has fallen in behind Labor in the race to promise an emission-free, green-energy nirvana in 26 years’ time, writes Mike O’Connor.

Would you vote for someone who promised you that in 26 years’ time, they would give you a new TV, a week in Bali and a carton of stubbies?

If you answered “Yes” to this question or “Can I swap the stubbies for a bottle of Bundy?”, don’t read on.

Others might ponder Premier Steven Miles’s announcement that he was pushing ahead with the government’s climate-change agenda and introducing draft laws to lock in emission-reduction targets.

In making this announcement, Mr Miles said in part that he was “setting out our plan to lead the nation on emissions reduction to 2035 to meet the Paris targets”.

“This Bill will send a signal to the world,” he said.

Opposition Leader David Crisafulli. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen/Courier Mail

A signal to the world? Of course it did, Premier.

Doubtless trading was suspended on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange as they took time out to digest this groundbreaking revelation.

Queensland? Where is that precisely?

These plans include having 80 per cent of renewables powering the energy grid by 2035 and net zero emissions by 2050.

This announcement may have been met with polite applause by the handful of people who are so delusional as to actually believe this will happen and that the metaphorical telly, Bali break and stubbies/Bundy will be delivered.

Those more concerned with less lofty issues such as paying the rent, feeding the family, saving up for a deposit on a house or apartment and hoping their car doesn’t get stolen tonight could be forgiven for wondering if there were more pressing issues at hand.

Queensland’s plans include having 80 per cent of renewables powering the energy grid by 2035 and net zero emissions by 2050

LNP leader David Crisafulli has fallen in behind Labor in the race to promise that somewhere in the future an emission-free, green-energy nirvana lies, backing the net zero by 2050 target.

I’ve some news for both parties – people living out there in the real world don’t care.

They are tired of climate-change posturing and see through these attempts to win their vote by projecting a vision of a green-tinged paradise that lies over the rainbow.

I suggested in a column recently that if Crisafulli wants to be Premier, he should dump the Olympics.

He should also announce that he will not prematurely shut down the state’s coal-fired power stations and will shelve plans to spend the billions of dollars needed to replace them with alternative power sources.

Leave it to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Chief Zealot and Energy Minister Chris Bowen to ensure that the nation that once had some of the most dependable and cheapest electricity in the world will have the most expensive and least reliable.

“Chief Zealot” and Energy Minister Chris Bowen and the PM will ensure the nation that once had some of the most dependable and cheapest electricity in the world will have the most expensive and least reliable, says Mike O’Connor. Picture: NCA Newswire/Gaye Gerard

They’re doing a grand job so let them get on with it.

The pair might have noticed that last week BHP said it would most likely shut down its Western Australia nickel operation putting 3000 people out of work because it could not compete with nickel being mined and processed in Indonesia.

At the Glasgow climate change conference in 2021, Indonesia committed to achieving net zero emissions and then turned around and built a string of coal fired nickel processing plants, increasing its coal consumption by a third and undercutting the “green” nickel produced by BHP. That’s how it works in the world that exists outside the Canberra bubble.

There is the small issue of cost to Queenslanders.

Mr Miles’s emission ambitions, which involve the closure of our five coal-fired power stations, are heavily dependent on the Pioneer-Burdekin Pumped Hydro project.

Queensland Energy Minister Mick de Brenni. Picture: NCA Newswire/John Gass

How much will it cost?

State Energy Minister Mick de Brenni doesn’t think he will know that until – wait for it – after the October state election. Gee, imagine that.

The figure of $12bn has been mentioned. Snowy Hydro 2.0 started at $2bn and then went to $6bn and is now is at $12bn. It is also a mere seven years behind schedule.

Then there is the Borumba Pumped Hydro project near Gympie that is estimated to cost $14.2bn, with planning alone costed at $6bn.

So the state that after almost three years can’t decide where it is going to hold the Olympics is going to mastermind the construction of enormously complex engineering works that are subject to huge cost blowouts and everything will be hunky-dory.

Get off the green bandwagon, Mr Crisafulli.

Net zero is like the Voice. Most people don’t see the need but they are afraid to say so.