LNP Leader Deb Frecklington denies about-face on renewables

QUEENSLAND LNP Leader Deb Frecklington has rejected suggestions she has softened a policy to mandate investment in renewables by Queensland’s energy behemoths.

QUEENSLAND LNP Leader Deb Frecklington has rejected suggestions she has softened a policy to mandate investment in renewables by Queensland’s energy behemoths after Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull rejected moves to favour one technology over another.

Mr Turnbull used his Press Club address in Brisbane on Wednesday to say there should not be mandated renewable energy targets.

“As I said in Paris in 2015, it is innovation and technology which will drive stronger growth and a cleaner environment, not heavy-handed taxes or the force-feeding of one technology or another,” he said.

The State Opposition Leader was quizzed on Mr Turnbull’s comments yesterday, but Ms Frecklington insisted she and the Prime Minister were on the same page.

She said the mandate was to allow government-owned corporations to invest in renewables if it was financially viable, rather than to force them to.

“He is right, what we need to see is that we need to be technology agnostic, the Prime Minister has made that very clear,” Ms Frecklington said.

“The LNP’s policy is allowing government-owned corporations to invest in renewables when it is economically viable to do so — we need to make sure these organisations are able to invest in a mix.”

Ms Frecklington unveiled the policy to mandate renewable investment last month.

Use of “mandate” sparked accusations in the LNP that the Opposition would force feed one type of energy over another.

Ms Frecklington did not use the word yesterday.

Energy Minister Anthony Lynham accused Ms Frecklington of performing an about-face on the issue.

“Deb Frecklington’s flip-flopping could rival Pauline Hanson’s,” Dr Lynham said.

“Last month, she told ­Parliament that an LNP Government would require government-owned generators to support renewable energy.

“Yesterday, her boss said it shouldn’t be mandated.

“Today, she says it’s up to the generators what sort of energy they invest in.”

Ms Frecklington later issued a statement insisting her position had not changed.

“The Queensland LNP’s renewable energy policy is the same today as it was when I first announced it in my budget in-reply speech in June,” she said.