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Jarrod Bleijie refuses to reveal how state government will fend off federal Coalition nuclear proposal

The LNP state government is refusing to reveal how it will fend off the federal Coalition’s nuclear plans.

Queensland Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie. Picture: Supplied
Queensland Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie. Picture: Supplied

The LNP state government wants Peter Dutton to win the next election but won’t say what will do to fend off the Coalition’s nuclear plan.

Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie also wouldn’t say if the government would fight to keep two Queensland coal-fired power plants earmarked as nuclear facilities in the Coalition’s nuclear plan in state hands.

It comes as the Australian Energy Council, the peak body representing the nation’s biggest energy companies including Origin and AGL, warned a large portion of coal plants would struggle to survive beyond 2035 when the Coalition plans to switch its first nuclear facility on.

The Coalition’s nuclear policy costings, released earlier this month, assumes nuclear would contribute 38 per cent of energy generation by 2050, with the first plant to replace retiring coal stations to be operational by 2036.

Federal Opposition Leader Peter Dutton. Picture: NewsWire / Roy VanDerVegt
Federal Opposition Leader Peter Dutton. Picture: NewsWire / Roy VanDerVegt

Two of the seven earmarked nuclear facilities – Tarong and Callide – are in Queensland. Unlike other jurisdictions Queensland owns its coal assets, with Tarong due to retire in 2036/37 and Callide B slated to shut in 2028.

There is not yet a scheduled shutdown for the embattled Callide C plant.

The state LNP has repeatedly said it doesn’t support the Coalition’s nuclear plan as they have their own roadmap, which Queenslanders supported at the recent election.

“Our plan includes guaranteeing maintenance of those (coal) assets,” Mr Bleijie said.

“Our policy is a mixture so we’ve said that in all likelihood the coal-fired power will have to go longer, (be) utilised longer as well as being maintained, as well as bringing the renewable energies into the market.

“We had a position. It was a mixture of energy assets. It was maintaining our coal-fired power generators owned by Queenslanders. We took that to the election. People voted for it, and we’re sticking to our plan. It’s no big surprise.”

Mr Bleijie, asked if the state government could be pressured to sell the coal fired assets to a federal government run by Mr Dutton, would only say he hoped the Coalition won the next election.

“Well I hope Peter Dutton, the Coalition, do win the next election because it’s a terrible Labor federal government they’ve got at the moment. So I do wish him all the best, he would be a fantastic Prime Minister,” Mr Bliejie said.

He also wouldn’t be drawn on how the state government’s support for Mr Dutton and detraction of his energy policy would be handled instead claiming victory for increased Bruce Highway funding should the Coalition win.

“That’s the things we want to focus on with the federal government, and things that we can deliver in partnership together to save lives in Queensland,” he said.

Queensland’s nuclear facilities prohibition laws, from 2007, require the state to go to a vote of the people about whether they support the construction of a nuclear facility once the government is satisfied the Commonwealth is set to push for one in Queensland.

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Original URL: https://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/qld-politics/jarrod-bleijie-refuses-to-reveal-how-state-government-will-fend-off-federal-coalition-nuclear-proposal/news-story/aa3cc0b297a7556ef395a7b361a6ac79