Minister warns abandoning net zero risks Qld jobs, industry
Queensland faces devastating economic and environmental consequences if the Coalition succeeds in derailing Australia’s net-zero commitment, the Environment Minister warns.
Walking away from net zero would condemn Queenslanders to higher power prices, expose them to more frequent and more intense natural disasters, and result in the loss of thousands of jobs, according to Environment Minister Murray Watt.
Senator Watt will use a speech at the Queensland Media Club on Thursday to sledge the federal Coalition’s energy policy, as well as spelling out how Labor’s environmental law reforms will benefit the Sunshine State.
As he continues negotiations with both the Coalition and the Greens to pass the laws next week, Senator Watt will use his speech to describe the Coalition’s new energy policy as anti-Queensland.
Senator Watt will say walking away from net-zero, keeping coal open for longer and pursuing nuclear power means even higher power bills for every Queensland household, for decades to come.
“These higher energy costs will sacrifice thousands of Queensland jobs, especially in our regions,” he will say.
“We know that heavy industry is struggling with higher energy costs, but the Coalition’s answer is to burden them with even costlier power, risking more closures and lost jobs.
“In key Queensland industries, like agriculture and resources, world markets are demanding low-emission products and the Coalition pathway puts that at risk.
“If we follow the Coalition and do a U-turn away from renewables, the rest of the world will simply pass us by and steal those very industries and the jobs they produce.”
Senator Watt will say junking net zero also exposes Queensland to more frequent and more intense natural disasters.
“More than any other state, Queenslanders live the reality of climate change every single summer and it’s now starting earlier,” he will say.
“And despite us knowing that climate change will drive even more disasters, the Federal Coalition has just told Queenslanders they don’t care.”
He will say it’s only a matter of time “this merry band of climate deniers bring their high power price crusade to the Queensland LNP”.
Although the Queensland LNP government remains committed to net zero by 2050, Senator Watt says it’s inevitable federal Coalition MPs will try and chip away support for net zero from their state colleagues’.
Senator Watt will also use the speech to drum up further momentum to pass the government’s environment law reforms next week, before federal parliament rises for the year.
Dozens of business groups united this week in calling on Labor and the Coalition to work together to make “sensible” changes to the draft laws.
The Coalition knows it will need to make compromises in order to pass the laws, and it’s understood they would rather do that than push the government into the Greens’ lap.
Treasurer Jim Chalmers said on Wednesday he would prefer to work with the Coalition to pass the laws, but Labor would do what was necessary to see the changes bedded down.
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