Qld Opposition leader David Crisafulli ramps up resistance to Dutton’s nuclear plan
Energy Minister Mick di Brenni has slammed the state Opposition’s nuclear policy and warned that “Peter Dutton will get his way” despite reluctance from David Crisafulli.
QLD Politics
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Energy Minister Mick de Brenni has accused Opposition Leader David Crisafulli of lying to Queenslanders about his anti-nuclear stance, saying the LNP had no other option than to continue burning coal.
It comes as Mr Crisafulli refused to bow to pressure from Queensland-based federal Coalition MPs to back Peter Dutton’s controversial nuclear energy policy, brushing off suggestions the division could damage his chances at this year’s state election.
Coalition MPs, including Matt Canavan and Colin Boyce, have called on Mr Crisafulli to support plans for a national nuclear energy strategy including converting Queensland’s Tarong and Callide power stations into nuclear reactors.
Mr de Brenni on Saturday slammed Mr Crisafulli’s nuclear position.
“Peter Dutton will get his way, he will take Queenslanders’ power stations off them and turn them into nuclear power stations,” he said.
“It will take him decades to do that and they will burn coal for decades in the meantime.”
Asked on Saturday whether the government had got it wrong, after polling by the Coalition showed more than half of residents living near the proposed nuclear plants agreed they should replace coal, Mr de Brenni said Mr Crisafulli had not been honest with Queenslanders.
“When it comes to nuclear, Queenslanders know that David Crisafulli is weak, that he would cower to Peter Dutton and that David Crisafulli would build nuclear power stations in Queensland,” he said.
“That is what Queenslanders know today.
“His only answer is nuclear. Queensland workers in heavy industry can’t afford for their businesses not to decarbonise because their jobs will disappear.”
Mr Boyce on Thursday launched a stinging attack on Mr Crisafulli’s stance, calling on him to “put his big girl pants on” and back the policy.
But speaking to media on the Gold Coast yesterday, Mr Crisafulli reiterated that nuclear energy was “not part of our plan” and insisted the “differences of opinion” between state and federal conservatives were “healthy”.
Asked if the LNP infighting was a bad look in the lead-up to the October election, he said he took “a different view”.
“I like being a member of a political party where people can have different views and express those different views – that’s the difference between us and the Labor Party,” he said.
“Canberra will have a different view on this issue, I understand that, but I want Queenslanders to know that we’ve got a plan and we’re focusing on the issues that Queenslanders tell us are important to them.
“Of course there’ll be differences of opinion (between) different levels of government; that’s OK, that’s healthy.”
Mr de Brenni said any nuclear plan would lead to higher energy bills for Queenslanders, and dismissed the LNPs proposal to build small pumped hydro plants around the state, saying they would need to build at least 70 to achieve the same energy supply as large-scale renewables.
But he refused to reveal when the costs for the government’s alternative Burkedikin pumped hydro plan would be revealed to Queenslanders, with current estimates putting the project at a minimum $18bn.
“We have modelled our power plant to deliver Queenslanders $150 per annum cheaper power bills by 2032,” he said.
“The CSIRO, an independent, respected organisation has modelled the costs of (Peter Duttons) nuclear plan, nuclear under their plan cost six times what it does of renewables.
“How could building 70 (small pumped hydro) projects be more achievable?”
Mr Crisafulli said the state opposition already had an “affordable, reliable and sustainable” energy plan, including bringing the Callide power plant back online and “achievable” small-pumped hydro-electricity projects.
It comes as Mr Dutton said people would be “pleasantly surprised” when they finally saw the price tag for the Coalition’s nuclear energy plan.
The federal Opposition Leader on Wednesday released some details of the plan but did not release costings on it but said it would happen “very soon”.
“It’s a lot of money, there’s no question about that, but this is an investment for 80 years,” he said.
Mr Dutton said the Coalition was “happy” to have the debate on the costs, adding they would be a “fraction” of Anthony Albanese’s $1.2 trillion renewables plan.
Labor minister Bill Shorten slammed the “nuclear fantasy”.
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