‘We’re being prudent’: Barnaby responds to Collinsville ‘gaslighting’

Deputy Prime Minister and Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce has responded to an energy boss’s claim the Government is gaslighting a Queensland project.

The Nationals still support a coal-fired power station for north Queensland, but need to make sure the Collinsville proposal adds up, Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce said.

It follows Shine Energy boss Ashley Dodd, who is behind the proposal, saying the Federal Government was “gaslighting north Queensland” over the project.

The Coalition promised more than $3 million for a feasibility study into the proposal in the lead up to the 2019 election, but the study is yet to be finalised.

Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce says he supports a business case for the Collinsville power station. Picture: Supplied by Mr Joyce’s office.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has previously played down the project going ahead, saying “if they stack up, they stack up”.

Mr Joyce said he supported the business case continuing and wanted to see it completed, but refrained from giving vocal support to the Collinsville project.

“Now we just have to make sure in the process of doing that business case that we’re being prudent with the taxpayers’ funds,” he said.

He said he remained supportive of a coal-fired power station in central or north Queensland in general.

“The Nationals, absolutely. The Nationals do support it,” he said.

Asked whether there would be support from the Liberal Party MPs, he said that was part of the Coalition.

“We have always been honest that there is a coalition between the Nationals and Liberals.

“The Labor Party cannot win without Greens preferences, have diametrically opposed positions.

“Not only do they (Greens) want to ban coal, they want to ban gas as well.”

Mr Dodd last week accused the Government of using the Collinsville project as a “political chess pawn” in a quest to hold on to power.

Opposition north Queensland and resources spokesman Murray Watt has said the Collinsville feasibility study had been a “fake promise”.

“It was always a lie, and that’s becoming clearer by the day,” he said.