South Burnett Council reveals plans for Tarong power shutdown

Tarong Power Station workers are no longer in the dark about what the future holds in a coal power-free Queensland with a new road map for the region revealed.

Ms Palaszczuk pledged to not leave regional workers or communities behind in this plan and will work with communities to develop regional economic futures strategies for regions where existing coal plants are located.

Plans to keep Tarong Power Station’s workforce in jobs when renewable energy takes over have been revealed under an ambitious road map laid out by the South Burnett Regional Council.

The council said it is seizing the opportunity to transition towards a clean future following Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk;s plans for Queensland to end reliance on coal-powered stations by 2035.

The plans will include repurposing water used to generate power for Tarong Power Station for productive agricultural use as it is expected that the station will close.

A council spokesman said it had been working hard to plan for this future, and to ensure that the region continues to thrive, not just survive.

“KBR (an engineering company) have been engaged to prepare an economic road map which will deliver food security for a growing Southeast Queensland population and local employment for transitioning workers.

Ms Palaszczuk pledged to not leave regional workers or communities behind, the release said, and the council’s plan and will work with communities to develop future strategies for regions where coal plants are located.

Member for Nanango Deb Frecklington was concerned about the 670 workers at Meandu Mine and Tarong Power Station who she said are rightfully wondering about their future.

“We all know that water represents hope and prosperity and the projects which have been highlighted in the report are ones which I have also been advocating for several years,” Mrs Frecklington said.

“However, the Palaszczuk Government has been in power for nearly eight years and their record on funding projects like this is appalling.”

Photo of Mayor Brett Otto, Cr Kirstie Schumacher, and KBR’s Matt Bradbury with the Economic Road Map Report, Wednesday, 2 November 2022.

The region has the right soil, a favourable climate, growing and generations of farming expertise to become an agricultural powerhouse.

A council spokesman said the only limitation is water availability.

“The Economic Road Map identifies areas of immediate potential for new irrigation, including additional storage in the Barker Barambah scheme, conversion of Gordonbrook to irrigation and expansion of the Blackbutt irrigation scheme,” he said.

Mayor Brett Otto said once community consultation is complete the council will be asking Ms Palaszczuk to invest in the region ensuring local jobs and the transition into a clean agricultural hub.

Councillor Kirstie Schumacher said the region has a role to play in powering the needs of Queenslanders now and into the future.

“We have carefully researched and investigated a transition package that will further diversify our economy and bolster our agricultural outputs, we know with the support of government we could establish irrigation schemes and a local transition authority,” Mrs Schumacher said.

“Our region currently produces $360M worth of agricultural production with emerging export opportunities, we know what we could achieve if we could just add water.

“This report is about enabling government to invest in water infrastructure and agriculture, which will create more jobs,” she said.

The plans were presented to councillors on Wednesday.

The council will arrange a series of public meetings and explain the local implications of the economic road map.