Labor MP Chris Bowen’s huge call on coal-fired power stations

Labor’s Chris Bowen has made a huge call about coal-fired power stations while addressing a climate change debate.

Labor frontbencher Chris Bowen has said there will be no new coal fired power stations built in Australia.

The Opposition’s climate and energy spokesman also said the current coal fired power stations would close regardless of which party was in government.

“I’m prepared to acknowledge that — the government isn’t,” he told an online climate change event on Friday.

Mr Bowen made the remarks as he took questions from journalists and other members of the audience at a webinar hosted by progressive think tank The Australia Institute.

The event was billed as a pre-election debate on climate change between Mr Bowen and his Coalition counterpart Angus Taylor.

Labor frontbencher Chris Bowen has made a big declaration about the future of Australia’s energy industry. Picture: Liam Kidston

But the Energy and Emissions Reduction Minister turned down the invitation to take part.

A spokesman for Mr Taylor said The Australia Institute was “nothing but a front” for the Greens and the left of the Labor Party.

“Chris Bowen is debating his favourite person – himself,” the spokesman said.

“My Taylor has accepted a request from 2GB for a debate with Mr Bowen. We understand Mr Bowen has not yet responded to these requests.”

Speaking at the event, Mr Bowen accused the Morrison government of pretending the new coal fired power station in the central Queensland town of Collinsville would be built.

“Well, I’ve got to say, I do not believe that is that is a promise which they will keep,” he said.

“There won’t be new coal fired power in Australia. And I’m prepared to say so.”

The federal government controversially committed $3.6m to Shine Energy in 2020 to conduct a feasibility study into the Collinsville plant.

Energy Minister Angus Taylor turned down the invitation to debate Chris Bowen. Picture: Jason Edwards

Shine’s chief executive officer Ashley Dodd last month took an extraordinary swipe at the Morrison government over the project, saying it had stalled.

“The Morrison Government are gaslighting North Queensland Communities with their failure to provide Shine Energy with a clear direction on the future of the Collinsville project,” Mr Dodd said, as reported by the Courier Mail.

Mr Bowen on Friday said the phasing out of ageing coal fired power stations would need to be managed through increasinging the supply of renewable energy, as well as the “massive task” of improving power storage.

He said job losses could be mitigated by retraining people in the manufacturing of renewables, before spruiking Labor’s energy policies which he said would create 640,000 jobs with five of six of those in regional Australia.

“You will never find me or Albo or anyone in Labor saying inner city people care about climate change and regional Australians will pay the price. That’s a lie,” he said.

The webinar followed debates hosted by the National Press Club between key ministers and Labor spokespeople on key debates including agriculture and defence.

The Australia Institute’s climate and energy director Richie Merzian said Mr Taylor declined the invitation to participate in the debate, and did not send a spokesman or provide a statement.

“Australia deserves a contest of ideas on climate change and like many Australians we were disappointed the responsible minister did not participate in this debate, nor any that we know of,” Mr Merzian said.

Originally published as Labor MP Chris Bowen’s huge call on coal-fired power stations