Dozens of Qld coal companies hurt by Labor’s emissions plan: LNP

Labor’s Pat Conroy doesn’t regret “one iota” his comments about the impact of the party’s coal mine plan. It comes after the Coalition was allegedly caught “walking both sides of the street”.

Labor’s Pat Conroy doesn’t regret “one iota” his comments about the impact of the party’s carbon emissions plan on coal mines.

Mr Conroy, who is the assistant spokesman for climate change, last week suggested coal mines would be carved out, posing the question as to whether Labor was telling electors different things.

“Not a single Australian coal mine will be impacted by our safeguards mechanism because their international competitors don’t face the requirement to reduce emissions,” Mr Conroy told the Nine Newspapers at the time.

On Tuesday Mr Conroy backed that statement, despite confusing and contradictory messaging having emerged from within the party, with opposition climate and energy spokesman Chris Bowen stating that coal mines would not be entirely exempt from the safeguards mechanism.

Mr Conroy said: “I don’t regret one iota because it’s true and you just have to look at our policy.”

Shadow Minister for International Development and the Pacific Pat Conroy, centre. Picture: Tim Hunter.

“We’ve been very clear on our policy from day one when it was released in early December,” he added.

“Fact one: We are not expanding the number of facilities covered by the safeguards mechanism, that’s around 250 facilities including about 60 coal mines.

“Fact two: The policy very clearly stated that when the clean energy regulator looked at the trajectories for each of the facility they will take into account two factors - one the available technology and emerging technology to allow that facility to reduce its emissions and very importantly, the comparative constraint that their international competitors face.”

It also comes despite Mr Albanese telling radio on Tuesday morning there would be no Carbon Tax ever. But that’s posed questions about how that promise will be fulfilled if the country’s highest emitters could be forced to buy carbon credits under the emissions reduction policy.

Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong. Picture: Tim Hunter.

Ms Wong also confirmed Labor wouldn’t sign the United Nations pledge to put an end to coal.

“We will do the right thing which is to put in place an economically sensible policy that delivers deductions by 2050 of net zero,” she said.

“That is the same way and responsible way to deal with climate.”

Asked whether it was necessary to block the approval of all new gas and coal projects given the importance of climate change, Ms Wong said: “What we should be doing is what Labor is doing which is sending out a clear policy, a clean framework to reduce emissions and a realistic pathway to get to net zero by 2030.”

OVERNIGHT

‘Flexible’: Now Coalition is accused of doublespeak on climate

There are 35 coal facilities employing 50,000 workers that will be hurt by Labor’s emissions reduction policy, according to a senior federal Coalition minister, but the Opposition says not a single mine will close under its plan.

But the Coalition faced controversy of its own, with its Flynn candidate Colin Boyce claiming the Government was “flexible” on its net zero by 2050 target, in contrast to other Liberal National MPs saying they were “absolutely committed”.

LNP candidate for Flynn Colin Boyce says the Government is “flexible” on net zero by 2050.

Labor accused them of walking both sides of the street, but Mr Boyce said people may have a mistaken view of his comments.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Scott Morrison will announce $275 million in new energy projects for Queensland today, including two hydrogen hubs and six carbon capture and storage projects, projected to create 5700 jobs after they open from 2025.

Labor’s climate change and energy spokesman Chris Bowen this week had to clarify that coal mines would be captured by the party’s policy but would not face “greater constraints” than international competitors, after one of its coal region MPs said “no single Australian coal mine would be impacted”.

The policy uses to “safeguard mechanism” to require the nation’s 215 biggest emitters progressively lower or offset their emissions with carbon credits.

Energy and Emissions Reduction Minister Angus Taylor said 35 of the 215 emitters were coal facilities in Queensland, employing about 50,000 workers.

“Let’s be very clear – Labor’s policies will hurt coalmines and Australian jobs that are vital to Queensland and Queenslanders,” Mr Taylor said.

“Chris Bowen has a clear message for Queenslanders – coal, and the jobs and industries supported by Australia’s coal sector are under threat from Labor’s carbon policy.”

But Opposition spokesman for Queensland resources Murray Watt said Labor’s modelling showed “no coal mine would close as a result of our policy”.

“No facility, no coalmine, no smelter, no refinery, will be put at a disadvantage compared to their international competitors under Labor’s policy,” he said.

Senator Murray Watt

Meanwhile, Mr Boyce told ABC Radio yesterday the party’s net-zero policy was “a flexible plan”.

“It leaves us wiggle room as we proceed into the future … (Scott) Morrison’s statement that he has made is not binding,” he said.

LNP Member for Leichhardt Warren Entsch said he was “absolutely committed” to making sure Australia beat the net-zero 2050 target.

“I don’t understand why he’s said that. Good luck to him (Mr Boyce), but I’m going to focus on Leichhardt,” he said.

Senator Watt said the Coalition was walking both sides of the street on net zero.

“They’ve got people out there saying completely different things, because they’re trying to harness votes in different parts of the country,” he said.

Mr Boyce sought to clarify any “mistaken view” of his comments, saying the Coalition had a clear plan to achieve zero emissions.

“Our policies allow Australia to be a leader in low emissions technologies, while also positioning our regions, and areas like Flynn, to prosper,” he said.

Mr Morrison will announce $70 million each for two hydrogen hubs, one in Gladstone and one in Townsville, as well as funding ranging from $5-25 million for CCS in Gladstone and the Surat Basin.

“Queensland is playing an important role in delivering on our economic plan by supercharging the state’s position as a global energy powerhouse, grow export opportunities and create thousands more jobs, particularly in regional Queensland,” he said.

Originally published as Dozens of Qld coal companies hurt by Labor’s emissions plan: LNP