Coal over coral: LNP’s energy plan puts Great Barrier Reef listing at risk, ALP says

The LNP’s commitment to coal powering Queensland for at least two more decades threatens the Great Barrier Reef’s World Heritage listing while throwing into doubt the Federal government’s net zero targets, Opposition Leader Steven Miles says.

Member for Cairns Michael Healy, Opposition Leader, Steven Miles and Shadow Environment Minister, Leanne Linard are calling for the LNP to revise its emissions targets as part of its Energy Roadmap released last month. Picture: Samuel Davis

The LNP’s commitment to coal powering Queensland for at least two more decades threatens the Great Barrier Reef’s World Heritage listing while throwing the Federal government’s net zero targets into doubt, Opposition Leader Steven Miles says.

But Energy Minister David Janetzki has pushed back, arguing that its road map will still reduce emissions 75 per cent by 2035 before reaching net zero in 2050.

The Great Barrier Reef has experienced six mass bleaching events in the last nine years. Photo: Angelina Pilarinos

Labor campaigned during the state election to stop burning coal in the Sunshine State by 2035 with the Opposition Leader now warning that the LNP’s failure to put a closure date on

state-owned generators threatened the reef’s survival.

“The reef is worth $9bn to the Australian economy, supporting 77,000 jobs,” Mr Miles said during a visit to the Far North on Wednesday.

“Our Renewable Energy Plan, which would have achieved our renewable energy targets, was about delivering cheaper energy for Queenslanders, but it was also about saving the Great Barrier Reef.”

Treasurer and Energy Minister David Janetzki says Queenslanders would have higher power bills if it had endorsed Labor’s energy plans. Picture: Liam Kidston

The ALP’s plan would have led to major cost blowouts and higher power bills for Queenslanders, Mr Janetzki said.

“We’re delivering our Energy Roadmap with affordable, reliable, and sustainable energy that will save the average Queensland household from paying an extra $1035 a year they would have under Labor,” he said.

“That means energy system costs would have been $26 billion more to 2035.”

The LNP has pledged to work with big polluters in the transport and agriculture sectors, Mr Janetzki said.

“Our Energy Roadmap officially abolished the former Labor government’s decision to close coal units by 2035 regardless of their condition — that position was unrealistic, captured by ideology and fundamentally dishonest,” he said.

“We’ll work with Queensland industry sectors to develop achievable and practical plans to reduce emissions.”

The Great Barrier Reef has 600 different species of coral and 1600 different species of fish, supporting around 77,000 jobs nationally. Picture: Supplied

Mr Miles dismissed concerns that Federal Environment Minister Murray Watt’s proposed changes to environmental laws could pave the way to override environmental checks on select projects across Queensland.

In September, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese committed to cutting emissions up to 70 per cent by 2035, based on 2005 levels.

“The biggest problem for them to achieve their goals and their commitments under the climate treaty is Queensland,” the Opposition Leader said.

“Queensland is not just 20 per cent of the country’s population, but our emissions are greater than that per capita.

“And so Queensland is crucial to being able to achieve those national targets. And they simply won’t be able to do it with the so-called energy roadmap that David Crisafulli has developed.”

A failure to arrest climate change would cost Queenslanders jobs and its natural wonders, Shadow Environment Minister Leanne Linard said.

“Over the last nine years we have seen six major bleaching events across our Great Barrier Reef,” Ms Linard said.

Originally published as Coal over coral: LNP’s energy plan puts Great Barrier Reef listing at risk, ALP says