Steven Miles strolls through Canelands, pushes Ergon alternative and doubles down on pumped hydro
The once-secure safe seat could be at risk for the second time in a century, drawing the premier’s personal touch early in the campaign.
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Premier Steven Miles has doubled down on the pumped hydro build as the centrepiece of his energy strategy in a visit to Mackay focused on bringing energy costs down.
On day two of the election campaign the Labor leader took a tour of the Resources Centre of Excellence, which Labor promised a $5m investment to expand. The LNP is yet to match the promise.
Mr Miles noted the pumped hydro would deliver renewable energy to Queensland’s regional cities on the coast, while his deputy Cameron Dick claimed the LNP scrapping the project would cut 3000 construction jobs in Mackay.
Neither were able to give a total cost for the project — and the LNP is yet to detail its alternative energy plan which would allow Queensland to meet emissions targets.
The Daily Mercury asked the Premier whether Labor would match the $20m promised from the LNP for Mackay-Bucasia Rd the previous day.
Mr Miles said he didn’t think you get much for $20m.
“We have a study underway to determine what the best solution is, and how much that will cost,” he said.
“What Mackay locals know about me is once we complete those studies, we fund those projects, and we fund them to what it costs to deliver them, not to some made up number like the LNP.”
Burdekin Labor candidate Anne Baker has promised $157m for key coal roads, including the Peak Downs Hwy, back in July.
The LNP is yet to match that promise.
Sports investment
The LNP has also promised $800,000 to Hockey Mackay for a new indoor facility.
When asked if Labor would match that, Mr Miles said “We believe they deserve even more than that,” and to expect him back in Mackay later in his campaign.
It’s understood Hockey Mackay and Labor are in discussions for a larger amount of funding than the $800k.
The Daily Mercury also asked for a commitment from Labor it would invest whatever is necessary for Mackay to secure Olympic events — a one-in-100-year opportunity for our city.
“I’d love to see Olympic, Paralympic events here in Mackay,” Mr Miles said.
“I’m hopeful that cricket will be an event then and I believe Harrup Park would be a fantastic location to watch international cricket.”
Harrup Park’s Great Barrier Reef Arena has a proposal it has sent to the government, the $40m second stage of its development, which would also allow Paralympians — like Mackay’s Brayden Foxley-Conolly, Joshua Nicholson and Shae Graham — to train and play locally.
That development has been backed by Cathy Freeman, the hero of the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, and daughter of Mackay.
Meeting locals
The premier also took a stroll through Canelands around midday with Mackay candidate Belinda Hassan, and Whitsunday candidate Bauke Hovinga.
He spoke with a few shoppers, taking selfies with a mum and bub and some young people.
He was also confronted by a Mackay local fed up with the state of the Bruce Highway.
Stopping to get his shoes polished at Mister Minit, the Premier said he was glad he wasn’t wearing his socks with the holes in them as he took his boots off in front of the press pack.
The owner of the store, Ian, told the Daily Mercury he normally votes a bit bluer than Labor and sold Mr Miles some polish to keep his shoes in better condition.
When asked about Labor’s policy to bring in a government-owned competitor to Ergon in the regions, Ian said he’d like to see the detail but wasn’t against it, given how private-market energy retailers hadn’t done a great job in other states.
Every other person this masthead spoke with in Canelands said they were all for the new energy policy — if it brought power prices down.
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