COAL-FIRED power generation in North Queensland sparked heated debate in the Senate this week, with Greens and Labor objecting to a feasibility study into a Collinsville power station.
The $3.4 million feasibility study into Australia's first 1GW High-Efficiency, Low Emmission at Collinsville was committed to by Prime Minister Scott Morrison during the 2019 federal election campaign.
But this week, NSW Senator Jenny McAllister, supported by Greens Senator Larissa Waters attempted to block funding being spent on the study.
Nationals Senate Leader Bridget McKenzie dubbed it a scandalous move which showed Labor had aligned itself with the extreme left and completely abandoned the very people they were established to represent.
Townsville-based Senator for Queensland Susan McDonald said the move was proof the Labor was no longer the party blue-collar workers could trust.
"Labor's reliance on Greens preferences has resulted in them no longer representing Queensland workers, especially those in mining and other blue-collar jobs," she said.
"Shine Energy's proposed Collinsville power station is projected to provide 2000 jobs during construction and 600 operational jobs, not to mention cheaper power for thousands of working families.
"It is to Labor's eternal shame that they would rather appease the Greens and climate change activists than the very people who put faith in them to ensure they have good-paying, long-term jobs in regional Queensland."
Queensland Senator Matt Canavan while he appreciated other Senators were taking an interest in North Queensland, he queried why the thought of a feasibility study to provide power to the north was such a threat.
He pointed out that on Monday, 80 per cent of New South Wales' power was coal-fired and Victoria it was 67 per cent.
"I'll give you a guess what the figure is of coal-fired power being generated in North Queensland right now.
"You don't have to check a live app: it is zero. There are no coal-fired power stations in North Queensland.
"The last-the northernmost-coal-fired power station is at Stanwell... in Rockhampton, and anywhere north of that has no coal-fired power stations.
"As I said, they're welcome to have their views, but, to be clear, the view of a bunch of southern Queenslanders and the Labor and Greens parties is that it's okay for us here to rely for the majority of our power on coal-fired power-to power our homes, to keep our lights on, to keep the factories running. That's okay. But for North Queenslanders: you can't touch it, you can't have any of it."
