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Katter issues warning against FNQ ‘vandalism’
October 6, 2022
QUEENSLANDERS could enjoy cheap, reliable power without turning the state’s natural wonders into “industrial wastelands”, Kennedy MP Bob Katter says.
Mr Katter has been supportive of the Ravenshoe and Atherton Tablelands communities opposing wind farms at Kaban and Chalumbin, which the member said were a deadly threat to native bird species.
Speaking after Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk had “switched on” Kaban on Tuesday, Mr Katter said he had formally requested Federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek to not give permits for the 94-turbine project at Chalumbin.
“We have given notice that North Queensland will not tolerate any further vandalism which has been imposed upon us,” Mr Katter said.
“Or else there will be serious protests.”
Mr Katter said he feared the Queensland Government’s $62bn energy plan featuring multiple wind farms, solar, and two dams with pumped hydroelectricity stations would lead to higher electricity prices, and potential blackouts.
“The problem with intermittent power is, that it’s intermittent. Northern Europe has already tried the experiment of intermittent power, they quite literally froze to death during their winter.
“Pumped hydro means what it says, you’ve got to pump water up and you lose up to 20 per cent of your electricity on the up, then another 15 per cent on the down through natural inefficiencies. Those losses will drive up the price for the consumer.”
Mr Katter said a hydroelectricity plant at the Hells Gate dam, built to the proposed Bradfield Scheme height of 395m above sea level made more sense.
“Hells Gate has the height, there’s no pumping required. A dam at that height means the water can also be sent to Townsville via a gravity-fed pipeline, which would create hydroelectricity and provide urban and industrial water for Townsville.
“Building the dam at 395m above sea level would also allow 130,000ha of irrigation for industrial purposes like ethanol and algae production, timber, cattle-fattening, petrol and energy production.”
Mr Katter said before the mass introduction of renewable energy, consumers were paying about $800 a year for their electricity, and now it was close to $3000.
He said the only justification for the price increase was either the reserve resource policy for coal had been abolished or the increased costs were subsidising expensive renewables such as solar.
“Now, I don’t believe in climate change, but I absolutely agree we need to reduce our CO2 levels.
“I’m confident the Katter’s Australian Party can secure the balance of power at the next state election and I pray we will restore a reserve resource policy for coal and build coal-fired power stations in North Queensland with algae ponds to remove CO2 and deliver cheap electricity,” Mr Katter said.
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