Newsroom

April 24, 2022

Katter’s Australian Party (KAP) Leader and Traeger MP Robbie Katter says a Spanish energy giant’s purchase of a western Queensland wind farm is proof that CopperString 2.0 will deliver for the region as pressure mounts on both Governments to fast-track building the transmission infrastructure.

Following Iberdrola’s purchase of the development rights to the proposed Mount James Wind Farm about 80 kilometres north of Hughenden, Mr Katter said the wind farm was just one of many major energy projects that would be developed when CopperString was built.

He called on both Queensland and Australian Governments to bring forward construction of the project.

“Both major parties hang their hats on commitments to CopperString and development of the energy and mineral resources along the Townsville to Mount Isa corridor,” he said.

“Iberdrola’s purchase of the Mount James project sends a crystal-clear message that both Governments need to get on with building CopperString so this $2 billion wind farm and the dozens of other projects along the corridor can begin construction.”

Both Governments have pumped hundreds of millions of dollars into renewables and hydrogen projects in southern parts of Queensland and yet their promises to North Queensland remain unfulfilled despite the private sector crying out for enabling infrastructure.

“I’ve spoken to dozens of mining and energy companies in the North-West and Townsville and they continue to say how important CopperString is for unlocking the wealth of projects in the region, and yet both Governments continue drag their feet,” Mr Katter said.

“The best they seem to come up with is piecemeal subsidy electric vehicle schemes and inquiry after inquiry – this all sounds nice but it doesn’t get the minerals out of the ground or the wind turbines turning.”

Mr Katter’s calls to fast-track CopperString’s development follows correspondence to the Queensland Treasurer enquiring about the Government’s plan to grow the economy and create jobs by overcoming development barriers in the North-West Minerals Province (NWMP) ahead of a forecast minerals boom set to double copper consumption and almost quadruple nickel consumption by 2050.

Mr Katter said the delivery of CopperString would bring down the region’s astronomical power prices, enable major mining and renewable energy investments like the Hughenden wind farm, and allow mining to commence on decades’ worth of increasingly valuable minerals.