June 16, 2022
Katter’s Australia Party (KAP) Federal Member for Kennedy, Bob Katter, and his son, KAP leader and Member for Traeger, Robbie Katter, have together slammed the Prime Minster and Energy Minister’s announcement today which encourages a more aggressive push toward renewable energy[i], a move they agree is disastrous given the turbulent power situation currently unfolding.
Mr Katter Snr said the complete opposite action should be taken and criticised the Minister for Climate Change and Energy’s comments that “Australia has turned the ‘climate corner’[ii] as being ‘void of intellect’.
“I have very great respect for Anthony Albanese, and I remain confident that there will be a vast gulf between his rhetoric and reality, but would someone please tell the fanatical free market puppet, Chris Bowen, that in Queensland the lights are going out,” he said.
“The issue of electricity is not a Federal function; it is a State function, an ALP State Government function. And the Federal Government pressuring them to go to more renewables will considerably worsen the situation.
“The more you impose intermittent power and a free market ideology, then the worse the situation will become.
“When I was Minister for Mines and Energy, the Government had 30 percent of our power on standby. They have not been at the disposal of the grid because of the prohibitive cost and limited access that Australians have to Australia’s gas.
“Thanks to the State and Federal Governments, we sold all our gas for 6c a unit and now we Australians have to buy it back for $16 a unit.
“In my electorate, we have seen a staggering $200 million loss in value in one mine alone due to intermittent power problems.
“The rest of the world are enjoying stabilised power costs because they have a reserve resource policy. Our government represents foreign companies, and some mythical and dangerous creature called the ‘stock-market’.
“Essential services must be in the hands of the Australian people and until these free marketeer socialists got into power in Queensland, we had the most secure supply in Australia. Now, clearly there is no adequate emergency supply and all they want is more intermittent power.”
KAP leader and Member for Traeger, Robbie Katter, said that coal-fired power was more critical now than ever before and objected to the statements made by the Prime Minister and Energy Minister today.
“There is no scenario here where we don’t have a critical requirement for coal-fired power in our energy future,” Mr Katter Jnr said.
“Direct reports to us from inside power stations is that they are all being geared up to shut down which can only create more severe occurrences of the situation we have now.
“During this crisis, for them to suggest a move to more renewables is irresponsible to say the least and furthermore, I never thought I’d see the day that I’d see the Labor Party advocating for private and mostly foreign-owned power generators to take over.”
[i] https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-06-16/australia-updates-emissions-reduction-target-paris-agreement/101157008
[ii] https://7news.com.au/politics/australia-updates-un-climate-submission-c-7179509
[et_pb_text admin_label="EDIT - use %22ADD MEDIA%22 button to insert PDF" _builder_version="4.6.5" text_font_size="16px"]20220616 Katters slam fed plan to push renewable route to solve power crisis MR