Darren Chester (Gippsland, National Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Roads and Regional Transport) Share this | Hansard source

Those opposite like to claim that our concerns about the carbon tax have been exaggerated. But as part of the carbon tax this government has a plan to use taxpayers' money to shut down 2,000 megawatts of coal-fired power stations and just sack the workers. I notice that we never get a Dorothy Dixer on contract for closure. They never mention contract for closure, because it is a dud of a policy and I think the Minister for Resources and Energy knows it. The negotiations have failed miserably. The negotiations were meant to be concluded on 30 June, but now the minister has an unlimited extension to try to get this done.

The contract-for-closure policy is causing a crisis of confidence throughout the regional communities that are exposed to it. In the Latrobe Valley, 580 workers at Hazelwood Power Station would lose their jobs. That is about $100 million in lost wages to one community alone if this government has its way with contract for closure.

So, I call on the minister to abandon this dud policy. At the same time I call on members of the Labor Party to start standing up for blue-collar workers in my electorate, to actually start standing up for the workers you used to represent. Reject this stupid policy. You know it is a dud policy. You know contract for closure will not work. You know you are wasting taxpayers' money. Start standing up for Latrobe Valley blue-collar workers before you wreak havoc on the economy of my region.

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