Michelle Landry (Capricornia, National Party) Share this | Hansard source

Coal continues to be the backbone of global electricity generation and still makes up 40 percent of global electricity. Because it is relatively affordable and widely available, coal remains the world's No. 1 fuel for generating electricity, producing steel and making cement. Australia is leading the way internationally in clean coal technology. Black coal from Queensland is the most energy-efficient in the world in terms of kinetic output per unit of coal burned.

Australia can and should be leading the way in developing HELE coal-fired power plants to produce more electricity with less coal at less cost. Our domestic energy supply and pricing can be supported by high efficiency, low emission coal-fired power generation technology. Around the world, over 1,200 plants are under construction achieving over 45 per cent efficiencies. Australia has none planned. How can we plan them when new investment in coal is constantly delayed?

We must ensure Australia's power supplies are affordable for the everyday household. We absolutely need to ensure businesses can remain competitive on a global scale. On a recent trip to the Pioneer Valley in my electorate of Capricornia, a sugarcane grower told me that the electricity required to pump water was costing $9 a tonne. They are considering switching to diesel. In Rockhampton, Dobinsons Spring and Suspension's power costs have tripled in 10 years. Solar installation has helped, but it is no use for early morning furnace operations. They too are considering diesel. If they cannot be competitive, they cannot afford to grow and hire more people. It is that simple. If these companies fail, jobs for working families go with them. I do not think the city greens comprehend the repercussions to both industry and the environment if businesses cannot afford to operate. Labor is literally fuelling the fire by continuing to side with the Greens. It is irresponsible for the economy, it does nothing for the environment and it is creating a business environment that is unsustainable. But at least they can sleep in their air-conditioned comfort with the distorted belief they are somehow helping.

High efficiency, low emissions power plants deliver secure, affordable energy while lowering CO2 emissions. It is why these technologies are a central element of many nations' plans to meet the Paris climate change agreement. Some 725 units are operating in East Asia with a further 1,142 installations under construction or planned. As the adoption of carbon capture and storage technologies increases, these emissions savings will increase to 90 per cent. HELE coal generation offers many advantages and is the only power source to meet all of the following elements for sound energy policy: it is a low cost power source to build and operate; availability stretches 24 hours a day, every day; we have access to a high quality domestic fuel source without supply concerns; it is synchronous power not susceptible to supply interruptions and outages; and, as an established grid participant, it does not require expensive network upgrades. These technologies should be part of Australia's efforts to meet its emissions reduction targets while maintaining affordable and secure energy supply.

We learnt through the forced closure of Hazelwood coal-fired power station that we need to ensure there is sufficient, stable, baseload power available to consumers. The Queensland Labor government is denying Capricornia vital jobs and business competitiveness by labelling a clean coal-fired power station as 'not rational'. Imagine this: we build one of the world's most efficient super-critical coal-fired power stations in Northern Australia. We use some of the world's cleanest coal to generate Queensland's electricity needs. We employ hundreds of people to build them. We employ more Central Queenslanders to run them. We make some money. We use that money to build infrastructure and create more jobs. With a healthy economy, we are able to invest in even more efficient and renewable energy supplies. Australia used to be the country of innovation, forward thinking and a go-get-'em attitude. (Time expired)

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