Dorinda Cox (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

A few weeks ago I met with the Gas Free Hunter Alliance, a community group opposing the Kurri Kurri gas-fired power station. The Morrison-Joyce government is using $600 million in public funding to build a gas-fired power station in the Hunter that no-one in the community wants—what a sham! Kurri Kurri will only create 10 ongoing jobs. The skilled workers needed to build the infrastructure will be FIFO workers who will contribute very little to the local economy. This is despite the community asking for clean, ongoing jobs in non-polluting industries for hundreds of people now and into the future. Kurri Kurri will take at least 30 minutes to reach full capacity so it won't be able to respond quickly to demand peaks. Contrary to what the government will have you believe, New South Wales does not need another peaking gas power plant. It already has three.

A report by Victoria University also found the project has no prospect for generating enough revenue to justify its huge $600 million price tag. Kurri Kurri reeks of incompetence, dodgy donations and links to the Liberal Party. Gas is not a transition fuel; gas is as dirty as coal, and our communities don't want anything to do with it.

The Gas Free Hunter Alliance are calling for a clear transition to renewables and they don't want our public money being spent on propping up the last days of the fossil fuel industry. Today I am calling on the government to listen to the community and to abandon Kurri Kurri today.