The Hon Michelle Landry
Federal Member for Capricornia
Assistant Minister for Children and Families
Assistant Minister for Northern Australia
Senator the Hon Matthew Canavan
Senator for Queensland
Deputy Leader of the Nationals in the Senate
MEDIA RELEASE
Senator Jenny McAllister and the Labor Party have today lodged a notice to disallow the legislative instrument that will provide funding for the feasibility study for Australia’s first 1 GW HELE coal-fired power station in Collinsville.
The legislative instrument to allow funding for the Collinsville power station was lodged on Monday by Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction Angus Taylor MP.
Ms Landry said she is disappointed but not surprised by the Labor Party’s attack on Central and Northern Queensland’s regional communities.
“Last week, I urged the Labor Party to stand on the side of our coal jobs and the resources industry but unfortunately, they have failed spectacularly to do so, proving once again they’ve abandoned workers and their families.
“While we expected the Greens to oppose the legislative instrument, I didn’t expect the former workers party to oppose a project which stands to deliver cheaper power prices, more employment opportunities and a raft of economic benefits to Collinsville.
“We saw their infighting on full display at the last federal election. Now, they have left no doubt in the minds of Central and North Queenslanders that the Labor Party has abandoned them,” Ms Landry said.
Senator for Queensland Matt Canavan said the Labor Party sided with the Greens over hardworking regional families.
“Once again Labor has deserted its working-class roots to side with Green activists who oppose coal. The green left remains in control of the once proud Labor party and no matter how many times Joel Fitzgibbon dons a hi-vis shirt, Labor’s opposition to coal power shows that he is all shirt and no shovel.
“If Labor won’t support coal fired power stations here, how can you rely on them to support the export of our coal to power stations overseas?
“The people of Queensland voted for the Coalition in droves last year which included our policy to support coal power in North Queensland. By trying to stop this, the Labor party is once again ignoring Queenslanders,” Mr Canavan said.
The Senate is expected to vote on the disallowance motion today.
Shine Energy’s proposed 1GW HELE coal-fired power station in Collinsville is expected to create 2000 jobs during construction and 600 operational jobs.
