Crisafulli Government succumbs to coal lobbyists, putting clean energy and Reef jobs at risk

The Queensland Conservation Council (QCC) says the Crisafulli Government's latest coal deal shows it is more focused on keeping the coal industry on side than investing in regional futures.

The deal is an attempt to keep the coal industry happy after months of relentless campaigning to reduce coal royalties. It involves Argo Queensland's acquisition of a controlling stake in Fitzroy Australia Resources, a move that locks the state into long-term coal production at Carborough Downs, Broadlea and Ironbark mines.

The conservation council warns that extending the life of a dwindling industry ignores the far larger clean energy job opportunities and Reef-dependent jobs at stake.

Queensland Conservation Council campaigner, Ms Charlie Cox, says

This deal makes one thing clear: rather than investing in regional futures, the Crisafulli Government is bending over backwards to keep the coal industry on side.

The Crisafulli Government likes to talk about jobs while at the same time risking 15,800 clean energy jobs in Queensland (PDF 5.6mb) by derailing our energy transformation and axing new renewable projects. Not to mention the 77,000 reef jobs that rely on a healthy climate.

Every year of extra coal production puts more pressure on those jobs while asking coal workers to shoulder the risk as global markets shift away.

We need to be realistic that the global demand for our coal is expected to tank even further in the coming years. It’s the role of responsible governments to plan for the future and invest in new clean export opportunities to future-proof regional economies.

Instead we see the Crisafulli Government bow to the pressure of the powerful fossil fuel lobby. Propping up a shrinking coal workforce is a stall tactic that holds regional communities back from the real economic opportunities already on the table.

The fact is, royalties are incredibly popular with regional Queenslanders, and the Treasurer and Premier know the political price they will pay if they walk away from the one policy that ensures Queenslanders get a fair share of coal super profits.

The coal industry will no doubt continue to move the goal posts until their profits are locked in, no matter the cost to the rest of us. Making more deals to prolong our reliance on a dwindling industry is not the answer.

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