Queensland families to pay the price as fossil fuel giant pockets over $70 million in public subsidies

While Queensland families struggle with soaring energy bills and rising living costs, the state's biggest polluters are being handed tens of millions in taxpayer-funded subsidies.

Kestrel Mine Resources, a profitable coal company, recently received over $70 million from state and federal governments to reduce emissions from one mine, while everyday Queenslanders are left scrambling for modest rebates on solar and energy efficiency programs.

As the Queensland election nears, the Queensland Conservation Council is calling on both parties to prioritise families over wealthy international corporations. Redirecting taxpayer funds into local investments like household energy efficiency and battery programs will provide real benefits to households, lower energy costs, and create a cleaner, more sustainable future for Queensland.

Queensland Conservation Council Climate Lead Jenny Brown, said:

Queenslanders are struggling with the rising cost of living, yet companies like Kestrel Coal Resources are being handed millions in public money. Those funds that could be far better spent supporting families.

It’s outrageous that after a $2 billion expansion, Kestrel Mine is receiving over $70 million in government subsidies for methane reduction. This is money they should be paying themselves as part of their environmental responsibilities.

With the Kestrel Mine being controlled by international companies this funding is handing our hard-earned public funds over to wealthy investors when it could be better spent on supporting local communities and families directly.

In stark contrast, the Queensland Government’s Climate Smart Energy Savers program, with a budget of just $44 million, helped over 72,000 households upgrade to energy-efficient appliances. Every dollar going to coal giants like Kestrel is a missed opportunity to help more families install solar panels and cut energy bills.

While reducing emissions is important, the impact is dwarfed by the methane and carbon Kestrel Mine will continue to emit for the next 16 years. These emissions will drive up food prices, insurance premiums, and energy bills, further worsening climate change. Yet, the government keeps funnelling public money into the industries causing the problem.

It's time for the State and Federal governments to make polluters pay, not Queensland families.

As the Queensland election approaches, both parties must stop funnelling taxpayer money to billionaire corporations and focus on delivering real support to families—Queenslanders deserve investment in their future, not in dying industries.

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Local renter, Lauren, from Brisbane, who has been unable to access any solar rebate programs, expressed her frustration:

As a renter, I don’t even have the option to install solar panels or take advantage of energy efficiency rebates but one mine is getting handed $70 million.

It’s infuriating that there’s plenty of money for corporations, but nothing for people like me who are just trying to keep up with rising costs.

We’re doing everything we can to save on power bills and reduce our emissions, but we have no access to programs that would actually make a difference. Watching these big companies get millions in public money just feels like a slap in the face.

The government should be helping everyday Queenslanders and renters like me, not throwing millions at fossil fuel companies. This is taxpayer money—why isn’t it going towards programs that would lower our bills and help us tackle climate change directly?

Banner image: Krupp coal stacker at RTCA Kestrel Mine by Bernard S. Jansen, under CC BY-SA 3.0

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