David Crisafulli’s announcement yesterday that he will keep Queensland’s coal-fired power stations open indefinitely is a welcome shift in the energy debate.
It was inevitable.
Crisafulli’s foolish refusal to embrace nuclear energy means the only viable alternative to keep the lights on is coal or gas.
Family First has been saying this for years – you cannot power a modern economy on wishful thinking and unreliable renewables.
For too long, Australia has been locked in an ideological battle over energy, with net-zero fantasies and the reckless push to dismantle our reliable baseload power.
The reality, however, is catching up fast.
The consequences of closing coal stations prematurely without adequate alternatives are becoming all too clear.
Now, faced with the prospect of energy shortages and skyrocketing bills, Crisafulli’s move to safeguard affordable and reliable energy is finally reflecting common sense.
Queensland’s young fleet of coal plants can provide affordable electricity for decades to come, but it requires a commitment to reality.
And Crisafulli’s refusal to set a renewable energy target, despite voting in Parliament recently to support the Labor-Green targets, acknowledges what Family First has been calling out for years – the lights go out when ideology trumps reality.
Mums and Dads struggling with sky-rocketing electricity bills have footed the bill for the subsidies handed out by both sides of politics to windmills and solar factories that don’t work.
They have paid a high and unnecessary price.
With Crisafulli finally recognising the need to keep coal in the mix, we may be on the brink of a long-overdue shift in the energy debate. Reality is winning.