Hunter-based NSW Nationals Senator Ross Cadell today welcomed the news that Minister Chris Bowen would be visiting the Hunter tomorrow, hoping he could explain to Hunter families why they are paying up to 58% more for energy under his government rather than saving $275 per year as he promised.

“No matter if Minister Bowen is coming to the valley to explain why his Hydrogen plans have delayed the first power from the Kurri gas-fired power station by more than a year, or to apologise for forcing our Hunter native Paul Broad to step down from running Snowy Hydro because he told the truth, it is a pleasure to have him here.” Senator Cadell said.

“Whilst the Liddell power station is undoubtedly old and past its effective used-by date, it is hoped that Minister Bowen will use the opportunity to release the findings of the government research* on estimated Job losses from the combined closures of Liddell, Bayswater, and Eraring, all scheduled in the near future.”

In the March 2022 Budget, the Morrison-Joyce Government announced the $7.1 billion Energy Security and Regional Development Plan, to boost regional and national income, and accelerate job creation, the Labor Government gutted this plan and are yet to announce what support they will provide for the Regions transition.

Alternatively, he could visit Tomago Aluminium which employs over 1000 FTE staff as well as 200 contractors and contributes $2.2 billion annually to the Australian economy to guarantee their energy supply and price competitiveness for the long term to protect those jobs.

Senator Cadell said the NSW Nationals believe in a lower emissions energy mix, but it must be done in a way that ensures we keep the lights on and our fridges cold, delivering confidence to business keeping people employed and prices low. The Labor Government is bulldozing its way to Net Zero in a way that does none of those three things.

The Hunter, Central Coast and New England Renewable Energy Zones are a key part of the plan but firming for them doesn’t come in the form of a battery that could power all the Hunter for mere minutes, In Hydrogen that is not yet being produced anywhere near the quantities needed, or in the single pumped hydrogen project that is a fraction of demand.

“I ask the Minister to take 2 minutes from his celebratory “coal is dead” tour and tell the people of the Hunter what the plan is to keep the lights on and the prices down,” Senator Cadell concluded

Media contact: Josh Hodges 0411 135 367

Coal Fired Power Station (CFPS) Closures document attached is the internal DCCEEW Upper Hunter report to government.
Estimated Impacts of CFPS and Associated Coal-Mine Closures -Upper Hunter
Question time link 29 November 2022 - https://youtu.be/LLDnOPlYqnQ