2015-12-14
Premier Palaszczuk's comments on ABC last night that Queensland will always be reliant on coal and her go-slow on the Queensland Renewable Energy Target are at odds with the Paris agreement.
"The Labor Government is proving just as bad as Campbell Newman's when it comes to pushing ahead with new coal mines and they're failing to keep their promises to support renewable energy," Senator Larissa Waters, Australian Greens climate change spokesperson, said.
"In the lead up to the state election, Labor promised action on a Queensland Renewable Energy Target of 50% by 2030.
"But now in government, they've gone quiet on the plan, and the Premier is putting off any announcements until next year.
"The world is transitioning rapidly to the clean energy future and Queensland will miss out on trade and employment opportunities if the Palaszczuk Government continues to lag.
"The Premier's assertion that our Sunshine State will always be reliant on coal is ludicrous.
"Try telling that to the thousands of workers who have been sacked by the coal industry recently without a transition plan being provided by the big parties.
"The coal industry is in structural decline and we need a transition plan to provide jobs in 21st century industries, like clean energy, which doesn't ruin tourism and agriculture jobs as the coal industry does," Senator Waters said.
Read the Greens' plan to protect coal workers here.
Read the Greens' plan to achieve 90 per cent renewable energy by 2030 here.