Energy (Renewable Transformation and Jobs) Bill 2023

Passionately supported the bills and criticised the LNP for opposing renewable energy while claiming to support emissions targets, arguing they have no plan except nuclear power.

“I stand here as the member for Logan to passionately support renewable energy and the plan that we have put forward to the people. I commend this transformation of our electricity, but I absolutely condemn the LNP's privatisation plan and nuclear plan.”— 2024-04-18View Hansard

As Minister for Energy and Clean Economy Jobs, moved the bills and strongly advocated for Queensland's energy transition, emphasising job creation, public ownership of energy assets, and meeting renewable energy targets.

“These bills are a planned and methodical approach to enact real change, a change to bring more jobs and a healthier environment and a better future for our children and theirs. These are profound, multigenerational reforms.”— 2024-04-17View Hansard

Opposed the bill citing community concerns about wind farms, amendments introduced without committee scrutiny, potential disadvantage to coal-fired power stations like Millmerran, and disregard for rural communities.

“I will not be supporting the Energy (Renewable Transformation and Jobs) Bill 2023. I think it suggests a continuing disregard for the interests, the views and the lifestyles of people in country areas like the ones I represent. I condemn the bill before the House.”— 2024-04-18View Hansard

As committee chair, strongly supported the bills, highlighted extensive consultation process including regional hearings, and praised the Queensland Energy Workers' Charter and workforce transition planning.

“I rise to support the Energy (Renewable Transformation and Jobs) Bill 2023 and the Clean Economy Jobs Bill 2024. I am pleased the LNP will be supporting both of these bills in cognate, but I would ask—as the member for Bonney just said—what is their pathway to the targets?”— 2024-04-17View Hansard

Strongly supported the bills as Deputy Premier, emphasising public ownership of energy assets and rejecting the LNP's amendments that would remove majority public ownership requirements.

“On behalf of every member of the government on this side of the House, on behalf of every member of the Australian Labor Party, on behalf of every member of every affiliated trade union, I say this: Queensland Labor rejects the LNP's plan for privatised power. We reject the LNP's plan for nuclear power.”— 2024-04-18View Hansard

As shadow minister, stated LNP supports renewable energy and the targets but cannot support legislating them without a credible pathway, expressing concerns about pumped hydro costs, lack of business cases, and impacts on regional communities.

“To make it really clear, the LNP does support renewable energy. Queensland is the Sunshine State, but we are also lucky to have windy ranges and many of the local critical minerals and rare earths that the future economy will need.”— 2024-04-17View Hansard

Opposed the bill arguing it amounts to privatisation by stealth, that renewable targets are unrealistic, and that wind farms destroy natural habitat while coal and gas still provide 60-85% of energy.

“I believe the government through this bill—if this is really down pat, and I cannot see it—will destroy the state economy, destroy regional communities and destroy regional jobs.”— 2024-04-18View Hansard

Strongly supported the bills, praising the Queensland SuperGrid blueprint and criticising the opposition for lacking credible alternatives on emissions reduction.

“The targets we set are a clear sign to markets and investors across the world that Queensland is a climate change powerhouse and a preferred location for clean energy investment.”— 2024-04-17View Hansard

As Premier, strongly supported the bills arguing they set Queensland's path for a clean economy future with renewable energy and pumped hydro, contrasting with the LNP's nuclear option which would be more expensive and take longer.

“Only Labor will fight for Queensland's future. Only Labor will deliver the investment in the pumped hydro energy storage, the SuperGrid and the renewable energy that will be needed.”— 2024-04-18View Hansard

As committee member, stated LNP supports renewable energy but raised concerns about workforce shortages, unrealistic timelines, reliance on unproven pumped hydro projects without business cases, and impacts on regional communities.

“Renewable energy will play a huge role in our future energy mix. The LNP acknowledge that and are not opposed to renewable energy, but it needs to be done in a considered and affordable manner.”— 2024-04-17View Hansard

As Minister for Energy, delivered the reply speech strongly supporting the bills, emphasising public ownership, worker protections, and criticising the LNP's amendments as a plan for privatisation.

“We will not let the Liberal National Party rip that future away from the next generation of Queenslanders. We will not let the LNP auction off your jobs to the lowest bidder. We will not let them cut, sack and sell.”— 2024-04-18View Hansard

Raised concerns about 8,000 jobs at risk in his electorate from the energy transition, criticised the cognate debate format limiting scrutiny, and questioned the lack of business cases for pumped hydro projects.

“Do not ever turn up and pretend you care about my electorate ... if your very next breath is about shutting down our towns. Do not claim that there will be alternate jobs for them into the future unless they are real and exist today.”— 2024-04-17View Hansard

Moved amendments seeking more frequent reviews and criticised the bill for potentially allowing the government to sell 46% of currently state-owned generators, calling it privatisation by stealth.

“Under the proposed legislation, as it now stands, this government could sell 46 per cent of the current 100 per cent state owned generators.”— 2024-04-18View Hansard

As Minister for Environment, strongly supported the bills emphasising environmental benefits, highlighting the threat of climate change to the Great Barrier Reef and praising the government's credible pathway to net zero.

“We know that our government has a clear, credible pathway to achieve these targets. We also know that the LNP has absolutely no credible pathway to take real action on climate change.”— 2024-04-17View Hansard

Supported the bill but moved amendments to increase the public ownership floor from 54% to 75%, arguing that higher public ownership is essential for an orderly transition and worker protections.

“For years now, the Greens have said that we need to aim higher than that. We need to be aiming to return to 100 per cent public ownership of our key generation assets.”— 2024-04-18View Hansard

Expressed support for public ownership of energy assets but raised concerns about the scope of land required for renewable projects, lack of consultation on amendments, and sought transparency on how Powerlink spending will affect power bills.

“I am not opposed to renewable energy; I am just saying that it should be managed appropriately.”— 2024-04-17View Hansard

Supported the member for Maiwar's amendment for higher public ownership, criticising Labor's privatisation of electricity retail and arguing the electricity system should be genuinely in public hands.

“Labor likes to say that we have publicly owned electricity while forgetting the fact that, particularly in the south-east corner, we have private for-profit entities that run our electricity retail, price gouging Queenslanders.”— 2024-04-18View Hansard

Praised the renewable energy targets as adopting policies the Greens had long advocated, but criticised the bill for not going far enough on public ownership, arguing for 100% public ownership of generation and retail assets.

“Perhaps it is time for Labor to stop calling our policies fairy dust or pie-in-the-sky pipedreams if it is just going to end up adopting them.”— 2024-04-17View Hansard

Supported the government's position, emphasising that 100% of poles, wires, deep water storage and high-voltage transmission will remain in public hands, and criticised the Greens' amendment as grandstanding.

“When it comes to the protection of the assets that are the subject of this amendment, as has been mentioned during the debate, community members right across Queensland and community leaders, some of whom are in the gallery today, campaigned as part of an antiprivatisation campaign to keep these assets in public hands.”— 2024-04-18View Hansard

Opposed the bill on grounds that renewable targets are unachievable, will cost $14 billion annually, destroy agricultural land, harm wildlife through low-frequency noise, and reduce transparency by centralising power in ministers.

“Show me where the price of power has gone down anywhere where this stuff has been put in. I would love to know. It has not happened and it is never going to happen, yet here we are adopting it. It is nonsense.”— 2024-04-17View Hansard

Strongly supported the bill as part of Labor's commitment to renewables and climate action through science. Criticised the LNP's past actions abolishing climate offices and their opposition to keeping assets in public hands.

“Our government accepts the science on climate change, unlike many in the LNP.”— 2024-04-17View Hansard

Strongly supported keeping electricity assets in public hands, highlighting the Job Security Guarantee for workers at coal-fired power stations and dismissing nuclear power as expensive and impractical for Queensland.

“I have never hidden my thoughts on our energy system being kept in public hands, nor my contempt for those who have sought to flog it off.”— 2024-04-17View Hansard

Acknowledged renewable energy should be part of the energy mix but raised concerns about implementation costs, lack of consultation with communities, impacts on agricultural land, and the government's poor record on transparency regarding projects in his electorate.

“Of course renewable energy should be part of any energy mix. It is the implementation that matters.”— 2024-04-17View Hansard

Supported the bill for enshrining key commitments from the Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan into law, building a clean energy system, and delivering affordable energy while keeping assets in public hands.

“From producing the mighty industrialised mineral exports, our manufacturing, our agriculture and the processing of our commodities, including coal, copper, aluminium and sugar, we have built cities, towns and communities across the most decentralised state in the nation.”— 2024-04-17View Hansard

Supported the bill as part of Labor's commitment to environmental protection and decarbonisation, warning that the LNP voting against keeping assets in public hands would lead to job losses and higher power bills.

“Only Labor has the willingness to act on the critical issues concerning the environment.”— 2024-04-17View Hansard

Opposed the bill as an anti-coalmining measure that threatens dispatchable base load power. Criticised the privatisation of power generation through renewables and argued that North Queensland understands the need for large dispatchable power.

“This is an anti-coalmining bill. You cannot reconcile this against the benefit we have gained from the coal industry.”— 2024-04-17View Hansard

As the former energy minister who brought the first renewable energy target to parliament, strongly supported legislating targets to send clear market signals and lock in progress on clean energy transformation.

“This is about the government's very strong record in facilitating Queensland's energy transformation to clean energy.”— 2024-04-17View Hansard

Supported the bill for enshrining renewable energy targets and public ownership commitments, emphasising the future benefits for families and the transformation that will deliver cleaner environment, skilled workforce and cheaper power.

“I will be proud to look back in 20, 30, 40 years, when my kids are hopefully paying energy bills themselves, and think about the role we played as a parliament in setting that scene.”— 2024-04-17View Hansard

As a power station kid whose father worked on coal-fired power stations, strongly supported the bill for providing a Job Security Guarantee for energy workers and delivering the next energy revolution for Queensland.

“This is not just a Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan; this is a Central Queensland energy and jobs explosion.”— 2024-04-17View Hansard

Opposed the bill citing 28.7% increases in residential electricity bills and 52% increases for farmers. Criticised solar farms being built on prime agricultural land and questioned how many are currently turned off due to oversupply.

“I have had farmers in my area now going back and buying diesel pumps because they are cheaper to run than electric pumps.”— 2024-04-17View Hansard

Strongly supported the bill for locking in the Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan, over 100,000 new jobs, public ownership of energy assets, and the Job Security Guarantee for energy workers including at the Swanbank Clean Energy Hub in her electorate.

“Our future generations will benefit from the decisions taken in this parliament in relation to these laws and the legacy this will leave—a legacy that is proudly left because of Labor.”— 2024-04-17View Hansard

Supported the bill for taking real action on climate change, looking after workers with the Job Security Guarantee, keeping assets in public hands, and delivering cheaper energy through renewable investment.

“When we were elected, only seven per cent of Queensland's energy was generated by renewable energy. Now we are sitting at around 27 per cent and the speed of the introduction of more renewable energy is increasing every day.”— 2024-04-17View Hansard

Strongly opposed the bill, arguing it will cost $100 billion and cause electricity bills to increase tenfold through the regulated asset base recovery. Criticised the loss of coal-fired power station jobs that cannot be replaced by renewables.

“We are looking at $100 billion here before we turn around. That is what this government's radical ideological plan is going to cost the people of Queensland.”— 2024-04-17View Hansard