Win for Queensland at Energy COAG

Queensland emerged a winner from this morning’s COAG Energy Council in Sydney with the Commonwealth conceding further work is needed on its proposed default tariff proposal.

“Going into today’s meeting, my first priority was to ensure Queenslanders would not be disadvantaged,’’ Energy Minister Dr Anthony Lynham said.

“I wanted to ensure that the downward trend on electricity prices that Palaszczuk Government policies have ensured would not be threatened.

“The Federal Government has acknowledged that more needs to be done in regard to default pricing that would take into consideration vastly different markets and jurisdictions.

“Council members agreed that the AEMC would undertake work on the Commonwealth’s proposed default tariff in competition issues and customer impacts including price for both standard and market customers across the NEM.

“This was undoubtedly a win for Queensland. We now need to be look at how this impacts all Queenslanders – who would potentially be the winners and losers under this framework,’’ Dr Lynham said.

But Dr Lynham was critical of the Commonwealth’s dismissal of any emissions reduction framework.

“It is unfathomable that, in 2018, Australia does not have a credible emissions reduction framework, despite stakeholders across the spectrum united in their desire for one.

“It is difficult to have any confidence in process or outcomes when we continue to see nothing on the National Energy Guarantee and increasing leadership and policy turmoil as a Federal election draws closer.

“The Commonwealth is clearly dominated by climate change deniers.’’

Dr Lynham said Queenslanders still needed responses to:

•        The uncertainty resulting from the Federal Government walking away from an emissions framework and failing to propose any alternative and.
•        The means by which investors will be attracted to enter the energy market in the federal government climate policy mess.

“There is no doubt that there still is much work to be done nationally on an integrated energy and emissions policy.’’

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