Cathy O'Toole (Herbert, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I hold here the Turnbull government's 2017-18 budget. Could the minister please advise on what page funding has been allocated for vital water security and energy infrastructure for Townsville? Townsville has a massive water security issue. The Ross River Dam is currently at 18 per cent, we are on level 3 water restrictions and the Townsville City Council is pumping water from the Burdekin Falls Dam at a cost of $34,000 a day. The Burdekin dam is only 130 kilometres from Townsville and is one of the largest dams in Australia. Whilst 70 per cent of Queensland is drought declared, the Burdekin Falls Dam has overflowed twice. Why hasn't the minister committed any funding towards the construction of water security infrastructure? Has the minister any plans to build water security infrastructure for Townsville from the Burdekin Falls Dam? Will the minister hear the chair of the water taskforce, Brad Webb, and commit funding towards vital water security infrastructure for Townsville?

The cost of wholesale electricity prices has doubled under the Abbott-Turnbull governments. Nowhere is feeling the cost of skyrocketing electricity prices and the lack of federal government action more than Townsville. Reports compiled by the AEC Group state that companies like Sun Metals, a zinc refinery in Townsville employing hundreds of locals, pay $10 million extra per year just for being in Townsville. Businesses like the Organic Pantry are closing down due to high electricity prices. Businesses cannot afford any further inaction from the Turnbull government. Will the minister explain why the Turnbull government has not committed even one cent for energy infrastructure in the north? What plans does the minister have to reduce energy prices for Townsville and North Queensland? What action has been taken by the minister to reduce energy prices in Townsville and North Queensland? When will the minister actually do something to address Townsville's skyrocketing electricity prices?

Bloomberg New Energy Finance has predicted for Queensland to become the epicentre of large-scale solar development in Australia because of its excellent resource, sprawling grid and demand for growth. Does the minister agree with this statement? If so, why won't the minister fund vital energy infrastructure in the north? Since January 2016 North Queensland has had an unprecedented level of renewable energy investment activity, with over 780 megawatts of large-scale projects either commencing construction or securing financial support. The total of these projects will deliver over $1.6 billion of infrastructure spending to North Queensland and will create over 1,400 jobs during construction.

Some of these projects include: one of Australia's largest solar farms being built in Clare, creating over 200 jobs; the $225 million, 148-megawatt Ross River Solar Farm, delivering around 200 jobs during construction; Sun Metals' 125-megawatt solar farm, which makes them the largest single-site user of renewable energy, creating 210 jobs during construction. Will the minister join the Queensland government, Sun Metals and other companies in constructing renewable energy infrastructure? Why hasn't the minister invested in the renewable energy boom in North Queensland? Why hasn't the minister invested in developing energy infrastructure in the north?

Bill Shorten and Labor are leading the charge in investing in North Queensland. In April this year, I hosted a 'back to work' round table with Bill Shorten, where water security and energy costs and constraints for Townsville were discussed. In less than a month, Bill Shorten returned to Townsville and announced $100 million for water security infrastructure and $200 million for construction of a hydropower station on the Burdekin Falls Dam. Why won't the minister listen to the community, like Bill Shorten has done, and commit to much-needed funding for a much-needed hydropower station project?

Why won't the minister listen regarding the need for water security infrastructure? Will the minister match Labor's $200 million commitment and $100 million commitment? Can the minister please advise why the Turnbull government has committed funding for the Snowy Hydro project in South Australia but refuses to commit even one cent to the hydro project on the Burdekin Falls Dam? Surely, if it is good enough for the south, it is good enough for the north?

In December 2014 Meridian Energy shelved plans to develop a hydropower project in North Queensland on the Burdekin Falls Dam because the Abbott-Turnbull government wound back and destabilised Australia's renewable energy target. Will the minister explain to the people of Herbert why the Turnbull government has policies which deter infrastructure being built to address our energy crisis? Will the minister act to rectify the Turnbull government's damage and set stronger renewable energy targets so as to allow vital energy infrastructure to develop in North Queensland and address our skyrocketing electricity costs?

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