Michelle Landry (Capricornia, National Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Manufacturing) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

This government is on a reckless race to its renewables targets. The unrelenting march to 82 per cent renewable energy by 2030 is a hard blow for regional Australians. In my electorate of Capricornia, the proposed Pioneer-Burdekin pumped hydro scheme will directly impact over 100 locals through forced acquisition for the flooding of their properties. Hundreds more throughout the community of Eungella will be impacted indirectly, with the loss of essential infrastructure, like Eungella Primary School, from the drastic decline in population.

The Pioneer-Burdekin pumped hydro scheme is bringing the communities of Eungella and the Pioneer Valley to their knees and is grinding the local economy to a halt during this state of uncertainty. The multibillion-dollar project blindsided the community, with residents directly impacted by the project unaware until they saw the Premier of Queensland make the announcement on the 6 pm news. Eungella has been a thriving tourism destination, with tourists flocking to see the lush rainforest and to enjoy the diverse wildlife.

Eungella National Park has over 1,417 recorded species, including those listed as threatened under the EPBC Act—one of which is listed as being extinct or endangered and 10 of which are vulnerable. One of the most well-known animals which the pumped hydro project threatens to wipe out is the platypus. This iconic Australian native animal inhabits the land where clearing of vegetation, excavation, drilling and use of heavy machinery, and complete flooding, will eradicate the platypus population and their breeding habitat. It's not as easy as moving the platypus population a little further downstream; the pumping and releasing of water will damage river banks through greater erosion, which will destroy the shelter needed for the platypus to survive. Increased sedimentation and erosion will alter the availability and quality of food and shelter for the platypus.

Not only is this government ready and willing to invest in a project that would decimate a vast amount of pristine land in the name of renewable energy but it's also willing to invest in a technology that has proven to be inefficient. These facilities can be vulnerable to weather conditions, which can impact on their ability to generate electricity. Additionally, the efficiency of pumped hydro can be low, with losses during the pumping and generation process. For example: the Dinorwig power station in the UK, one of the largest pumped hydro facilities in Europe, has an efficiency of about 75 per cent. The negative impacts on the environment and communities; costs; construction issues; cost blowouts; and poor performance associated with pumped hydro facilities make this a questionable investment for governments and energy companies.

Yet this is not the only renewable energy project in Central Queensland to be detrimental to the environment and communities. The proposed Moah Creek Wind Farm, 30 kilometres west of Rockhampton, will impact 560 people within a five-kilometre radius of the wind turbines. It also risks damaging the ecological diversity of the Kalapa and Wycarbah region. The vast 654-hectare footprint of the Moah Creek Wind Farm would jeopardise the habitat of no less than 11 endangered or vulnerable species. These include the koala, greater glider, echidna and ghost bat. Along with the loss of our iconic native animals, the windfarm will cause the destruction of the ancient cycad plant, with no less than 468 plants to be wiped out. While graziers and cane farmers are required by law to adhere to strict reef regulation legislation and tree-clearing laws, renewable energy companies have open slather to demolish areas of protected native vegetation and habitat for endangered animals.

The clearing of 4.7 hectares of watercourse ecosystems alone goes against the reef regulation legislation, and 654 hectares of destruction will have an immense impact on the Great Barrier Reef. The environmental damage that will be caused, and the fact that the renewables sector does not have to comply with any current regulations in Queensland, including tree-clearing guidelines, reef legislation or environmental protocols that have been imposed on every other industry, is outrageous. It's time this government implemented legislation around the renewable energy sector that will apply governance over how these projects are getting built and their impact on the environment and on farming sectors. On 22 August there will be a rally against Labor's reckless renewables at Parliament House in Brisbane at 12 pm, and we would like everyone to show their support to save our regions.