Report says the economy can’t produce quickly enough to meet targets
The Queensland government needs to urgently review it’s CO2 emissions policies, including the proposal to legislate them, in view of news that AEMO Services doubts that New South Wales can meet its renewables commitments.
According to AIP Executive Director Graham Young Queensland currently generates 82% of its electricity from coal and gas, while New South Wales only generates 73%.
“That on its own makes Queensland’s goal less likely, but it gets worse as New South Wales has a target of 70% renewable by 2035 while Steven Miles has just upped that target for Queensland to 75%.
“On top of that the Queensland government is proposing to legislate its renewable targets which means every failure to meet a deadline is a potential for litigation which will cascade through the system.”
Mr Young said that trust in politicians is at all time lows because they keep writing cheques that reality won’t honour.
“We have a long history of politicians making promises that they then break, such as $250 cheaper power bills, or today’s news the federal government will renege on implementing the Stage III tax cuts.
“It seems the Queensland government is heading down the same path.
“They should have made a realistic assessment of the ability of the economy to provide for community needs, but that doesn’t seem to have been done.
“Not only are we trying to reengineer our electricity system for benefits that will take decades to be realised, but there are urgent needs for housing, roads and water supply. They all use the same materials and trades.”
Mr Young said the size of the construction task can be seen in the fact that Queensland needs to build around 2.5 Toowoombas to house its share of the increase in population over the last two years, otherwise people will be living on the streets.
“That’s a massive task on its own, and our failure to achieve it has put the affordability of buying a first home outside the reach of all but a small fraction of young Australians.”