❓ A WA parliamentary question probes the Premier's statements regarding future coal-fired power stations and the state's energy transition plans. The response deflects, criticising the opposition's energy policy and promoting the government's renewable energy strategy.
AnsweredQoN 997Legislative Council
Asked
10 September 2024
Member
Portfolio
Leader of the House representing the Premier
QuestionView source ↗
POWER STATIONS
997. Hon Dr STEVE THOMAS to the Leader of the House
representing the Premier:
I
refer to the comments made by the Premier in Parliament on 7 August 2024 when,
according to Hansard , he said —
We believe that wind and energy
storage and solar will play a key role in the interim period and that we do not
need a new coal-fired power station today. We will need one at some point in
the future as part of a firming program of renewable energy and energy storage,
but the Australian Energy Market Operator has said in its projections that that
is in the medium term, not in the immediate term.
(1) Did the
Premier mean to suggest that Western Australia will need another coal-fired
power station as per his quote?
(2) Did the
Premier misspeak and actually intend to say that Western Australia will need
another gas-fired power station?
(3) If no to (1) and (2), what
exactly was the Premier trying to say?
(4) What additional generation will
be needed for the firming program the Premier referred to?
997. Hon Dr STEVE THOMAS to the Leader of the House
representing the Premier:
I
refer to the comments made by the Premier in Parliament on 7 August 2024 when,
according to Hansard , he said —
We believe that wind and energy
storage and solar will play a key role in the interim period and that we do not
need a new coal-fired power station today. We will need one at some point in
the future as part of a firming program of renewable energy and energy storage,
but the Australian Energy Market Operator has said in its projections that that
is in the medium term, not in the immediate term.
(1) Did the
Premier mean to suggest that Western Australia will need another coal-fired
power station as per his quote?
(2) Did the
Premier misspeak and actually intend to say that Western Australia will need
another gas-fired power station?
(3) If no to (1) and (2), what
exactly was the Premier trying to say?
(4) What additional generation will
be needed for the firming program the Premier referred to?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the honourable member for
some notice of the question.
(1)–(4) The WA Liberal Party's only plan for
energy is to keep burning coal until it builds a nuclear reactor in the south west, which will only lead to skyrocketing power bills and rolling
blackouts. The Cook government is focused on delivering the energy transition
in WA through onshore renewables, rooftop solar and the use of gas as a firming
fuel, which will provide clean, affordable and reliable energy for WA's
future.
some notice of the question.
(1)–(4) The WA Liberal Party's only plan for
energy is to keep burning coal until it builds a nuclear reactor in the south west, which will only lead to skyrocketing power bills and rolling
blackouts. The Cook government is focused on delivering the energy transition
in WA through onshore renewables, rooftop solar and the use of gas as a firming
fuel, which will provide clean, affordable and reliable energy for WA's
future.
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