Green warfare to deliver blackouts in two years: Government must respond

The Albanese government must rule-out a preference and government deal with the Greens political party following the release of a new report that shows the minor party’s proposed gas ban will lead to power blackouts in just two years along Australia’s east coast, with the nation’s manufacturing sector set to halt within the decade.

Shadow Minister for Resources, Senator Susan McDonald, said the report by EnergyQuest and commissioned by Australian Energy Producers, confirmed the raw impacts of “green warfare” on the nation’s economy and jobs.

Senator McDonald said the report, which also confirmed the government's benefit of up to $17 billion annually from the gas sector, injected transparency and reality into the energy debate.

“Australian households and businesses are already suffering from higher energy bills as a result of Labor’s cult-like ‘renewables only’ approach to energy policies. It’s been an economic folly with families paying the price with higher bills and threats to employment,” she said.

“As a result of Labor’s cost-of-living crisis, electricity is already up 14 per cent since Mr Albanese became Prime Minister, and that’s even after taxpayer funded rebates,” Senator McDonald said.

The report also estimated the cost of converting Victorian households from gas to electricity would be $26.4 billion.

In addition to the impacts on the east coast, the new report showed Western Australia would run out of gas for electricity in the early-2030s with gas for the state’s mining sector running dry within the decade.

Senator McDonald said the current energy crisis would only get worse if the Labor Government did a preference and government deal with the Greens to stay in power.

“Australia needs to increase gas production. Gas needs to be part of our long-term energy mix which should also include nuclear,” she said.

She said a Coalition Government led by Peter Dutton and David Littleproud would urgently invest new money in infrastructure to get gas to where it is needed and urgently fast-track approvals to bring more gas online.

“This report lays bare the nationwide economic and employment disruption that would occur if Labor did a deal with the Greens. The Albanese government must give a formal response to this report and its findings, and be upfront with the electorate about what sort of leeway they will give the Greens if they were elected to a second term,” Senator McDonald said.