Latest news with #Janetzki
Epoch Times
6 days ago
- Business
- Epoch Times
Queensland Treasurer Declares Coal Plants ‘Will Remain Open' as Long as Economically Needed
Queensland LNP Treasurer David Janetzki has backed the continued use of coal in powering the state. The bold statement comes amid bids from energy industry stakeholders for less red tape and environmental restrictions to develop energy sources in Australia. '[Coal-fired power stations] will remain open as long as it is economically sensible and systematically needed, not [closed on] an arbitrary date to fill a headline for a day,' Janetzki told the Australian Energy Producers conference, in comments obtained by AAP. 'While electrification is a suitable alternative to some of the fuels we currently use, key industries such as heavy transport, mining, construction, shipping, agriculture, and aviation will be impossible to electrify.' The conference was held in Brisbane on May 27. A day later, the LNP Crisafulli government opened up nine sites for gas exploration and development, accepting tenders from May 29. Turbine Turnaround The comments from Janetzki come barely a day after Related Stories 5/23/2024 12/15/2023 The decision not to allow the 88-turbine wind farm to go ahead was based on submissions from the public, where 473 out of 550 did not support the plan going ahead. It was subsequently found the proposal did not meet the requirements of the government's new planning laws, which ensure renewable energy projects are assessed by the same approval processes for other resource projects. 'Queenslanders deserve to have a say on any major development in their local community, which is why our government introduced new nation-leading laws to give them a voice on issues that impact that future of their towns,' Minister for Infrastructure Jarrod Bleijie said in a statement. Calls for Less Restrictions on Traditional Energies During the conference, former Ambassador to the United States Joe Hockey and Woodside CEO Meg O'Neill also called for less restrictions on traditional energy sources. 'With the new federal parliament elected, it is an opportunity to finally cut red and green tape to simplify and streamline Australia's approval system,' O'Neill said, also urging support for mining exploration across Australia. Hockey, who appeared via tele-conference from Singapore, said Australia needed to identify more gas and oil opportunities. 'We need to get back to some basic principles that if you have less regulation, if you have less onerous taxes and less tax then you are more likely to grow your economy,' he said. On May 28, Environment Minister Murray Watt announced Woodside's plans for expanding the North West Shelf gas processing plant in Western Australia beyond 2030
The Age
27-05-2025
- Business
- The Age
Coal to power Queensland ‘as long as sensible and needed'
Queensland's energy future will remain based on coal, Treasurer David Janetzki has told a resource industry conference, as he pledged to extend the life of the state's coal-fired power stations. Janetzki, also Queensland's energy minister, was among the speakers at the Australian Energy Producers Conference in Brisbane on Tuesday, which attracted more than 2000 attendees. The LNP government would take a more aggressive approach to using fossil fuels, he said, and would extend the use of gas and coal. '[Coal-fired power stations] will remain open as long as it is economically sensible and systematically needed, not [closed on] an arbitrary date to fill a headline for a day,' he said. His comments came a day after the Queensland government cancelled the Moonlight Range Wind Farm proposed near Rockhampton, which would have seen 88 wind turbines installed and generated enough energy to power 260,000 homes annually. Speaking on Monday, Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie said 88 per cent of locals opposed the project. 'The local government in Rockhampton did not support it, they had no community buy-in, there was limited consultation to start, [and] it was assessed on two-codes-old [legislation],' he said. Bleijie put other wind farm projects on hold earlier in the year, calling for greater scrutiny on new renewable energy builds. He said the state was expected to pass new legislation in several weeks' time that would require social impact assessments for renewable energy projects.
Sydney Morning Herald
27-05-2025
- Business
- Sydney Morning Herald
Coal to power Queensland ‘as long as sensible and needed'
Queensland's energy future will remain based on coal, Treasurer David Janetzki has told a resource industry conference, as he pledged to extend the life of the state's coal-fired power stations. Janetzki, also Queensland's energy minister, was among the speakers at the Australian Energy Producers Conference in Brisbane on Tuesday, which attracted more than 2000 attendees. The LNP government would take a more aggressive approach to using fossil fuels, he said, and would extend the use of gas and coal. '[Coal-fired power stations] will remain open as long as it is economically sensible and systematically needed, not [closed on] an arbitrary date to fill a headline for a day,' he said. His comments came a day after the Queensland government cancelled the Moonlight Range Wind Farm proposed near Rockhampton, which would have seen 88 wind turbines installed and generated enough energy to power 260,000 homes annually. Speaking on Monday, Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie said 88 per cent of locals opposed the project. 'The local government in Rockhampton did not support it, they had no community buy-in, there was limited consultation to start, [and] it was assessed on two-codes-old [legislation],' he said. Bleijie put other wind farm projects on hold earlier in the year, calling for greater scrutiny on new renewable energy builds. He said the state was expected to pass new legislation in several weeks' time that would require social impact assessments for renewable energy projects.
ABC News
01-05-2025
- Automotive
- ABC News
Queensland government set to increases fees, including vehicle registration
All Queensland government fees and charges, including vehicle registration, will be hiked by 3.4 per cent from next financial year. The ABC can reveal the LNP government will also commit to increasing fees and charges by the same 3.4 per cent rate each year during its first term in office. The new LNP government will commit to increasing fees 3.4 per cent each year of its first term. ( AAP: Jono Searle ) The increase is above Brisbane's most recent CPI rate of 2.7 per cent, but less than the 3.7 per cent wages growth recorded for Queensland in the year to December. In its final year in office, the former Labor administration froze all state government fees as well vehicle registration costs for the 2024-25 financial year. There was a previous freeze on vehicle registration charges. ( ABC News: Craig Andrews ) It meant the cost of registering a four-cylinder vehicle for 12 months, excluding traffic improvement fees and compulsory third-party insurance, stayed at $360.60. It then introduced a subsequent pre-election one-year, 20 per cent vehicle rego cut on September 16, which lowered the registration cost of a four-cylinder vehicle to $288.45. 3.4 per cent on top of frozen fee The new 3.4 per cent increase will apply to the previously frozen fee, which means that from July 1, the four cylinder vehicle registration cost will be about $372.85. The cost of registering a five- or six-cylinder vehicle, excluding traffic improvement fees and CTP, will come in at about $590.35 — up from the discounted rate of $456.75 or the frozen rate of $570.95. Any motorists who are yet to receive the 20 per cent discount will still get it until the measure ends on September 16 this year. Motorists yet to receive the 20 per cent discount will get it until the freeze ends in September. ( ABC News: Michael Rennie ) According to the budget update released in December, the government is set to make $2.507 billion from motor vehicle registration next financial year. That is up from the $2.081 billion the state is projected to make in the current financial year while the 20 per cent discount is in place. The 3.4 per cent rise to fees and charges will apply to a range of state government products, such as driver licences. For example, the increase will see the cost of a five-year driver licence climb from $198.35 to roughly $205.10 from July 1. Mr Janetzki sidestepped questions about when he notified the premier of the blast. ( AAP: Darren England ) In a statement, Treasurer David Janetzki said the government wanted to respect taxpayers' money. He also pointed to other cost of living measures the government had adopted, such as scrapping stamp duty on new builds for first home buyers and making 50 cent public transport fares permanent. Mr Janetzki is due to hand down his first budget as treasurer next month.
Sydney Morning Herald
24-04-2025
- Business
- Sydney Morning Herald
Queensland Productivity Commission begins work, as hospitals get ‘rescue plan'
Five weeks after passing a bill to reinstate its Productivity Commission, the Queensland government has handed down its first order to the much-anticipated governmental body on Thursday. Treasurer David Janetzki revealed on Thursday the commission was ready to begin its first task – a review into the Queensland building and construction industry – and delivered the terms of reference for the report. 'This important work by the Productivity Commission will drive up productivity and drive down cost pressures,' he said. Janetzki also announced Angela Moody – a senior executive with experience in financial and regulatory policy in gas, water, and electricity industries – had been appointed as Productivity Commissioner. The commission was first established in 2015. In 2021, the then-Labor state government dissolved the commission, integrating it back into the Treasury 'to establish the new Office of Productivity and Red Tape Reduction'. Loading The new LNP government promised to reinstate the productivity commission, which it expected would combat blow outs in costs and delivery dates for major state infrastructure builds. In another governmental review, seen by cabinet on Tuesday, cost blow outs were attributed to poor planning, rather than construction industry turmoil. The review found a series of health sector upgrades covering 11 existing and three new hospitals, plus the new Queensland Cancer Centre slated for Herston, had been planned over a six-week period in 2022.
