James Griffin
Shadow Minister for Energy and Climate Change
Shadow Minister for Digital Economy
Households and businesses face more expensive and less reliable energy due to Labor’s inaction and mismanagement of our state’s energy transitions.
Shadow Minister for Energy and Climate Change James Griffin said today’s Electricity Statement of Opportunities report from AEMO reinforces what is at stake if the Minns Labor Government doesn’t urgently get the Electricity Infrastructure Roadmap back on track.
Mr Griffin also said that the Government’s shambolic handling of the Eraring power station extension is undermining confidence and slowing investment in the Roadmap.
“Over a year ago Chris Minns’ Government called for a review of the Roadmap, and has been missing in action ever since. They haven’t finalised the energy planning guidelines, and as a result the energy industry and communities have been left in limbo,” Mr Griffin said.
“In addition, the Government’s own report warned that extending aging coal power stations risked private sector investment in renewable energy sources. This is a Government that announces reviews and then either ignores the findings or forgets that they even exist.”
“This Government has only itself to blame when it comes to energy reliability. Chris Minns needs to take responsibility for his Government’s failed energy policy and take urgent action to restore confidence, ensure the construction of transmission infrastructure and new sources of energy generation.”
“How much longer will industry and communities have to wait for the energy planning guidelines. These guidelines are meant to ensure communities benefit from renewable energy development and have more transparency and clarity about where and how development occurs. That’s what I am calling on the Government to urgently deliver.”
The NSW Opposition also called for the Minns Labor Government to urgently clarify the role of their state-owned energy corporation.
“In last year’s Budget the Government allocated $1 billion towards their back-of-the-envelope state-owned energy corporation. But we are still in the dark as to how it will function, the role it will play in delivering affordable, reliable and clean energy and how it will drive down household power bills,” Mr Griffin said.
“There are serious questions to be asked about how committed this government is to implementing the NSW Energy Roadmap and providing clean, cheap, reliable energy to NSW citizens, enough blaming everyone else, just get on with doing your job.”
