Queensland’s target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 75% by 2035 could face the scrap heap, with the state energy minister ordering a review of the ambitious legislation.
The Clean Economy Jobs Bill was passed into law last year, with the backing of both Labor and the Liberal National party.
It sets among Australia’s highest emissions targets; 30% below 2005 levels by 2030, 75% by 2035 and net zero by 2050. Neighbouring New South Wales has a 2035 emissions reduction target of 70%, while Victoria’s target is 75-80%.
At a speech at the Queensland Energy Club on Tuesday, the LNP energy minister, David Janetzki, announced a review into both the Clean Economy Jobs Bill and the Renewable Transformation Act, which sets the state’s renewables target.
“Emissions targets must be credible to gain public confidence. And this referral will guide sound public policy and provide certainty to investors. We are committed to delivering net zero by 2050,” he said.
Janetzki was later pressed on whether the government would amend or repeal the laws to change the targets, but did not answer either way.
“Investment is not driven by renewable targets. It is driven by certainty and stability,” he said.
The review will be led by the state’s yet-to-be-established productivity commission rather than the Clean Economy Expert Panel, which has already been set up, and is required to include experts under its legislation.
Janetzki used the speech, his first in government, to lay out what he described as a “pragmatic” approach to the transition to renewable energy.
The Crisafulli government’s roadmap will be “geared towards economics and engineering, and will set aside ideological bias and preoccupation”, he said.
The state will look more to the private sector and gas to power the transition, with the previous government’s “Hydrogen Division” to be renamed “gas and sustainable fuels”.
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As promised in last year’s election campaign, the LNP will also extend the life of coal power stations beyond their current 2035 end dates. Callide B, which had been scheduled to be switched off in 2028, will be extended for at least three additional years.
The Queensland Conservation Council director, Dave Copeman, said the government had been elected “after they promised to reduce emissions by 75% by 2035” and estimated keeping Callide open another three years would cost the taxpayer $420m.
“Minister Janetzki today signalled he will lock Queensland into worse climate impacts by opening up new gasfields, as well as extending the life of coal-fired power. We need more renewables and storage, not new polluting gas,” he said.
“Strong climate action, such as the 75% emissions reduction target, is critical for the survival of the Great Barrier Reef. Today’s announcement is bad news for the reef.”
The Australian Conservation Foundation’s climate and energy program manager, Gavan McFadzean, said “Queenslanders who voted for the LNP just six months ago thinking the party was going to take climate change seriously will rightly feel betrayed today”.
“Back-tracking on climate targets would be a broken promise and a betrayal of trust.”
