The LNP's ideological crusade against renewable energy has claimed its latest victims…571 Queensland workers.
Today, Energy Queensland (EQL) Management has announced it will dissolve Yurika, its renewable and emerging technologies division, into the broader EQL business. Yurika, which provides innovative solutions and services in distributed energy, electrical infrastructure, and telecommunications, has had its future decimated by the LNP's anti-renewable agenda. Yurika will continue to complete existing contracts, but 571 Queensland workers will now be facing uncertainty coming into Christmas, rest assured the ETU will be front and centre fighting for their future.
This comes as no surprise. Since taking office, the Crisafulli LNP Government has declared open war on wind farms, gutted the renewable energy pipeline, and turned its back on the workers powering the state's future. While other states are investing in renewables and rebuilding their energy grids, the Queensland LNP is dismantling them, project by project, job by job.
"Windfarms are being openly rejected by the LNP and the pipeline of work has dried up, whilst the rest of the Country is investing in the renewable and Transmission sector, the LNP have no sensible and sustainable plan. They are a train wreck for workers" says Assistant State Secretary Stuart Traill.
The blatant refusal to engage with key stakeholders speaks volumes. The LNP will release its Energy Plan next month, yet they haven't consulted with the ETU or government owned corporations.
State Secretary Peter Ong says "The ETU will fight for every member impacted by this disgraceful decision. Through the mandatory consultation process we will demand real opportunities for our members, not empty words from a government more interested in ideology than infrastructure."
The ETU calls on Queenslanders to take note: this is not just about Yurika. This is about the future of energy in this state. It's about whether we move forward with clean power, skilled jobs and modern infrastructure or backwards with a government stuck in the past.
