North Queensland Secretary for the United Australia Party, Jen Sackley, said today a growing number of people in the Leichhardt electorate were concerned about propping up the failed energy policies of other states.
"This debate has been raging in recent days and we have all seen our southern counterparts suffer through extreme heat wave conditions and power blackouts,'' Ms Sackley said.
"Locals have voiced their concerns to me, strongly advocating against propping up the national grid for other states before the high price of electricity in Queensland was addressed, or any other time.
"It is unbelievable. Why would any government close down stations and risk lives and livelihoods in their communities? Moreover, how did Queensland become responsible for New South Wales and Victoria?'' she said.
Ms Sackley said that while United Australia Party policy recognised and valued the concept of renewables, it also recognised the importance of both investing in and maintaining coal fired power stations.
"Neither the LNP or the ALP have the courage to build the new power stations we need, nor the guts necessary to pull the Greens into line.
"Australians need to wake up because if the ALP and Greens have their way, Australia will be in dark and we will continued to be treated like mushrooms.
"Clearly both the ALP and the Greens' policies are underpinned by the idea of solar panels on every roof.
"My concerns are that the carcinogenic compounds that come with solar panels will be our next asbestos-style environmental mess left for our children to clean up,'' Ms Sackley said.
