One Nation promises to build new coal plants and sweat old ones in energy policy pitch to state voters

The closure of a coal-fired power station would be delayed and a state nuclear ban repealed under One Nation’s energy pitch to voters.

One Nation Leader Pauline Hanson joined the party’s head in Victoria, Warren Pickering, in the Latrobe Valley on Monday morning to outline a suite of energy policies for the November state election.

Overlooking Loy Yang A, which is scheduled to close in 2035, Mr Pickering said the populist party would scrap net zero subsidies, abolish renewable energy zones and lean into gas and brown coal.

“Under a One Nation Victorian government, Loy Yang will not be closing in 2035,” he told reporters.

“It will remain open for business for years to come.”

Loy Yang A is one of three coal-fired power plants still operating in Victoria after Hazelwood shut down in 2017.

Loy Yang B’s closure date is listed as 2047, while nearby Yallourn is scheduled to close in mid-2028.

Mr Pickering said Yallourn had “significantly deteriorated” and “might be too far gone” to save.

The Pakenham candidate had not spoken with Loy Yang A’s operator AGL but said industry leaders had assured him they were prepared to spend to keep coal power stations up and running.

Under repeated questioning, Mr Pickering refused to speculate on the amount of private investment required for Loy Yang A to remain open and whether One Nation would be willing to offer government subsidies.

“The intent would be to encourage the industry, through industry future security, to tip into the capital expenditure required themselves,” he said.

One Nation also pledged to repeal Victoria’s Nuclear Activities (Prohibitions) Act, although Mr Pickering acknowledged a national nuclear ban would be another hurdle to development.

Senator Hanson, who used her first National Press Club address in June to call for nuclear power to be added to the national grid, said reactors “need to happen”.

“I’d suggest a couple across the country on the east coast by all means,” she said.

“But you need that diversity of power.”

In a different election pitch on Labor’s campaign trial in Ballarat on Monday, Premier Ben Carroll promised to put supervised prisoners to work to help fix Victoria’s crumbling roads.

After earmarking an extra $352 million to fix half a million potholes, Mr Carroll vowed to develop a plan to put government back in charge of state road maintenance rather than relying on privatised arrangements.

In addition, Labor – seeking to win a fourth term after 12 years in power – wants to enlist supervised minimum-security prisoners to carry out basic roadside maintenance such as mowing lawns, controlling weeds, removing graffiti and picking up rubbish.

“This is a big change and it’s not just about money,” said Mr Carroll, who replaced Jacinta Allan as premier in late July.

The latest Resolve Political Monitor poll, published in mid-August, showed One Nation’s primary vote in Victoria had increased one per cent to 23 per cent, narrowly trailing Labor at 25 per cent.

The coalition, under leader Jess Wilson, held steady at 27 per cent.

Source: AAP