The Queensland government has demanded that its new pet project, the Taroom Trough oil and gas field, be fast-tracked under new federal environmental rules, even as it stands accused or erecting an effective “stop” sign against new wind, solar and battery projects.
State premier David Crisafulli last week launched the Taroom Trough campaign, where he called on the federal government to provide a fast-track approval for the controversial project.
This is despite that fossil fuel projects are explicitly excluded from the new 30-day national interest Fast-Track Assessment under the EPBC reforms put forward by the federal government.
The Crisafulli government has announced it will ask the Queensland Productivity Commission to conduct an inquiry into the impacts of the EPBC legislation. It appears to be threatening to use the EPBC’s shared environmental assessment process as leverage in its bid to force the federal government into action.
“The comprehensive and independent assessment will inform Queensland’s engagement with the Federal Government on bilateral agreements required to fully implement some aspects of the changes,” the state government said on Monday.
The last minute review comes months after the reforms were passed by the Parliament and Senate, and as implementation begins.
“When the changes were first passed by the Federal Government, we promised we would fight to protect the jobs of Queenslanders and this independent inquiry will provide a crucial evidence-base for us to take up that fight,” treasurer David Janetzki said in a statement.
“This inquiry will examine how we can balance the environmental outcomes while driving economic growth, without tying up family farms, businesses and project proponents in bureaucracy and regulation.”
Janetzki’s office declined to respond directly to questions sent by Renew Economy.
Not coping with federal
The state government has directly linked the terms of reference in the inquiry to fast tracking the Taroom Trough, the first prospective oil field in half a century – and other unnamed fossil fuel projects.
This has appalled Queensland environment campaigners, already angry at the LNP government’s decision to rip up the state’s renewable energy targets, and to “call in” or even revoke approval for multiple renewable and battery storage projects.
Queensland Conservation Council acting director Anthony Gough said the move ignores the huge economic contribution to the state from tourism, agriculture and other industries that rely on a healthy environment.
“Any fast tracking of oil and gas projects makes a mockery of federal laws designed to protect nature,” he said.
“These federal laws provide a crucial check and balance to ensure inappropriate projects can’t be fast tracked, and there’s another level of decision-making to make sure these matters of national environmental significance remain protected.
“We urge the Productivity Commission to properly examine the tremendous economic value generated from Queensland’s natural environment.”
Janetzki was being very free with the concept of national energy sovereignty on Monday, but only as it applies to the Taroom Trough and fossil fuels.
David McElrea, acting CEO Smart Energy Council, told Renew Economy that if the Queensland Government wants to ensure energy security, it should not cancel renewables projects and frighten capital away from the state.
“It’s hard to take a government seriously on energy when it blocks renewables projects in pine plantations, whilst trying to open up oil and gas exploration on agricultural land,” he said.
Among the issues the inquiry will probe is the spectre of land values: anti-renewable energy activists regularly trot out the claim that turbines, batteries and solar panels reduce neighbours’ land values.
That particular this claim has been debunked a number of times, however.
Janetzki, who was previously seen as a moderate on the energy issue, but any plans he may have had for the energy portfolio have been steamrolled by planning minister Jarrod Bleijie, who has used his powers to block key projects.
During a press conference on Monday, Janetzki said the industries that are driving Queensland’s future are “resources, agriculture and… [oil and gas].”
Idealogical fight
For more than a year, the Crisafulli government has been on an ideological fight against renewable energy, putting in place new rules for wind and solar projects and batteries that tie them up in new bureaucracy and regulation.
It has also been actively trying to revive the prospects of fossil-based energy sources, with the full-throated backing of the Taroom Trough oil field this month just the latest in a string of moves to support fossil fuels.
Six wind and battery projects are subject to proposed or current call-in notices, which allow the planning minister to re-scrutinise their plans.
One, the Moonlight Range wind project, had its planning approval revoked under the call in process.
The government even changed the law to prevent the 1.2 gigawatt Forest Wind project from going ahead, in what one despairing activist called “an act of bastardry.”
And its bizarre energy roadmap dedicated $1.6 billion to keeping the lights on at coal power stations, which has led to state companies such as Stanwell from cancelling investments in the sector.
McIlrea noted last year that Queensland’s policies such as the energy roadmap “appear to form part of a deliberate strategy to undermine renewable energy development in Queensland.”
“This approach is not driven by science, economics, or technology, but by politics,” he said.
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