WA Premier Colin Barnett has pledged to protect coal mining and power industries in Collie if re-elected in March’s state election.
Mr Barnett said the Liberal Government has planned to maintain coal production and coal power generation at the current level.
“I think the big policy difference between the Labor Party and the Liberal Party is that the Labor party, through its energy spokesperson Bill Johnston, has said that the Labor Party will go to 50 per cent renewable energy by 2030,” he said.
“Renewable energy in Western Australia at the moment is just under 15 per cent so that means increasing renewables by three-fold by 2030 and that means effectively the closure of the coal industry, it’s the only way it can be done.
“Whereas we will come out with our policy, but our policy will include retaining the coal industry.
“Renewables will gradually increase and they have increased under this government from about 6 per cent to about 13 per cent but we’ve done it by maintaining the coal industry and maintaining the gas industry.”
Mr Barnett said the government would increase the amount of renewables in the system but not at the expense of coal because of the growing economy and demand for energy.
Mr Barnett announced $37 million in funding for the Myalup-Wellington Project at Wellington Dam on Thursday, January 12.
The Premier toured Collie alongside Liberal Candidate for Collie-Preston Elysia Harverson, meeting with the Shire of Collie and community members while in town.
Member for Collie-Preston Mick Murray said the Labor Party, if elected, would protect the industries’ economic prospects.
“If we’re elected, people can be assured that Mick Murray and Mark McGowan would be looking at ways to make sure people’s jobs in the industry are secure and also that’s not just for the short term but for the long term as well,” Mr Murray said.
“We will be looking at how we can assist the companies in things such as royalty relief or further sales, looking at overseas sales those sort of things, other uses for coal as well and that is what some of the $20 million coal futures fund is for.”