Greens candidate for Collie-Preston Gordon Tayler has revealed his plans to make Collie a demonstration model of how a town can successfully transition from coal power to renewable energy.
“As a representative of the Greens, we see Collie as having a chance to be almost a demonstration model of how a small community in the position Collie is, in relation to management of its forests, in relation to the push towards renewables and the decline of the coal industry,” he said.
“But at the same time being able to maintain good employment through the transition that is undeniably ahead for Collie.”
Mr Tayler said making the move towards renewable energy will keep Collie within the power generation sector.
“We see Collie as being an effective centre as a demonstration model for how to deal with climate change,” he said.
“Even though one town can’t change the whole world picture, Collie’s potential lies within that it can be this wonderful demonstration model of how a small community can have huge impact by the example they can set.
“The problem is that unless Collie moves to engage with renewables soon they are going to be left out of the power generation picture in WA.
“Collie has a very small window to move into renewables or they are going to be squeezed out of the power generation scene and I am afraid the current leadership in Collie is not really putting that out there.”
Mr Tayler said Collie is capable of producing solar, wind and biomass energy.
“Battery storage is improving all the time, that base load argument has to come through coal is nearly no longer relevant and it is becoming more so all of the time,” he said.
Mr Tayler said he also supported the Greater Wellington National Park extension and that it would provide further tourism opportunities for the region.
“Collie-Preston is very much about the forest and the Greater Wellington National Park extension is something we support,” he said. “My strongest feeling about that is that our forests are more valuable to us not logged.”
