By PEACE IJIYERA AND KATRINA BRANDON

 

 

ON the last day of his Gippsland visit, Federal Nationals leader Matt Canavan, toured Loy Yang B and addressed media at the Jack Vines Lookout.

Accompanying him was Federal Member for Gippsland, Darren Chester, Federal Shadow Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction, Dan Tehan, Federal Member for Monash, Mary Aldred, Member for Morwell, Martin Cameron and Member for Eastern Victoria Region, Melina Bath.

Speaking from both a federal and state perspective, the Nationals highlighted their pledge to erase net zero and support all energy forms.

Describing Latrobe Valley as the “industrial heartland of our nation,” Mr Canavan said it was always a pleasure to visit.

Head honcho: Federal Nationals leader Matt Canavan alongside local Nats during last week’s Gippsland tour. Mr Canavan could be the country’s next deputy Prime Minister if the Coalition wins a federal election.

He highlighted the affordability of brown coal as a natural resource, and the oil and gas resources he witnessed at Longford Gas Plant as strengthening industrial development at state and national levels.

Mr Canavan said it had been “frustrating and sad” to see a Victorian Labor government “turn their back on the men and women of Victoria that work in the manufacturing sector”.

“The simple message we’ve got is, we just have to use all of our energy to keep all of our jobs here, and to make sure the Australian people can get a break again,” he said.

“I’m heartened to see that a Victorian Liberal and Nationals coalition … will step on the gas, will get things going again here in Victoria and rekindle the spark that should be manufacturing here in this great state.”

Let’s do a deal: The Coalition says it is open to working with Loy Yang A owner AGL about transferring ownership to Loy Yang B operator Alinta if it means staying open post 2035.

Also discussed was Loy Yang B’s plan to stay open beyond Loy Yang A’s closure in 2035 and the potential of transferring ownership of the mine from AGL to Alinta Energy.

Mr Canavan maintained that keeping coal-fired power stations open protects local jobs and with the demand coming from data centres, more electricity is needed.

“The Liberal and Nationals here in Victoria are going to make sure that coal-fired power stations are open

as long as they need to be,” he said.

“I have all confidence in a Liberal and Nationals state government here that they’d take a sensible approach to those issues,” Mr Canavan said, in regard to mine rehabilitation and transferring ownership.

On the ground: Federal Shadow Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction Dan Tehan speaking at Loy Yang. Photographs: Katrina Brandon

The stop at the Loy Yang Lookout was brisk, with Mr Canavan visiting a few more places in the Valley before completing his tour last Wednesday.

The Express reached out to the Coalition for further comments on its plan.

A Coalition spokesperson said that their plan is “about cheaper power, reliable energy and protecting Victorian jobs”.

“We’ve been clear that we want Victoria’s existing coal-fired power stations to operate until their true end of life, while securing the new reliable generation our state needs. That’s why we’ll scrap Labor’s gas ban within our first 100 days, throw open the doors to new conventional gas projects and establish an Energy Security Requirement to support new reliable generation, led by gas.

“We’ll cancel VNI West, halt the Western Renewables Link pending a review and restore the rights of farmers and landholders. We support renewable energy in sensible locations, which is why we’ve committed to urban solar parks, encouraging solar panels and batteries on commercial and industrial rooftops.

“The workers of the Latrobe Valley have powered Victoria for generations, and their future matters.

“Our commitment is to maintain reliable energy supply and support the skills Victoria needs, including through 10 new technical colleges that will provide practical, job-ready training.

“Ultimately, our focus is on delivering our announced plan to keep the lights on, put downward pressure on power bills and support Victorian families, businesses and regional communities.”

Resource: There is enough coal to dig from Loy Yang to Rosedale, and the Coalition wants to make the most of it.

The state government has announced its own manufacturing policy, which it says will create 5000 jobs.

Member for Morwell, Martin Cameron, addressed how a Victorian Liberal/Nationals Coalition will provide “affordable” and “reliable energy” for Victoria.

With the Victorian state election looming, Mr Cameron said retaining manufacturing and power industry jobs in the Valley was critical.

“They’ve had a reliable form of work for a very long time and we do need to make sure that into the future, that we are backing our workers in the power industry and in the manufacturing industries down here in the Latrobe Valley, [so] that they can have consistent work with the reliability of the power industry powering our manufacturing,” he said.

“As we move forward into the future, with a different mix in our energy supplies, the one constant that is going to be here is our coal-fired generators, running to the end of life as other forms of energy do come on board.”

Mr Cameron said it was insightful to talk to workers and discuss where they believe the industry is headed.