Greens deputy mayor Carol Sparks is calling on Barnaby Joyce to throw more support behind renewable energy.
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With the region’s first solar farm commencing construction this week, Cr Sparks said the New England MP needed to open his eyes to the negative impacts coal can have on the environment.
“Surely Barnaby is having second thoughts about opening new coal mines,” she said.
“As a Green I’m opposed to the Adani mine opening.
“Not only because of the obvious, drastic effects it will have on the Barrier Reef and marine life, but the wind and solar farms in Barnaby’s own electorate are developing at such a rapid rate, surely he can see which way the wind is blowing.”
But the acting Prime Minister said he would continue to back a mix of energy sources – rather than throwing total support behind just one.
Surely he can see which way the wind is blowing.
- Cr Carol Sparks
“It’s like saying ‘which child do you love the most’,” he told The Examiner on Monday.
“You’ve got to stop thinking just because you’re supporting one you’re not supporting the other.
“I support reliable and affordable power, that’s what I support.”
The Nationals’ federal leader said it would be just as “ridiculous” to stop using renewables as it would to stop mining coal.
“If we have the capacity in other areas to build highly efficient coal-fire power stations … of course we’re going to do it, we export coal,” he said.
“It would be just as ridiculous to say we won’t have any renewables and that we just don’t believe in them anymore.
“People would say that’s an irrational argument … a stupid argument.
People would say that’s an irrational argument … a stupid argument.
- Barnaby Joyce
“We do both and we do both well.”
The comments come just days after the acting Prime Minister said the government needed to work with the opposition to forge a consensus on coal-fired power –and to build a new “clean” coal-fired station to help solve Australia’s energy crisis.
But Cr Sparks said renewables were the direction of the future.
“This is definitely the direction we have to go in,” she said.
“It’s [the solar and wind farm] marvellous and it’s going to bring more life and energy into our community, which it’s already doing.
“Goldwind and White Rock are also doing a great job within the community through community projects.
“White Rock has also supported community art and community groups as well.”
Cr Sparks said Mr Joyce needed to “rethink the road and catch up with what’s happening in his own electorate”.
