Fired up over coal

CANBERRA: Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack believes the competition watchdog has given the green light for the Federal Government to support new coal-fired plants.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has recommended the government give financial certainty to new power plants, but didn’t single out any particular technology.

The Nationals leader said the report showed coal was one technology the government should support if it moved to underwrite power generation.

Coal love: Michael McCormack, addressing media
in Verdun, Adelaide, yesterday, has spruiked coal power.

‘‘Coal has to be part of the mix. We’ve got plenty of it, we’re exporting plenty of it, why don’t we use more of it for our domestic power needs?’’ Mr McCormack told Sky News yesterday.

The government insists it is technology neutral and will let the market decide which forms of power generation come into the market.

Mr McCormack said coal created thousands of jobs, while also noting gas and other technologies had to be considered.

The Nationals leader’s support for coal is at odds with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and other senior cabinet ministers who have been careful not to single out any form of power generation.

Resources Minister Matt Canavan, a Queensland Nationals senator, and Coalition backbenchers are continuing to make the case for coal.

Cabinet minister Christopher Pyne said the government could not afford to be ideological.

‘‘The ACCC didn’t suggest the subsidy of a coal-fired power station,’’ Mr Pyne told the Nine Network.

The watchdog’s report claimed power prices could fall by about 25 per cent if all the recommendations were adopted by federal and state governments.

‘‘That can only happen with the government’s policy of not picking winners, but supporting all technological outcomes that put more power into the system,’’ Mr Pyne said.

Finance Minister Mathias Cormann downplayed divisions on energy within the government, insisting the Coalition was united on working to cut power bills.

Labor frontbencher Anthony Albanese said no-one in the business community was interested in new coal-fired power plants.

‘‘This is a fantasy of Tony Abbott and the far right of the Liberal Party,’’ Mr Albanese told the Nine Network.

Story from today’s  Shepparton News - “Fired up over coal.”