Latest news with #QueenslandLabor
Sky News AU
01-07-2025
- Business
- Sky News AU
Annastacia Palaszczuk concedes green hydrogen production 'too hard' after Central Queensland Hydrogen Project collapses
The key Labor Premier behind Chris Bowen's green hydrogen push has conceded developing the renewable fuel "doesn't stack up" after the nation's biggest green hydrogen project collapsed. Annastacia Palaszczuk, whose Queensland government backed the now-failed Central Queensland Hydrogen Project, now doubts the vision of the government she led after a litany of projects failed. 'Hydrogen is proving to be in the 'too hard' basket,' Ms Palaszczuk told Sky News on Tuesday. 'The price is not right. People are looking around (at) solar, batteries, (there are) conversations around making more gas supply available domestically. 'Hydrogen is just too hard at the moment and until those prices come down, I don't think we'll see those projects taking off the ground.' The nation's largest hydrogen project, CQ-H2, was axed on Monday after it failed to attract sufficient investment. Ms Palaszczuk conceded the announcement was 'a little bit disappointing' given her loud support for green hydrogen during her tenure as Premier. 'It was high in the national agenda, but it just doesn't stack up,' she said. 'I can understand why this has happened at this particular point in time.' She pushed back against the suggestion Queensland Labor was given inaccurate forecasts about improvements in green hydrogen technology, remaining adamant there was a future in the renewable fuel. 'You've got to be in it to win it,' Ms Palaszczuk said. 'Whoever's going to crack green hydrogen is going to make a lot of money so you've gotta be in it to win. 'Good partnerships were happening with the state enterprises, but also too with other countries, but it was just found to be too difficult in these circumstances. 'That's not to say it's not going to happen down the track, but the seed funding was necessary at the time.' Several green hydrogen projects have fallen around the country in recent months, raising concerns about the feasibility of the energy source. Despite this, Energy Minister Chris Bowen recently flagged efforts to provide $8 billion over 10 years into the hydrogen industry. Addressing the collapse on Monday, Mr Bowen conceded there would be challenges facing green hydrogen projects and said the Crisafulli government's decision to withdraw financial support meant the collapse came as "no surprise". "Does it face headwinds? Of course it does. Of course it does. It faces investment headwinds," Mr Bowen told reporters. "And as I've said, including in a speech just a couple of weeks ago, these things don't follow a linear line; you have progress, you have setbacks." Meanwhile, Shadow Energy Minister Dan Tehan has blamed the Albanese government for driving up power prices due to an 'ideologically driven renewables-only agenda'. 'Minister Bowen's ideological renewables only approach is disrupting the energy system and leading to higher electricity prices,' Mr Tehan said on Tuesday. 'There is no transparency about the true costs to consumers of Labor's renewables only approach and underwriting renewable energy projects using taxpayer money.' According to the government's own Australian Energy Market Commission, 'new generating plants do not earn enough money… to compensate for the investment'.
The Australian
12-05-2025
- Politics
- The Australian
Queensland Labor MP ejected from party following alleged domestic violence incident
Queensland Labor has sensationally voted to eject embattled MP Jimmy Sullivan from the party after he faced court over an alleged domestic violence incident at his home the day after the October state election. The decision was made at an extraordinary and emotional caucus meeting on Monday, where the Member for Stafford was ousted in a unanimous move by party members, with only Mr Sullivan voting against the motion and later describing it as a 'cheap political move'. Opposition Leader Steven Miles said Mr Sullivan had failed to adhere to mandatory reporting as part of a return-to-work plan devised by the party after police withdrew the alleged DV civil court action. 'The Labor Party does and always has set a very high standard for our members of parliament,' Mr Miles said. 'In this case, we agreed on a safe return-to-work plan for Mr Sullivan. He hasn't complied with that plan, and as a result, we have sought caucus support to take this action. 'As you'll understand, many of these matters are personal in nature, and so there are limits to what I can discuss.' Police were called to Mr Sullivan's Stafford home, on Brisbane's northside, on the evening of Sunday, October 27, to a 'reported domestic violence incident', but no criminal charges were laid. Police withdrew civil court action against the right-faction MP in February. In a statement, Mr Sullivan said he would stay in parliament as a crossbencher to represent his Labor branch members and his 'beautiful community who elected me twice as a Labor MP'. 'The premise of the leader's motion was completely untrue,' he said. 'I complied with every requirement placed on me, and more, and that was articulated to the leadership team in detail in my return to work. 'I am Labor to my core, I have bled for this party since I was a teenager, including being a campaign director at federal, state and council levels and working in opposition for a team of just seven MPs, winning back government in one term. 'This is a cheap political move – one that is not just personally hurtful but also against the principles of our great party.' The LNP government ratcheted up the pressure on the Labor opposition over Mr Sullivan during the last sitting of parliament, as a domestic violence bill was introduced. The second-term MP was not sworn in for three months after winning his seat. He was welcomed back into the fold in February, but was absent from the most recent sitting week of parliament. His colleagues had privately expressed concerns about Mr Sullivan's relationship with alcohol, and in February he gave a 'personal explanation' to parliament about his absence. While he did not discuss the specifics of the allegations, he said the 'care and support' of medical staff at the Brisbane Private Hospital meant he was 'a better dad and a better husband'. Queensland ALP state secretary Kate Flanders said the party's admin committee met on Monday night and withdrew the party's endorsement for Mr Sullivan. It is understood Labor MPs believed Mr Sullivan had stopped seeking treatment for his problems with alcohol and other issues stemming from the death of his daughter, who was stillborn in April 2019. Politics Anthony Albanese has used his post-election ministerial shake-up to shaft longtime factional rival Tanya Plibersek and promote close ally Murray Watt to finalise Labor's contentious nature-positive reforms. Politics Disability advocates have slammed Anthony Albanese's move to shift the National Disability Insurance Scheme to Mark Butler and the broader health portfolio.
Daily Mail
09-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
BREAKING NEWS Disgraced Labor politician dies - as his family speak out: 'Now is the time he should be left to rest in peace'
Gordon Nuttall, a former Queensland Labor minister, has died aged 71, after a battle with kidney cancer.
