As the energy debate returns to the fore, independent federal MP Zali Steggall has accused the Coalition of playing a part in rising power bills by not fast-tracking renewable energy during its decade in government.
Speaking to Sky News, Steggall argued former energy minister Angus Taylor “bears a great responsibility for failing to fast track more renewable energy into the pipeline”.
Independent MP Zali Steggall.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen
Steggall said Taylor, now the shadow treasurer, hadn’t done what was necessary “to make up for the coal-fired power stations that are becoming more and more unreliable and that are shutting down because they’re at the end of life”.
“The reality is, we don’t have a fast enough rollout of large-scale renewable to ensure that supply, and we end up relying on the most expensive form of energy like gas,” she said.
Steggall said the Coalition had “no credibility” in the energy debate because it planned to “rely on the most unreliable form, which is coal-fired power stations, for the next 10 to 15 years”.
Also on Sky News was Nationals senator Bridget McKenzie, who responded: “You heard it here first, a teal-Labor minority government will be rolling out those offshore wind farms up and down the east coast of Australia if Zali and her girlfriends get their seat at the table in a minority government.”
Read more about the expected power bill hike here.
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