June 28, 2013
The Queensland Greens in Maranoa electorate will be joining a month-long campaign that starts on Saturday to promote the solar industry.
Greens candidate for Maranoa Grant Newson said a direct action community campaign would “tell the truth” about solar energy.
He said the LNP was deliberately misrepresenting the truth about solar.
He said Premier Campbell Newman and Energy Minister Mark McArdle were blaming solar for the State Government’s inability to control cost-of-living increases.
“The Premier should apologise to Queensland’s solar consumers for saying they are responsible for high electricity prices,” Mr Newson said.
“The truth is solar tariff accounts for only 3.9 per cent of the increase in power prices.
“Solar energy helped put downward pressure on electricity prices by delaying the need for expensive infrastructure like new poles, transmission lines and power stations needed to accommodate peak demand.”
Mr Newson said almost 17,000 householders in the electorate had solar energy systems that were an important transition to a clean energy future.
“Solar must be part of the government’s 30-year plan including a move away from fossil fuels,” he said.
“State and Federal governments must stop subsidising fossil fuels and spend more on renewables.”
