TURNBULL GOVERNMENT GAS CRISIS COSTS JOBS

Today, it has been confirmed that manufacturing company Qenos will lay off over 100 workers because of a failure to secure an affordable gas supply. This comes off the back of repeated warnings that fertiliser manufacturer Incitec Pivot may be forced to close its manufacturing plant at Gibson Island in Queensland, costing a further 450 jobs.

Labor’s thoughts are with these workers and their families. No one should be forced to endure the stress and uncertainty of having their livelihoods placed in doubt, especially when it could be avoided by strong government policy and especially over the holiday period.

When the Prime Minister decided to make his handshake agreement with the big gas companies rather than impose export restrictions on gas to ensure affordable domestic supply, his own government departments warned that this approach was not enforceable and would “result in some users exiting the market, resulting in a loss of jobs and economic output.”

Today, we are seeing the real world consequences of the Prime Minister’s weakness and inability to solve the east coast gas crisis and the broader energy crisis which continues to grip Australia.

Even the head of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, Rod Sims, today warned the energy crisis was not over, saying "We have already seen jobs lost, investment reduced, plant closures (because of high energy prices). Unfortunately, we are going to see quite a bit more."

The Turnbull Government’s failure to deliver affordable gas and electricity is costing jobs and businesses, while the Prime Minister and his Energy Minister continue to declare the energy crisis solved.

Australian’s know the energy crisis isn’t solved, and as long as this Government’s lack of effective energy policy threatens jobs and keeps prices rising and pollution soaring, it won’t be.