Hunter Valley residents will protest outside NSW Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Rob Stokes‘ office today in the hope he’ll reject a Kurri Kurri gas plant.
It is understood concern is mounting over the climate impacts of burning fossil fuels and the lack of long-term economic benefits the facility will bring to the regional community.
The protest will be led by the Gas Free Hunter Alliance (GFHA) and local constituents – starting at 10am at 1725 Pittwater Road, Mona Vale – and present Mr Stokes with a 55,000-signature petition calling on him to rebuff planning approval for the outdated Kurri Kurri plant.
It comes as a recommendation by the NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment is expected “imminently” on the controversial energy source.
Mr Stokes is then likely to make a decision based on that recommendation, as the project has Critical State Significant Infrastructure status.
“Kurri Kurri needs jobs with a future, like renewable energy, not to be fobbed off with only a handful of ongoing jobs created using last century’s technology and more than $600 million of public money,” Kurri Kurri’s Janet Murray said.
Just this week more than 100 countries, excluding Australia, signed up to a global methane pledge aimed at curbing methane emissions at COP26 in Glasgow, due to the immense global warming effect of the gas.
The type of gas that would be burnt at the proposed Kurri Kurri power station is predominantly made up of methane.
At the event, Prime Minister Scott Morrison told the world Australia was tackling climate change, however, the Morrison government continues to push ahead with its gas-fired recovery by subsidising fossil fuel projects, like the outdated and polluting Kurri Kurri gas peaking plant.
The Gas Free Hunter Alliance – which includes member groups: Doctors for the Environment Australia Newcastle, School Strike Cessnock, Coalfields for Climate Action, Friends of Tumblebee, Newcastle Climate Change Response, School Strike Newy, Climate Action Newcastle, Workers for Climate Action, Hunter Environment Lobby, Protect our Coast Alliance, Correct Consultation for Mayfield, Climate Action Port Stephens, and Newcastle Parents for Climate Action – is calling for the Morrison government and the NSW Government to make urgent plans to invest in more clean renewable energy projects in the Hunter Valley to generate electricity and create new jobs, instead of funding new fossil fuel projects.
GFHA co-coordinator Carly Phillips said she had concerns about carbon emissions from the gas plant.
“The building of any new gas infrastructure is entirely incompatible with NSW and federal government targets of reaching net zero emissions by 2050, never-mind the fact that very few local jobs would be created,” she stated.
“The conservative International Energy Agency has categorically stated that no new gas infrastructure can be built around the world if we are to align with Paris Agreement climate commitments of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees by 2050.”
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