"Only a Coalition Government will deliver the Toowoomba Bypass"

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Federal Member for Groom Ian Macfarlane has called on the Gillard Government to immediately reverse its latest health policy debacle, which will have a direct impact on cancer patients in Toowoomba and the Darling Downs and force them to pay more for life-saving treatment. “It is unacceptable that the Gillard Government is prepared to hit St Andrew’s Hospital with significant extra costs of hundreds of thousands of dollars because of its changes to the rebate for a chemotherapy drug,” Mr Macfarlane said. “Reports today suggest that cuts to the chemotherapy rebate will directly affect cancer patients right around Australia. “But in our region, where the St Andrew’s Hospital Cancer Care Centre treats Toowoomba patients as well as more regional and remote patients who have to travel hundreds of kilometres for medical care, the extra costs will be particularly harsh. “Regional cancer patients already incur significant travel expenses, as well as disruption to their normal routines, on top of the personal and family stress that’s more likely to be felt at these times. “For the Federal Government to compound that pressure by significantly adding to treatment costs is inexcusable. “St Andrew’s Hospital’s Cancer Care Centre is one of regional Queensland’s most important health facilities, and the numbers of patients it treats is proof of how vital its ongoing operation is to our region. “The Federal Government should be supporting regional health services like the St Andrew’s Hospital Cancer Care Centre, not undermining their viability because the Government can’t keep its budget in order.”

Coalition welcomes AEMC draft report

6 September 2012

Shadow Minister for Energy and Resources Ian Macfarlane has welcomed the release of a draft report from the Australian Energy Market Commission (AEMC) into the management of consumer electricity prices.

“The Coalition has a long-standing commitment to Australia’s energy security and ensuring electricity is both reliable and affordable,” Mr Macfarlane said.

“In Government and in Opposition we have a clear and demonstrated record of carefully considering and implementing reforms as appropriate.

“Unfortunately, the Gillard and Rudd Governments have dropped the ball on energy market reform and power prices.

“While there are several factors that contribute to electricity prices, including previous State Labor Governments’ relentless use of electricity networks as cash cows, the simple fact is that the Gillard Government’s carbon tax is causing substantial spikes in power prices that consumers are seeing on their current bills.

“The Labor Government is a latecomer to issues of energy reform, with virtually no mention of it for almost five years until Prime Minister Gillard’s sudden interest, against the backdrop of her rapidly disintegrating carbon tax regime.

“Energy market reform is an ongoing process that deserves the full attention of Government, to maintain energy security and affordability.

“It won’t be achieved by a Government that cherry-picks parts of the issue or manufactures fights with State Governments to score political points.

“The Coalition will give full consideration to the AEMC draft report released today and future reports, as part of our comprehensive approach to energy policy, which includes scrapping the destructive carbon tax which is driving up power prices and undermining Australia’s international competitiveness.”

Olympic Dam cuts expose Gillard Government's recklessness on resources

22 August 2012

BHP Billiton’s decision to put the Olympic Dam open-pit expansion on ice is more evidence that the Gillard Government’s disastrous policies, including the carbon tax, are compromising the next wave of energy and resources development, Shadow Minister for Energy and Resources Ian Macfarlane said today.

“The news that BHP Billiton has decided not to go ahead with its expansion of Olympic Dam in its current format and won’t commit to any type of expansion before December shows the folly of the Gillard Government’s reckless assumptions that the mining boom will continue regardless of what deeply flawed policies it puts in the way of the resources sector,” Mr Macfarlane said.

“BHP Billiton’s decision is a stark illustration that mining investment in Australia cannot be taken for granted.

“The Gillard and Rudd Governments have been playing a high stakes game with Australian jobs and export revenue because of their repeated failure to understand that investment in Australian energy and resources projects can’t be assumed to go ahead regardless of higher taxes, higher costs and extra red tape.

“The price of that casual disregard is now crystal clear, but unfortunately it’s Australian workers and regional communities who have the most to lose.

“International companies are weighing up their future investments against the increasing costs of projects in Australia and the uncertain regulatory environment which has been caused by the Government constantly inflicting new conditions and taxes on the sector.

“The carbon tax puts Australian resources projects at a competitive disadvantage to our international competitors, and what’s more the Gillard Government is basing the integrity of the budget on a mining tax which is dependent on revenue that looks increasingly like a mirage, as commodity prices continue to weaken.

“The Gillard Government continues to compromise long-term investments in Australia’s energy and resources sector.

“The Coalition understands the significance of energy and resources projects and would scrap the carbon tax and the mining tax, to start restoring confidence for international investors.”

More carbon tax chaos as power station closure talks break down

5 September 2012

The Gillard Government’s carbon tax has fallen into greater disarray just two months after it was introduced, with the announcement today that the contract for closure program for power stations will be abandoned.

Shadow Minister for Energy and Resources Ian Macfarlane said the decision not to go ahead with the buyout of higher emissions power stations was more proof that the carbon tax is a flawed and destructive policy.

“The Gillard Government’s carbon tax has always been about making electricity more expensive, by driving up the costs to produce and distribute coal-fired power,” Mr Macfarlane said.

“It now risks causing further cost pressures and undermining energy supply by aborting the contract for closure program.

“The Gillard Government’s carbon tax and the doomed contract for closure program have been disastrous policies right from the start.

“Because of the Prime Minister’s broken promise not to introduce a carbon tax, power stations have been scrambling to negotiate the conditions for closure, a process with serious ramifications for electricity reliability and cost.

“Along with there being no carbon price compensation for black coal-fired power stations in Queensland and New South Wales, it’s clear that the terms for negotiation under the contract for closure program were inadequate after the failure to meet the original deadline earlier this year and the subsequent breakdown in the program.

“This chaos has now deepened. By abandoning the program the Gillard Government is causing yet more uncertainty for the power industry, leaving power stations to keep operating under the carbon tax regardless of the consequences for electricity-generation costs.

“Just weeks after it was introduced, the Gillard Government continues to change the rules for the carbon tax, creating more uncertainty for the energy sector and for energy consumers.

“The simplest way to get rid of this chaos would be to scrap the carbon tax.”

Coalition focuses on energy security while Gillard Government plays power price games

9 August 2012

lectricity prices and greater public scrutiny on energy sources will play an important role as Australia looks to address issues of energy security, Shadow Minister for Energy and Resources Ian Macfarlane said.

Mr Macfarlane today spoke to the Australian Institute of Energy in Adelaide, telling delegates that the South Australian energy sector had an important place in ensuring national energy security.

“In Australia while we are blessed with a diverse range of energy options, the price of electricity is on the way up, a trend that will only be exacerbated for as long as the carbon tax remains in place,” Mr Macfarlane said.

“No matter what the Prime Minister now claims, the simple truth is that the greatest cost pressure on electricity prices at the moment is the carbon tax.

“The Gillard and Rudd Governments have dropped the ball on energy market reform and for the past five years have failed to show any interest in continuing the ongoing process of reform that started under the Howard Government.

“Julia Gillard’s light bulb moment that electricity prices are causing pressure on family budgets comes five years too late, given her senior roles in Labor Governments which have given scant attention to energy market reform and energy security.

“Questions about the reliable supply of electricity, at an affordable price, are no longer the domain of the industry specialists, nor should they be subjected to political point scoring as this Government attempts to divert attention from the impacts of its carbon tax.

“Even though coal-fired electricity is still dominant, and is likely to maintain that position in the short to medium term, the gas industry is making ground.

“But it’s not without its problems, and as the Eastern states grapple with issues regarding domestic gas use and resolving concerns between the CSG industry and communities, there is a clear role for South Australia to cement its role in East Coast energy security.

“It does matter how Australia will be able to meet the demands of energy users in the future – where and when they want their power – and most of all it matters how much it will cost.

“While the Gillard Government casually muses over questions that should have been front and centre of its policy agenda for the last five years, the Coalition is determined to address the serious questions of energy security and affordable electricity, to enable strong economic growth in the future.”

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