Air con plan exaggerated, says Qld govt
Author: Yahoo News Date Posted:16 October 2017
The Queensland government has accused opposition leader Tim Nicholls of exaggerating its plan to ask residents to limit air conditioner use during extreme heatwaves after the federal government announced a similar scheme.
Liberal National Party leader Tim Nicholls on Tuesday took aim at the state government over its plan to urge residents and businesses to voluntarily set their air conditioners at 26C during heatwaves, only cool occupied rooms and turn off non-essential lights and pool pumps.
He asked whether Queenslanders would have "crook prawns and warm beer" this summer due to Labor's "reckless rush" towards a 50 per cent renewable energy target.
The government returned fire, with Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk pointing out the plan was first introduced by the LNP when it was last in government, and Labor had simply expanded it to the whole state.
She has insisted the measure is not compulsory.
Energy Minister Mark Bailey on Wednesday labelled Mr Nicholl as being ignorant, and welcomed the federal government's plan to provide $28.6 million to trial similar projects across Victoria, South Australia and NSW.
"He criticised yesterday our moves in terms of demand management and today the federal government announces virtually the same thing in southern states," he told reporters.
"Remarks from him were ignorant and they were inflammatory, which would have worried people out there unnecessarily. It didn't befit a decent leader."
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