7 February 2022: climate action group 350.org Australia has slammed the Morrison Government for “burning public money” by rubber stamping Snowy Hydro’s Kurri Kurri gas power station in a move that will be welcomed by their gas industry mates.

The Morrison Government has announced that the gas plant has received its necessary environmental approvals to begin construction.

350 Australia Senior Campaigner Shani Tager said: “If the Morrison Government had any sense they’d pull the pin on this expensive, polluting gas power station that the market has said we don’t need. Instead they’re pushing ahead and we’ll all be left footing the bill.

“Not only is this burning public money, it flies in the face of climate science with the International Energy Agency saying there’s no role for new gas projects on the pathway to net zero emissions by 2050. Even the Liberals own energy market operator says this isn’t needed.”

Questions were raised in Senate Estimates last year about how the Kurri Kurri site was selected given it is set to be owned by the McCloy Group and the Stevens Group. The McCloy Group Chairman is Jeff McCloy who gave evidence to ICAC that he gave “tens of thousands” in secret donations to liberal party candidates and described himself as a “walking ATM.”

“The Morrison Government is again showing that they listen to their mates with a vested interest in the fossil fuel industry rather than what the community wants.

“If the Morrison Government wanted to build something useful they could build large-scale battery storage and support the expansion of renewables in the Hunter Valley. But they won’t because this announcement is really about what’s good for the Liberal party’s donors, not about what’s needed in the Hunter.”

ENDS