DOUGLAS SHIRE SUSTAINABILITY GROUP MEDIA RELEASE
DSSG supports the provision of reliable environmentally and economically appropriate power on the Daintree coast. We do not support the installation of a single, one-size-fits-all power supply.
One line in a pre-election Federal Budget is not a commitment to reliable, environmentally and economically appropriate power.
“We do not have any details on the technology to be employed or the time frame or the total funding commitment” said Didge McDonald, President of DSSG.
“We don’t know if this is a fossil-fuelled system, we don’t know how it will be distributed, we don’t know who will own the system, or pay for the power generated – will it connect to the national grid?”
The 2019 Daintree Electricity Supply Study by the Queensland Government examined six options for power on the Daintree Coast and concluded that the ‘one big micro grid’ proposal would be more expensive for households, have greater environmental impact and would take at least six years to build.
“The Daintree Rainforest is part of the Wet Tropics of Queensland World Heritage Area” said Mr McDonald “It is the world’s second-most irreplaceable natural World Heritage area – these ancient rainforests are globally significant as they represent the largest remaining area of lowland rainforest in Australia’s Wet Tropics – why does the Federal Government want to promote its demise?”
This looks like a typical big splash headline to help sure up a candidate in the upcoming Federal election.
