Hazelwood closure

Shadow Minister for Energy and Resources, David Southwick

Daniel Andrews has finally got his way with his ideologically driven plan to close Hazelwood regardless of the loss of jobs and the extra cost to energy consumers.

Daniel Andrews only has a plan to grab Green votes from inner-city seats, but doesn’t have a plan for Latrobe Valley workers.

In the last two years, under Daniel Andrews’ government, unemployment in the City of Latrobe has increased by 1,179 people to 10.7%.  If Daniel Andrews hasn’t been able to grow jobs in this region to date, how can Victorians trust him now when he claims to have a plan.

Moving a Government department to the Latrobe Valley won’t help blue collar workers who lose their jobs.

This closure will add hundreds of dollars a year to Victorian household electricity bills.

This will see the average Victorian household annual electricity bill rise to around $2,000 a year because of Daniel Andrews’ obsession with renewable energy over affordable and more secure forms.

Daniel Andrews is claiming the extra costs to consumers will be just under $1 a week. But this is the same guy who said taxpayers wouldn’t have to pay a single cent if the government cancelled the East West Link contract.

If Daniel Andrews hadn’t ripped up the roadmap for the Latrobe Valley devised by Simon Crean and Peter Ryan in conjunction with community leaders, the region would be better prepared for this closure.

Media contact: Alexander Baranikow 0438 838 322 alexander.baranikow@opposition.vic.gov.au