The LNP MP for Flynn, Col Boyce, who I always forget exists except on the rare occasions he asks a question in QT, asks how many jobs will be lost with the possible early closure of the Gladstone power station.

It was meant to shut down in 2035, but Rio Tinto have told workers it may close as early as 2029. That’s because it costs a hell of a lot to keep running and is becoming financially unviable.

Chris Bowen gets to this one and says:

I’m glad he has not been sharing his views about man-made climate change for a change but in honour of all there about 200 direct employees of the Gladstone power station who are employed on a contracted basement and indirectly and it is a significant number for the people of Gladstone but also this is a decision taken by the owners of the Gladstone power station, they have announced, and it is in keeping with the normal protocols and I would make his point Mr Speaker – those opposite our strongly supporting having coal-fired power stations open for longer and sweating assets to see them live longer

That is is the biggest liability in our energy system today. Do you know why? Because today, we had two units of the Callide Power Station which the honorable member would know well out, out and non-operating.

And we have a total unplanned outage across the national energy system of 3.4 gigawatts of coal-fired power. Not planned, not maintenance, coal-fired power stations that were working and all of a sudden break down.

It’s the biggest threat to the reliability of our energy system and that in turn is a threat to energy prices because that sees prices spiked and that is in turn biggest threat to industrial jobs in Australia, those opposite who do not understand the opportunities of our energy system and the need to modernise it now, not a decades time when nuclei may become available.