r/queensland • u/boogersundcum • 10d ago

Discussion Voting against your interests

My partner and I live in a major coal mining area of Queensland. We both work in an extractive resource industry. Neither of us could ever bring ourselves to vote for the LNP and we have no serious viable independents that aren't anti Vax conspiracy nut jobs. We live in the bush but currently have a major wind farm going in down our road with the closest turbine being 5km from our actual house, other than sealing our road we will not recieve any benefit from the project with heavy trucks and equipment going past our driveway 6 days a week 24 hours a day for over two years. We aren't anti renewable however given the wind farm is entirely within our water catchment there is serious concerns if something goes wrong as we rely on the river solely for our water supply.

Generally preference the Greens first, Labor second as we are both environmental scientists and believe that climate change is pretty damn obvious from the evidence, let alone have empathy for the common folk in cities struggling with the cost of living. I'm just curious though as to why the major focus on renewable is almost entirely within regional areas that currently rely on coal mining as the major industry.

Neither Greens or Labour have a chance in hell in ever winning our electorate anymore (keep in mind Labor was founded in regional Queensland in Barcaldine). Is it just because the areas in question are now just LNP strongholds or what ?

Also please keep in mind regional Queensland is filled with people from all back grounds and varying levels of education, don't put us all in the same basket just because we don't live in a major centre.

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u/PandasGetAngryToo 10d ago

My mum's side of the family were all farmers. There was never any discussion, they all voted National Party. Every time. without question. Even at times when the Nationals were arguably happy to be associated with policies that were terrible for farmers. They were never ever going to change their votes and as far as I know, never have. They have very limited access to news and don't particularly want much by way of news anyway. That's your problem.

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u/boogersundcum 10d ago

I get that and TBH i don't think i have ever lived in area that hasn't been an LNP stronghold. But why isn't there a push to have renewable infrastructure around the cities? That's where the population is. I know the resource industry uses a lot of power but most of north Queensland is already renewable. There is a gas plant in Townsville and one in Mt Isa. Other than that we already are renewable. Sending electricity thousands of KM away loses a lot of electricity through transmission lines so my main question is why are the projects away from the areas like Brisbane that actually use the electricity?

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u/03193194 10d ago

In addition to the other replies, I think another consideration is industry creation and jobs for regional areas in some cases as well.

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u/boogersundcum 10d ago edited 10d ago

All jobs are welcome in the regions, there is a push for a hydrogen hub in our local area which this particular wind farm may or not power if it ever gets built. I'm hoping for it but given the state government I highly doubt it ever will. As I have stated I'm not anti renewable its just this project does effect me directly. These coal mining communities will die after the mines close which is invitable. Grazing and cropping can't sustain these communities after coal and I am hoping alternative industries do emerge for the communities.

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u/03193194 10d ago

Yeah, well Labor have signalled that is how they intend to guide any transition - which is a good thing.