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Posted: 2024-09-28 21:05:16

In a year dominated by youth crime and the cost of living, environmental policy debate has been given little air time ahead of the October Queensland election.

For some, it's a generational issue — the only discussion worth having.

For others, it's a problem they feel has been dumped on their doorstep.

A collage shows pictures of a rural landscape.

Nick Holland and Melanie Holland make their livelihood from their cattle property in Central Queensland. (ABC News: Scout Wallen)

Melanie Holland's cattle property in Central Queensland is the centre of her world. It's where she raises her children, makes her livelihood, and collects chicken eggs every day.

The Holland's 2,500-hectare farm has been in her husband Nick's family for generations.

A family standing on their rural farm, with each of them wearing a hat.

The Holland farm has been in Nick's family for generations. (ABC News: Scout Wallen)

But Ms Holland is angry that she and other regional Queenslanders are bearing the cost of the state's net zero pledge.

"We're going to see 20 wind turbines from our front gate, so it's going to have a huge impact on our family," she said.

A collage of photos showing a mother and son spending time outside on their rural property.

The cattle property is the centre of Ms Holland's world. (ABC News: Scout Wallen)

The Moah Creek Windfarm, located in Kalapa, outside of Rockhampton, has passed state government approvals but is yet to be approved by the federal government.

In the project's Environment Protection and Biodiversity Application, it proposed 60 wind turbines and would, under the "worst-case scenario", see 790 hectares of landscape cleared.

A woman in a straw wide-brimmed hat, standing outside on a rural property.

Ms Holland wants to see better planning for renewable energy projects. (ABC News: Scout Wallen)

Ms Holland said she's not "anti-renewables", but feels there isn't enough thought behind Queensland's shift away from fossil fuels. 

"It's just the lack of planning behind the multitude of renewable energy projects proposed statewide and there's such a big footprint of them," she said. 

It's the issue she wants addressed at the upcoming state election.

A collage of pictures showing a family collecting eggs and wandering around their farm.

The Holland family make their living from farming. (ABC News: Scout Wallen)

"Just better planning for renewable energy projects and just to slow it down," she said.

"They've put these goals in place … I think it's just putting too much pressure on everyone, and the planning has gone out the door."

'The most important issue of my generation'

Climate change is a frequent topic of discussion in Lauren Hall's St Lucia apartment, an area of Brisbane that has historically flooded.

"It's something that I think is the most important issue of my generation and of this lifetime," she said.

The student town planner's grandfather previously owned a cattle station west of Cunnamulla, and she conceded he would've rallied against renewable infrastructure on his property.

A woman with short brown hair sitting at a tiled table reading and drinking a cup of tea.

Lauren Hall is a town planning student. (ABC News: Alex Brewster)

But she said the alternative is simply far worse.

"We have always been a nation plagued by natural disasters, but the frequency and intensity of those disasters are increasing," she said. 

"So even though you might not want a wind turbine on your property, you probably also don't want your elderly neighbours to be passing away from things like heat stroke and avoidable problems that are going to get worse in the next few years."

As a university student, Ms Hall said she was all too familiar with the cost-of-living pressures.

A woman with short brown hair squinting and smiling at the camera.

Climate change is a frequent topic of discussion in Lauren Hall's St Lucia apartment. (ABC News: Alex Brewster)

Despite that, her voting intentions will be driven by which political party best addresses climate change.

"I'm passionate about it because it affects me and everyone," she said. 

"It's our Australia, and we need to do what we can to protect it, because one day we're not going to have it anymore, and that one day is getting closer and closer."

What's the politics of it all?

In April, Queensland's greenhouse gas emission reduction targets were enshrined in law, with a rare show of bipartisanship.

The state is required to cut emissions on 2005 levels by 30 per cent by 2030, 75 per cent by 2035, and reach net zero by 2050.

The agreeance ended there, with the LNP voting against legislating the state's renewable energy targets of 50 per cent by 2030, 70 per cent by 2032 and 80 per cent by 2035.

It said the Pioneer-Burdekin Pumped Hydro Project, based near Mackay — the cornerstone of Labor's decarbonisation plan — doesn't stack up.

The government's Jobs and Energy Plan also includes building a transmission line super grid and supporting renewable energy projects.

The LNP is yet to reveal how it intends to reach the clean energy targets, stating its preference is smaller pumped hydro projects.

While the federal LNP has proposed building two nuclear power stations in Queensland, state Opposition Leader David Crisafulli has said that's not part of his plan.

Meanwhile, the Greens have advocated for a stop to new coal and gas approvals, a plan to phase out coal and gas exports, and the adoption of an emission reduction target of at least 75 per cent by 2030.

A man stands in a suit speaking.

State Opposition Leader David Crisafulli ruled out the prospect of nuclear energy in Queensland. (ABC News: Lucas Hill)

Jobs of the future

Dave Copeman, director of the Queensland Conservation Council, is acutely aware of the inflationary pressures facing households.

But he's implored voters to look further ahead.

A man wearing a blue collared shirt.

Dave Copeman is encouraging voters to look ahead. (ABC News: Michael Lloyd)

"We are in a cost-of-living environment, but we're also facing a climate and biodiversity crisis.

"Interest rates might go up and down in six months, but it's only going to keep getting hotter, and so we really need to act on climate change."

He acknowledged the "complex" nature of renewable infrastructure but highlighted the opportunity the transition afforded the state.

"If we do this transformation right, the jobs of the future will be helping the world adapt to climate change, and Queensland is so well-equipped to take the benefit of that, but we won't get there if we fall behind the race."

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