00:00In central Queensland, coal has been king, a linchpin of the region's economy.
00:08It's a very big employer. It would be pretty devastating for the community if it was to shut down.
00:14The Calliope B power station was due to close in 2028.
00:19The state government has confirmed it will stay open until at least 2031,
00:25a relief to the local business community.
00:27Having large industry also improves the liveability of our community.
00:32It provides investment in retail spaces and services.
00:37The power station has undergone major repairs after two explosions and a cooling tower collapsed.
00:44The existing coal infrastructure is facing a whole lot of pressure and stress and we're seeing a lot of breakdowns.
00:50In Biloela, locals say the extension will buy the community time to find alternative industries
00:56and better plan for their future.
00:59The health of the town and the schools and the sporting clubs and the community groups and that type of thing,
01:05just having that little more certainty around it for a bit longer.
01:07Other communities are also looking for certainty when the government releases its five-year energy roadmap this week.
01:14The Queensland Conservation Council is calling on the LNP to put a timeline on coal-fine power closures in order to meet emissions targets.
01:24And if we keep denying that change is going to occur, that just means that we're not doing the planning that really Queenslanders deserve.
01:31We know that we can't rely on coal forever.
01:34Last week, Rio Tinto announced the Gladstone Power Station could close six years earlier than expected in 2029.
01:42It wouldn't be a few years later than junction Pods.
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