Hunter high school students encouraged to get behind the camera for film competition

BY ALEXANDRA REES

High school students across the Hunter are being urged to enter the 2022 Parli-Flicks short film competition. 

Students must creatively express their views in a one-minute video, answering the question of "what democracy means to them".

Maitland MP Jenny Aitchison says the competition is a fun way for students to learn about politics. 

"It's a great program engaging people with politics," she said.

"I think it also has that broader help where it actually makes people think how do you explain a complex topic to people.

"That's a benefit of it as well."

Finalists will be invited to an awards night at Parliament House, with the overall winner to receive two hundred and fifty dollars.

Last year's competition saw students at Hunter Callaghan College Waratah win Best Regional Film, and at St Joseph's College Lochinvar win Best Senior Secondary.

It's the competition's second year after launching in 2021.

Ms Aitchison says she'd love to see more local students get involved.

"If you've had idea that you might be interested in this, definitely look into it," she said.

 "I think for students it's a great learning opportunity for teachers and parents to be on board from the get go, but for young people it's always good if they can have a crack."

Students have until the first of July to get their entries in, with winners to be announced by August.

If you're interested in finding out, visit the Parli-Flicks website here.

Federal Labor swing round on Kurri Gas Plant, but with green hydrogen future

BY DAKOTA TAIT

Federal Labor says it will now support the controversial Kurri Kurri Gas Plant project, with the understanding its government would ask Snowy Hydro to operate on 30 percent green hydrogen.

Under its plan, the plant will transition to 100 percent green hydrogen usage, it's hoped by 2030.

With additional investment, the Hunter Power Project is capable of running on 30 percent hydrogen, dependent on fuel logistics, although in its current form under the Federal Government, the plant will likely run initially on just 10 percent hydrogen.

Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese told reporters in Kurri Kurri on Tuesday, the Government couldn't afford to let the region's renewable potential slip away.

"I see the Hunter as potentially a green hydrogen powerhouse for Australia and the world," Mr Albanese said. "Not just producing it here, but exporting it internationally."

"The problem with this Government, is it's scared of the present, but terrified of the future."

Shadow Minister for Energy and Climate Change Chris Bowen says it's a necessary investment in the region.

"The Hunter Valley, which has powered Australia for so long, for so many generations, will power Australia into the future, under an Albanese Labor Government," Mr Bowen said.

"What we're doing today, is ensuring that Kurri Kurri is at the center of the hydrogen revolution, which is about to take place right around the world."  

Work is due to begin on the plant in coming months, with completion projected for late 2023.

The $600 million, 660 megawatt generator has long been touted as critical to maintain energy reliability and sustainability once Liddell Power Station closes.

It's understood the Federal Government intends to pipe gas from the Sydney-Newcastle pipeline to power the project.

But Mr Albanese says things need to happen in an intelligent way.

"We need to do something that ensures there's energy security, but which also ensures it's done in a way that's consistent with moving towards net zero by 2050," Mr Albanese said.

"A way that drives economic growth and drives jobs."

Left to right: Newcastle MP Sharon Claydon, Federal Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese, Paterson MP Meryl Swanson, Hunter Candidate Dan Repacholi, Shortland MP Pat Conroy, and Shadow Minister for Energy and Climate Change Chris Bowen.

But the Opposition is facing backlash from both sides of politics.

The Federal Energy Minister described the move as a last minute backflip.

Labor has spent years voicing their opposition to the project on both economic and environmental grounds.

The Gas Free Hunter Alliance pushed the State Energy and Environment Minister Matt Kean to block the proposal late last year.

Co-coordinator Fiona Lee says there's no need to invest taxpayer money in dying industries.

"It's very important that there's long-term sustainable jobs in future-focused industries," Ms Lee said.

"However, we do consider it very important that all money should be committed to a rapid transition away from fossil fuels, and this plan will run on gas and diesel for the first seven years."

The Hunter Power Project was approved by the NSW Department of Planning in late December, in an embarrassing email bungle.

Ms Lee says at the end of the day, the project doesn't add up for either party.

"The Australian Energy Market Operator itself, again, has recently said, that there's no new gas generators required until about 2030," Ms Lee said.

"So why don't we wait until such time as this plant is actually needed, and then build it on 100 percent renewable-powered green hydrogen."

Zombie Gas Licenses Bubbling Under Upper Hunter Battleground

BY DAKOTA TAIT

Twelve so-called 'zombie' coal seam gas exploration licenses across the state are becoming a hot topic in the upcoming Upper Hunter by-election following calls to have them cancelled alongside the Shenhua coal mine.

The NSW Parliament is scheduled to debate legislation next month which could see all expired licenses extinguished across the Upper Hunter.

But the Coalition currently hold just 46 of the Legislative Assembly's 93 seats, meaning a failure to retain the seat could give the winner the decisive vote for or against cancelling the licenses.

Independent MP Justin Field, who brought on the legislation for debate, says Upper Hunter voters deserved to know each candidate's position on the license issue.

"They've been hanging over the heads of the community for as much as a decade," Mr Field said. 

"These [petroleum exploration licenses] expired but the Government has refused to make a final decision on their future, whether to renew them or whether to cancel them."

Deputy Premier John Barilaro reportedly told farmers from Breeza in the Liverpool Plains that the Government intended to buy out remaining licenses held by energy company Santos.

Santos also hold four expired licenses across the Upper Hunter.

Mr Field says the actions of Nationals' members did not match up with claims they wished to see uncertainty come to an end for agricultural areas.

"Whoever wins, there's a chance that the Government could be in a minority government after this election," Mr Field said.

"That might mean that there's the balance in the Upper House and the Lower House to see this bill become law."