Labor’s thoughts today are with the 400 workers at the Eraring Power Station, as well as their families and communities. 
 
But these workers deserve more than thoughts. They deserve a concrete plan for new jobs, and for the future of the Lake Macquarie region. 
 
We note assurances on this point from Origin Energy and the NSW Government, and we look forward to further details being released. An Albanese Labor Government would work closely with the both the NSW Government and Origin in the best interests of affected workers and the region.
 
Labor welcomes the NSW Government’s commitments to build a big battery to ensure reliability, and to bring forward new generation capacity to ensure affordability. 
 
While today is a tough day for the workers and the Lake Macquarie community, bringing forward new capacity will create jobs and investment in the region for years to come.
 
These commitments complement federal Labor’s own policies – including our $20 billion plan to upgrade the grid in NSW and around Australia, and our commitment to build a world-class green hydrogen power plant in the Hunter.
 
The NSW Liberals and Federal Labor are doing what Scott Morrison won’t: acknowledge and plan for the market realities of the global energy transition.
 
On Scott Morrison’s watch, three power plants have brought forward their closure dates in just seven days. 
 
Scott Morrison says these closures threaten reliability and affordability, but all his Government can offer is “disappointment” and the same old energy policy chaos. 
 
Workers, communities and all energy users deserve a better future.