• Lachlan Millar backs Save Our Sparkies petition to stop Labor’s electricity giant
• Labor’s Ergon/Energex monolith will unfairly compete with mum and dad businesses
• LNP are standing with our Sparkies in time of uncertainty

Member for Gregory Lachlan Millar has called on his electorate to Save Our Sparkies and sign an e-petition to protect local businesses.

Mr Millar said the Labor Government was planning to create a new government-owned business to compete against mum and dad sparkies by offering a range of electrical services such as smart meter and solar panel installation.

“Gregory is already suffering with the loss of thousands of coal jobs and a crippling drought. It is unbelievable that the Palaszczuk Labor Government would deliberately take work from our local sparkies and destroy their livelihoods,” Mr Millar said.

“I’m calling on our community to help Save Our Sparkies by signing the petition to tell Annastacia Palaszczuk to put a stop to her plan that puts our local electricians’ jobs at risk. I hope the Gregory community will rally like they did about rural firies workers compensation. The e-Petition is a very easy way to have your say.”

Mr Millar said Gregory has dozens of licensed electricians whose jobs are threatened by this plan.

“These people are solid and contributing members of our community. They are here through thick and thin. They contribute to our quality of life and our economies. They raise their children in our towns. Like everyone else in Gregory, they are also stoically enduring through tough times. For the government to attack their incomes and their businesses like this is outrageous,” he said.

Shadow Minister for Small Business and Employment, Tim Nicholls backed Mr Millar’s comments saying there is no demonstrated need for a government sponsored and taxpayer funded monolith.

“Labor’s crazy plan to merge Energex with Ergon and then allow the new company to unfairly bid against sparkies for bread and butter electrical work shows the contempt they have for small business,” Mr Nicholls said.

“Labor jumps to attention when the ETU calls but couldn’t care less about the damage they will do to sparkies across the state.”

Shadow Minister for Energy, Andrew Powell said the Labor government could require government agencies to use the merged electricity company rather than their local sparky.

“Will we now see Labor direct all government departments to use this government-owned, taxpayer-funded monstrosity putting hundreds of small business and the families that run them at risk?” Mr Powell said.

Local electrician, Keith Roebig is concerned about the impact of Labor’s plan.

“Small business is already hard work. The Government shouldn’t be setting up against us,” he said.

 Mr Millar said people can sign the ePetition by going to http://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/work-of-assembly/petitions/e-petitions and selecting Save Our Sparkies or by visiting his website at www.lachlanmillarmp.com.

Key facts:

• Queensland’s 10,000 licenced electricians will be forced to compete with the government
• Sign up to the Master Electricians QLD e-Petition at lachlanmillarmp.com