Ann: QLD Govt Approves $3.1M Grant for Townsville Battery Plant, page-12

A blistering critque, great find sroyle.

Here's a quote:

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There was a baffling story in the Astonisher this week about that blue sky battery factory that Mayor Mullet keeps honking on about, in the hope of saving her electoral skin. It has always been puzzling that a publicly listed company is seeking government funds for a feasibility study to decide if a ion battery factory is a viable proposition for Townsville. Public companies NEVER seek public money to explore whether an idea is worth their while, that’s what stock exchanges and venture capital are for. Normally, if they did ask, they’d rightly be to told GFY.

But we have previously been told that pipsqueak urger Magnis Resources will be the beneficiary of such an unusual move. Premier Alphabet is on record saying she will stump up $3.5million for a feasibility study to decide whether siting such a factory in Townsville would be a goer.

But will she? The wording of the government statement in the story is a bit strange. The story begins by telling us that the government has signed a crucial ‘assistance agreement’ for the proposed factory. Then further on, this: ‘The Government has also committed up to $3.1million for a feasibility study into the battery project. Ms (sic) Palaszczuk said today’s assistance agreement would support the delivery of the feasibility study.’

‘Support the delivery of ‘…? ‘Assistance agreement’? And then in the next sentence, the Premier says ‘… and by assisting the progress of the feasibility study of this project’ it would encourage private investment.

..."