Nick McKim Greens MR
“This latest farce of the government buying back the Tamar Valley Power Station is just another sad chapter in Labor’s book of energy mistakes.” “Thanks to Labor incompetence and failure to listen to advice, we are now taking over a half finished lemon with no grid connection at this time, instead of a unit that should have been custom built to operate within the frequency restraints of the current Tasmanian system, as the Greens had advocated when we were the only Party in the Parliament to vote against the station’s sale last year.”
TAMAR VALLEY POWER STATION PURCHASE NOW A FAIT ACCOMPLI?
As Government Energy Strategy Collapses Under Basslink Gamble
Kim Booth MP
Greens Shadow Energy Spokesperson
Tuesday, 19 August 2008
For Comment: Cath Hughes, Media Advisor, 0419 886 304
www.tas.greens.org.au
The Tasmanian Greens today responded to the Premier’s Ministerial Statement regarding the government’s buy back of the Tamar Valley Power Station, which had been predicted by the Greens, saying that the purchase was now a fait accompli due to Labor control of the Lower House.
Greens Shadow Energy spokesperson and Member for Bass Kim Booth MP said today that all domestic power consumers would ultimately pay the price of both the Tamar Valley Power Station buy-back, and the Basslink gamble, which has left Tasmania in a perilous energy position, through increased power prices.
Mr Booth also pointed out that the Premier suddenly has had to take over the issue of the Tamar Valley power saying that it appears that Mr Llewellyn had bungled this project and misinformed the public about its future so badly that Mr Bartlett has had to intervene in a desperate attempt to restore government credibility.
“The Labor government has now locked Tasmania into expensive power with no room to move,” said Mr Booth.
“This latest farce of the government buying back the Tamar Valley Power Station is just another sad chapter in Labor’s book of energy mistakes.”
“Thanks to Labor incompetence and failure to listen to advice, we are now taking over a half finished lemon with no grid connection at this time, instead of a unit that should have been custom built to operate within the frequency restraints of the current Tasmanian system, as the Greens had advocated when we were the only Party in the Parliament to vote against the station’s sale last year.”
“Again and again I queried what was going on with the Tamar Valley Power Station, and I was just fobbed off by Mr Llewellyn, I broke the news publicly last week that the government intended to buy back the station and was ridiculed by the Minister at the time.”
“Now it is David Llewellyn who looks ridiculous as his ducking and weaving, and bungling of the Energy portfolio, has been exposed to the extent that it has required the Premier to have to step in, confess to the Tasmanian public, and clean up the mess,” Mr Booth said.
