Will Hodgman MP
Leader of the State Opposition
Sunday September 13, 2009
Power parity, infrastructure on table at Flinders Island talks
· Liberal Leader and Liberal Bass team to hold meetings on Flinders Island tomorrow
· Power price parity and sea transport access on the table
· Liberals committed to ensuring our Bass Strait islands can achieve their full potential
Power price parity and sea transport access will be two of the key issues I, and our Bass Liberal team, will be discussing at a meeting with the Flinders Island community tomorrow.
I am travelling to the island with Bass MHAs Peter Gutwein and Sue Napier, and Liberal candidate for Bass, Michael Ferguson.
In addition to meeting with the Flinders Island council, there will be a public community forum, visits to local businesses and meetings with the Flinders Island Tourism Board and Flinders Island Aboriginal Association.
Two of the key issues of concern that keep getting raised with me by Flinders Islanders are the need for power price parity, and concerns regarding sea transport and they’ll be high on the agenda tomorrow.
These are long-standing issues of concern for the Bass Strait islands generally and they need to be resolved to ensure these communities can achieve their full potential.
Not only has Flinders Island experienced massive rises in the prices of power, but residents and businesses pay far more than any other Tasmanians for their energy.
This is a huge disincentive to doing business on the island and it’s not fair.
The Tasmanian Liberals have long argued for power price parity for the Bass Strait Islands. Our policy to back businesses to invest in renewable energy would also be of great assistance to many island businesses. We must also address the long-term infrastructure challenges facing Flinders Island, such as sea transport access, which has been problematic of late.
On Tuesday, I will be visiting North West dairy farmers, who are struggling as a result of plummeting milk prices and extremely wet conditions.
Will Hodgman
