Greens release details of negotiated energy package

The Tasmanian Greens today released the negotiated outcomes struck with Labor to secure support for the passage of the Electricity Reform Bill 2012 through the Parliament’s Lower House.

Greens Energy spokesperson Kim Booth MP said that while the Greens stand by their policy position as outlined in their Reply to the Electricity Supply Industry Expert Panel:
Powering Tasmania’s Transition to a 100% Renewable Energy Future, it would not be supported by either of the other two parties.

“The Greens have long advocated that the State’s future economic wellbeing and energy security needs to be underpinned by a coherent energy reform process to deliver maximum, sustainable social and economic benefit, and we still firmly believe that our proposal is the best option on the table,” Mr Booth said.

“However, recognising the reality of the numbers in the Parliament we have negotiated a package of further commitments. On this basis we acknowledge that the legislation as put forward by Labor is the best of two flawed outcomes, when compared with the Liberal alternative.”

“Not only have we secured an independent consultancy to develop an Implementation Plan to deliver a smart grid network across the State, we have also secured greater transparency and oversight provisions for the state’s energy businesses, including Momentum.”

“The independent consultancy will provide advice as to the appropriate timing and methodology of both smart grid and smart metres in Tasmania, and source of funding.”

“The Greens have also secured a commitment to have Treasury assess a new initiative to provide an alternative to the current Pensioner Concession Scheme, which we believe will lower power costs for pensioners and also deliver cost savings to the public purse.”

“This work is to be completed by the end of this financial year, and we are hopeful that if it proves to be viable, that it can be implemented in the next State Budget.”

“Despite our undertaking to vote in support of the Electricity Reform Bill currently before the House, the Greens reserve the right to retain our proposal as our preferred policy position, and we will continue to advocate ongoing energy reforms.”

Mr Booth also said that Treasury’s analysis of the Greens’ proposed trading rooms within Hydro Tasmania model was currently being assessed for comment by the former members of the Energy Expert Panel, and that the Greens intended to also publicly release their response once it was available.

Download: Letter from Greens Leader Nick McKim MP to Energy Minister Bryan Green MP re negotiated outcomes regarding Labor’s energy reform package, 13 November 2012:
Nov14_Letter_to_B_Green_re_Energy_Reforms_N_McKim_Nov2012_ATTACH.pdf