Media release – Rebecca White MP, Tasmanian Labor Leader; Dean Winter MP, Shadow Minister for Energy, 26 February 2023
Getting Tasmania off the hook for Marinus bill
A Rebecca White Labor Government will get Tasmania out of the Marinus Link project.
Marinus can still happen – but under Labor, Tasmanians won’t be the ones paying for it.
We acknowledge that this is a critical project for the nation – but that is exactly why the Australian Government should be the ones to pay for it.
The Liberals have been promising to build a second Bass Strait interconnector for more than a decade. After 10 years in office, they’ve spent $130 million and delivered nothing.
The Liberals cut the project in half in August 2023 due to significant cost blowouts, and reduced Tasmania’s share of the project to 17.7%, with the option to sell that share to the Commonwealth once the project has been commissioned. We will exercise that right as soon as we are able to under the terms of the agreement.
In the meantime, Tasmanians have seen a 22.5% rise in power prices in the last two years alone, and Tasmanian industries are being told they can’t access the power they need to grow.
With current “Stage One” projects costs of $3.3 billion, the current Tasmanian government share of 17.7% equates to approximately $584 million, and Tasmania would be best off getting out of it as soon as possible.
There’s no point throwing good money after bad, at a project where more than 90 per cent of the benefit flows to the mainland.
Tasmanians have invested in the Hydro for 100 years. We should be paying Tasmanian prices for Tasmanian power, but after 10 years of the Liberals, we’re not.
Getting out of Marinus is just one part of Labor’s Tasmania First energy policy, which will achieve lower power prices for Tasmanians, and a guarantee that Tasmanian power will be used to grow Tasmanian industry and jobs.
Media release – Michael Ferguson, Deputy Premier, Treasurer, Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Minister for Planning, Member for Bass, 26 February 2024
Labor Takes A Wrecking Ball To Tasmania’s Economy
Labor has finally got off the fence on Marinus Link, and surprise, surprise it’s the same side as the Greens.
Treasurer, Michael Ferguson, said that Labor’s decision to side with the Greens and cancel Marinus will take a wrecking ball to the Tasmanian economy.
“This is a reckless decision that threatens the future of the Marinus Link and will put a knife through the heart of the Tasmanian economy,” Minister Ferguson said.
“The Marinus Link is a vital economic enabler for Tasmania that will generate a massive $1.4 billion investment, 1,400 direct jobs and, let’s not forget – energy security.
“Our Government took action to secure Marinus on a deal that’s good for Tasmania last September.
Make no mistake, Ms White’s announcement today puts the future of Marinus at extreme risk – who will invest in it now that her energy spokesman said “investing in it is throwing good money after bad?”
“It is becoming increasingly clear, a Labor Government in coalition with the Greens, independents and Lambie would take a wrecking ball to our economy.
“A real Coalition of Chaos.They want to stop the AFL team (Greens policy).
“They want to stop Marinus (Greens policy).
“What’s next… salmon? Forestry? Mining?
“The only way to keep Tasmania strong is to vote for a majority Rockliff Liberal Government.”
Questions – Supporting Our Loongana Valley Environment, 26 February 2024
— untitled —
Labor are saying we won’t pay for the Project Marinus cable, but the Energy Minister has confirmed power users will be paying for the Project Marinus grid (the North West Transmission Development) backing it. Won’t we still be paying for half of Project Marinus?
The new grid will cost a bomb, yet it’s all to send privately-owned power to the mainland – at our expense. We’ll have to buy our own power back. Is that efficient, fair or sensible?
Independent energy sector experts are saying there’s precious few benefits, but many costs, from TasNetworks’ proposed new transmission grid. Will Labor investigate TasNetworks’ claims that Marinus and the new grid (North West Transmission Development) will benefit us? Will you support an independent costs-benefits analysis of the NWTD if you win government?
In seeking to reduce our power bills, are Labor still going to investigate TasNetworks’ so-called ‘supernormal’ profit-taking via an estimated extra 10% on our power bills?
TasNetworks were given Jurisdictional Planner of the Energy sector, yet their plan, Marinus, only benefits private investors and Tasnet’s own bottom line – isn’t that a conflict of interest? Will Labor investigate?
New overhead transmission increases fire risks and grid failure from extreme weather conditions. Will Labor push for a safer, smaller, more resilient undergrounded transmission grid if you win office?
TasNetworks claim that undergrounding is ‘economically unviable’, but communities in our north claim they’re bearing the brunt of the real costs in lost property values, bulldozed forests and closed tourism businesses. Will you investigate if you win office?
Hasn’t the management failures of Basslink and the Power Purchase Agreements by Tas Hydro proved that operating our energy sector for the benefit of the mainland market and global investors isn’t benefiting us? Will Labor keep doing what is costing but not benefiting Tasmanians?
TasNetworks currently plan the energy sector to supply the energy market. If they’re also given planning control of the Renewable Energy Zones, around a third of the state, is it wise a state-owned company has that much power over us?
Question from SOLVE, a community group in northern Tasmania who have been fighting TasNetworks for over four years – why should we vote for Labor if Labor are going to allow TasNetworks to destroy our valley, bulldoze critical wild habitat, kill our local tourism, trash our property values and increase fire risks for us and the local fire service, for a transmission line that won’t benefit Tasmania?
Editor’s note: TT had hoped to be at the Labor media conference and put these questions. Unfortunately we were unable to get there.
Media release – TCCI, 26 February 2024
Business backing in Marinus
The TCCI is the voice of business in Tasmania and is calling on both major parties to back Marinus Link.
TCCI CEO, Michael Bailey, said the call for a unity ticket on Marinus follows Labor’s announcement that it would sell Tasmania’s stake in the project if in Government.
“Marinus Link must go ahead. Given how important this project is and the benefits it will help deliver, we also need to ensure that Tasmania would have a seat at the table. You can’t expect to have any input if you don’t have skin in the game.
“What the TCCI does support is the next Government of Tasmania investing in renewable energy projects. We are in an energy crisis and have been calling for further investment in renewable energy generation for some time.
“Marinus Link will set Tasmania up for the next 100 years. It’s a transformative, once-in-a-generation project and it shouldn’t become just another political football.”
Marinus a must for Tasmania
Clean Energy Tasmania is the voice of the renewable energy sector in Tasmania and believes Marinus Link is vital for the state.
Clean Energy Tasmania Chair, Ian Jones, said that $20 billion worth of clean energy investment in Tasmania was underpinned by Marinus Link.
“While we accept that both major parties support Marinus Link, their policies are very different,” Mr Jones said.
“Tasmania has such an amazing opportunity to be a renewable energy powerhouse. The projects that are currently being considered would provide thousands of jobs, boost the economy and help drive down power prices. We also need the extra generation to help cope with rising demand.
“Yesterday, I called for an energy policy debate between Labor and the Liberals hosted by Clean Energy Tasmania. After today’s announcement it’s now even more important that we have an opportunity to hear directly from the parties about where they stand and what they will do in Government.”
Editor’s note: so-called Clean Energy Tasmania is a subsidiary organisation of TCCI hence we have published their comment as part of the TCCI one.
Jacque La Joker
February 26, 2024 at 12:39
As a business owner I resent TCCI claiming that the Marinus Link would be good for business as this is misleading to the point of being mostly untrue. More power being sold to the mainland will cause higher power prices as it means that we will still be a part of the National Energy Market (NEM).
This raises serious questions about the credibility of claims by both Labor and the Liberals. Both are indicating changes that contradict what they say they will do.
The whole premise of being a ‘Battery of the Nation (BOTN)’ and a ‘critical project for the nation’ is a flawed premise based on market-obsessed thinking from the previous federal governments. It really is not necessary.
There are many other renewable projects happening across the nation that will ultimately make our contribution negligible! We should also mention that the other BOTN project on the Snowy River is a runaway disaster. We really should ask why so much federal money is still being thrown at old thought bubbles?
It is arguable that Tasmanians shouldn’t pay for it not because of Labor’s reasons but because it is a bad idea that will still cost most Tasmanians a fortune in higher prices!
Ben Marshall
February 26, 2024 at 15:25
Indeed Jacques, Liberal desperately wants Project Marinus in full, while Labor is shouting loudly that it wants it fuller and faster, but very slightly cheaper. Labor’s virtue-signalling stops short of understanding that Marinus Link is only half of Project Marinus. The other half is the vast new grid that TasNet want us to pay for in order to link new foreign renewables energy to the mainland. The North West Transmission Development will be paid for out of our power bills, thus benefiting TasNetworks and corporate investors who will pocket our money while our state government, Liberal or Labor, pockets their cut.
Neither Liberal nor Labor (and I speak as an ex-Labor voter) are in any way to be trusted on the energy, climate and jobs / economy sectors. I wouldn’t let any of them run a pub raffle let alone our state.