Media release – Tasmanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, 5 June 2024
Government energy businesses must provide certainty and stability for Tasmanians
The Tasmanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry is the voice of business in Tasmania and is urging the Government to make sure Tasmania’s taxpayer-owned energy businesses are providing certainty and stability for our economy.
TCCI CEO, Michael Bailey, said it was time to make sure our energy businesses were putting the community and our economy first.
“We need to make sure our energy businesses are working for Tasmanian businesses and Tasmanian households,” Mr Bailey said.
“Because we own our own generation and transmission businesses we have a unique opportunity to leverage this into a significant competitive advantage, but it is going to require the Government to make some bold decisions.
“For starters, the TCCI would like to see Tasmania’s major industrials locked in with long-term power supply agreements. The major industrials employ thousands of Tasmanians directly and indirectly and are critical to our economy.
“We would also like to see the revised charters ensure that energy businesses put the interests of households and small businesses front and centre to support confidence and to make sure the cost of living and doing business doesn’t spiral out of control.
“Revising the charters is such a great opportunity to reset and look to a strong, prosperous future for Tasmania and we encourage the Government to work with the business sector throughout the process.”
Media release – Clean Energy Tasmania, 5 June 2024
Renewable sector must be consulted on charter re-write
Clean Energy Tasmania is the voice of the renewable energy sector in Tasmania and has welcomed the Tasmanian Government’s commitment to re-write the charters for all Tasmanian Government Business Enterprises and State-owned companies.
However, as the renewable energy sector gathers in Devonport for a major conference on Tasmania’s energy future, Clean Energy Tasmania Chair, Ian Jones, is calling for industry to have a say on the charters for Hydro and TasNetworks.
“We want Hydro and TasNetworks to work for Tasmanians and to help support and grow the renewable energy sector,” Mr Jones said.
“The only way to ensure that happens is for the Government to consult widely including with the renewable energy sector.
“Hydro and TasNetworks do a fantastic job, but we need to make sure they are focused on not only delivering for households and small business, but also laying the foundation for the renewable energy sector and the only way to do that is to talk to the sector.
“The Government should be very concerned that, even though there are a number of wind farm proposals on the table, there hasn’t been a single new wind farm commissioned since 2019.
“At a time when the demand for energy in Tasmania is increasing and there is a huge need for more renewable energy in the national grid, for all the renewable energy projects to have effectively stalled does not reflect well on the Government.
“Drafting a new charter that will remove many of the obstacles to getting more renewable energy projects up and running will be a good start.”
Editor’s note: this ‘organisation’ is a front set up by the Tasmanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
