Media release – Dean Winter MP, Labor Leader, 11 March 2025
Premier still can’t defend his desperate privatisation plans
For the second week in a row, Jeremy Rockliff has failed to justify why Tasmania’s public assets should be flogged off to pay for his failure to manage the state budget.
It’s because he can’t.
Today in Question Time, Jeremy Rockliff couldn’t give one example of where the privatisation of energy assets has been successful in Australia. He couldn’t tell Tasmanians why their power bills should skyrocket or why the risk of blackouts should increase, like we’ve seen happen in other states.
In what was effectively an admission that his plans would make Tasmania’s budget situation worse; he couldn’t explain where he would find the money to fund our schools, hospitals, and emergency services if he sells off the businesses that help support them.
Tasmania’s government businesses are strategic assets that underpin the state’s economy and government revenues more generally. Over the past 10 years MAIB has provided nearly $1 billion in dividends and other returns, while TasNetworks’ contribution has included nearly half a billion in dividends and hundreds of millions more in other returns over the same period.
Jeremy Rockliff’s desperation for a short-term sugar hit will rob future generations of the revenue we need to pay for our schools and hospitals. Because once these assets are gone, they are gone forever.
Media release – Dean Winter MP, Labor Leader, 12 March 2025
Premier adds Aurora and part of Hydro to fire-sale
Jeremy Rockliff has today confirmed Aurora and Momentum Energy – which is part of Hydro – are on the table to be flogged off as part of his fire-sale to pay down soaring debt created on his watch.
When asked about secret submissions from private companies in acquiring the energy businesses today, the Premier said he was “not unaware” of the submissions, and confirmed he welcomed the interest.
He also said he’d be looking at every opportunity for privatisation, in the clearest indication yet that he wants to sell Tasmania’s future off to the highest bidder.
Privatisation of energy assets has been a disaster everywhere else; power bills have skyrocketed, and blackouts have jumped.
Jeremy Rockliff’s desperation for a short-term budget sugar hit will rob future generations of the revenue we need to pay for our schools and hospitals. Because once these assets are gone, they are gone forever.
Committee to pull Premier’s privatisation plans apart
When Jeremy Rockliff announced his plans for a fire-sale of Tasmania’s state-owned assets to pay back the debt his government had created, Labor said we’d use every parliamentary mechanism available to stop him.
Today we have established a committee to pull apart every single aspect of the Premier’s plan and help Tasmanians understand just how desperate and reckless his proposed fire-sale is.
Labor is absolutely opposed to the Rockliff Minority Government’s privatisation agenda which seeks to sell-off Tasmania’s future to pay down his failures.
It will lead to reduced services for Tasmanians at increased costs, and we will continue fight tooth and nail to stop it.
Media release – Guy Barnett, Treasurer, 12 March 2025
Winter at war with the unions
In less than a week, Dean Winter has broken a promise he made with the unions to categorically rule out asset sales.
Dean Winter quickly mounted a scare campaign in partnership with the unions, declaring that he will ‘not allow this Government to privatise our assets. We will do everything we can.’
After damning revelations this morning that Mr Winter is in fact a long time privatisation advocate, he is now going back on his promise to the unions by opening the door to having a conversation.
Mr Winter himself is using his Private Members time in Parliament, seeking to establish a Select Committee to look into the potential asset sales.
Mr Winter is suddenly now interested in seeing the benefits.
Unbeknownst to the unions, it’s clear that this was always Mr Winter’s plan to publicly oppose any sales but to prepare an escape route through a committee.
Labor have reverted back to their old guard’s tactic of a ‘Bec-flip’, now waging a war with the very unions who tried to stop Mr Winter from entering the parliament in the first place.
We already know Mr Winter’s Labor colleagues are turning against him.
Now they know he’s a privatisation advocate, his leadership is mortally wounded.
Media release – Eric Abetz, Minister for Business, Industry and Resources, 12 March 2025
Winter’s credibility in tatters
Dean Winter has been caught out as a pro-privatisation advocate.
After a week of attempting to launch a scare campaign, damning comments have shown Dean Winter’s credibility is in tatters.
In an ABC Radio interview on 27 November, 2015, Mr Winter spoke of his pro-privatisation views saying:
“Well. what’s.. why does Tasmania own Entura? What’s the strategic reason for owning that particular business?”
He goes on to say:
“So we are not in the space anymore at least during this election cycle where we can actually talk about what assets Tasmania should own. There is a whole bunch of areas including Entura but there is also umm for example ummm, umm, TasNetworks..”
On the topic of electricity asset sales, Mr Winter said:
“Research shows Victoria where electricity assets are privatised, they pay less for electricity and that means every single mum and dad business and home pays less.”
These comments followed Mr Winters opinion piece in the Mercury in June 2014, lauding his hero Paul Keating’s economic reform agenda.
Mr Winter lamented that in Tasmania politicians are inevitably guilty of taking few risks, shirking difficult decisions and as a consequence, upsetting very few.
“There is little meaningful policy debate,” he said.
What sort of policy issues was Mr Winter talking about?
He named up a few: water and sewerage centralisation; voluntary public service redundancy measures; electricity competition; and electricity asset sales!
It’s hardly a surprise that many within the union movement attempted to thwart his preselection efforts in 2021.
As reported in the Mercury in 2021, those opposed to Mr Winter’s nomination believed he was a supporter of privatisation.
Indeed he is!
It’s only a matter of time now before the left faction of the Labor party declare Mr Winter’s credibility too big a risk.
Media release – Miriam Beswick, independent MHA for Braddon, 13 March 2025
BRADDON INDEPENDENT PART OF CRUCIAL COMMITTEE
Braddon independent Miriam Beswick is looking forward to being part of a committee tasked with examining Government Business Enterprise reform and potential privatisation.
“Tasmanians deserve to have all the facts put on the table,” Mrs Beswick said.
“I welcome Labor’s move to establish a committee and look forward to playing a constructive role.
“It’s been a noisy, political debate so far but it’s crucial that the people of Braddon are heard.
“I’m interested in hearing from witnesses with a considered opinion rather than a political axe to grind.
“This is a golden opportunity to not only assess the pros and cons of privatisation but to be clear about the Government’s obligations.
“Tasmanians deserve to know which state-owned businesses require the approval of parliament to be sold or partially sold.
“This is also an opportunity to take a good look at reform so we’re getting the best out of our GBEs.
“I’m committed to bringing a considered, non-partisan voice to this critical debate.”
