Tas Power Democracy Calls For Transparency On Marinus

Media Release – Tas Power Democracy, 1 August, 2025

Rockliff Government’s Actions on Marinus Link Undermine Democracy

The Tas Power Democracy community group is appalled by the announcement recently made by Craig Garland MP that the Rockliff government has refused to release the Project Marinus Whole of State Business Case to the public a full 30 days prior to the Final Investment Decision being made, despite repeatedly promising to do so.

In a modern democracy, it is vital that the government be transparent in its decisions on major investment projects, and that the people be properly informed and involved in the decisionmaking process through adequate public consultation. Yet the Rockliff government chose not to release the business case before the election, denying Tasmanians the opportunity to make an informed vote on energy policy. And now, the government is refusing to release the business case altogether until after the critical investment decision has been made.

It is absolutely unacceptable for the government to make a Final Investment Decision on Marinus Link while in caretaker mode, in breach of all convention and of its promises to inform the public through the business case. Such behaviour has no place in a democracy and shows a lack of integrity and respect for the Tasmanian people.

Furthermore, Matthew Denholm’s article on Marinus Link in The Australian newspaper on 25 July 2025 revealed that there are some “some ugly numbers” in the Whole of State Business case, according to Ray Mostogl (CEO of the Tasmanian Minerals, Manufacturing and Energy Council).

He also said, “The issue is that it’s so complicated that if you try to run it up a flagpole in the middle of an election campaign, or in the current situation of trying to cobble together a government, I think you’re going to lose it. People are just going to go ‘I’m not sure about this, so the answer’s no.'” These statements suggest a motivation to push the Marinus Project through at all costs, even if it means concealing vital information from the public.

The Tas Power Democracy group is additionally concerned that Project Marinus is likely to enable the establishment of large database industries in Tasmania, including Artificial Intelligence data centres (as previously stated by the CEOs of Marinus Link and TasICT); and that sufficient consideration has not been given to the energy requirements, security and sovereign risks, costs to the public, and environmental impacts on our state associated with such data centres.

Additionally, there may be potential for Tasmania’s “Elite Cartel corruption” (as described by the University of Sussex Centre for the Study of Corruption) to lead to a Final Investment Decision on Marinus Link that is not in the best interest of Tasmanians. These concerns were outlined in a letter to The Hon. Ruth Forrest MLC, chair of the Joint Select Committee on Energy Matters. The letter was also forwarded to the Tasmanian Parliament, all local councils and Tasmanian Federal MPs and Senators. It is publicly available for viewing online:

It is astonishing that shortly after receiving this letter, the government chose to exclude Tasmanians from the decisionmaking process on Marinus Link. Such actions seem to confirm University of Sussex author Aya Safwat Sadek Ibrahim Eldeeb’s description of Tasmania as “the corruption isle”, characterised by “‘duplicitous exclusion’ – denying citizens the chance to participate in decisions affecting their lives […] the essence of corruption in a democracy. (Links to the corruption articles provided below.)

The Tas Power Democracy group condemns the Liberals’ actions and calls on the Rockliff government to commit that:

No Final Investment Decision will be made on Marinus Link, nor any “notice to proceed” issued, during the caretaker period.

The Whole of State Business Case will be released to the public immediately, a full 30 days prior to the Final Investment Decision being made, as promised by the Liberal government, so that the people have an adequate amount of time to consider the document and decide whether Project Marinus is in Tasmania’s best interests.

Since the “notice to proceed” is not due until the end of August, there is still sufficient time for the Liberal government to release the Whole of State Business Case, and to provide the public with a full month to examine the document prior to a Final Investment Decision being made.

Tas Power Democracy Calls for Transparency on Marinus 3 Media release – Dean Winter MP, Labor Leader, 1 August 2025

Premier capitulates on sham Marinus ‘consultation’

Jeremy Rockliff said he was getting advice on whether he could make his Marinus decision without signoff from Labor. I hope taxpayers didn’t pay too much for the advice because he could have just googled it.

This whole week has been a sham consultation.

They have been needlessly secretive, but the Liberals don’t know any other way.

Until the business case and all relevant information is released, Tasmanians won’t have confidence in the project.

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