Tasmania’s two major political parties have taken opposing stances on the $4.8 billion Marinus Link project ahead of the state election.
Labor is pledging to hand over the state’s share to mainland governments, while the Liberals say they will keep Tasmanian ownership if re-elected.
Labor leader Dean Winter says a Labor government would immediately transfer Tasmania’s stake in the Bass Strait interconnector to the Victorian and federal governments.
He argues this would save the state $200 million and get the project moving after what he called over a decade of Liberal “inertia”.
“The mainland needs Marinus, so they can pay for it,” Winter said.
“It will save Tasmania hundreds of millions in debt that would otherwise be added to the credit card and it will kickstart a renewable energy boom in the north and north-west.”
Liberal leader Jeremy Rockliff said a re-elected Liberal government would only go ahead with Marinus if it benefits Tasmanians.
“We will progress with Marinus if it means lower power prices for Tasmanians, at no additional cost to Tasmanian taxpayers,” Rockliff said.
“We will do this while ensuring we retain important voting rights.”
Rockliff set out five conditions for the project to proceed, including protection for local consumers and no more state taxpayer funding for the multibillion-dollar link.
Winter’s plan would see Tasmania give up control over decisions affecting the undersea cables that connect the state’s power grid to Victoria.
But he says it would unlock $25 billion in renewable energy investment and create thousands of jobs.
“Transferring Tasmania’s share to the mainland will put the state’s long-term interests first,” Winter said. “It will mean less debt for Tasmanians and more jobs, sooner.”
Liberal MLC Nick Duigan warned that giving up ownership would leave Tasmania powerless over its energy future.
“The Tasmanian Liberal Party has a sensible plan that protects consumers, small and large, without putting anymore taxpayer money into the project,” he said.
Labor’s energy spokeswoman Janie Finlay accused the Liberals of backflipping on their own policy, noting they allocated another $100 million for Marinus in last month’s state budget.
“What has changed?” she asked. “After 11 years of promises, this massive backflip is yet another example of why the Liberals can’t be trusted to deliver major projects.”
Marinus Link is a proposed 750-megawatt undersea electricity cable connecting north-west Tasmania to Victoria’s Latrobe Valley.
It is designed to operate alongside the existing Basslink interconnector and would allow Tasmania to export clean hydroelectric power to the mainland.
