Labor has promised to free Tasmanians from further payments towards the Marinus Link undersea cable project if they win the next election.
The more than $5 billion cable project began in 2017 and once completed, will enable the state to export hydro-power and other renewable energy to Victoria.
Labor Leader Rebecca White says she will sell Tasmania’s 17.7% share of the project back to the Commonwealth as the majority of the benefits will flow to mainland Australia.
“Marinus can still happen, but under Labor, Tasmanians won’t be the ones paying for it … the Australian Government should be the ones to pay for it,” White said.
“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.”
The current ‘Stage One’ of the project carries a price tag of $3.3 billion, meaning that under Tasmania’s current 17.7% share, the state’s contribution would amount to $584 million.
“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,” White said.
Liberal Michael Ferguson labelled the decision as “reckless”, arguing it “threatens the future of the Marinus Link” and would “put a knife through the heart of the Tasmanian economy”.
“Labor has finally got off the fence on Marinus Link and surprise, surprise it’s the same side as the Greens,” he 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.”
“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’.”
