The Liberal government owes Tasmanians an explanation about the cost to the state of the decision to terminate the Basslink Services agreement earlier this year.
The agreement was terminated on 10 February this year.
But in Parliament today, both the Premier Jeremy Rockliff and the Energy Minister Guy Barnett dodged Labor’s questions about whether the termination has not only left Hydro Tasmania unable to profit from extraordinary prices in the national market, but has also cost it significant sums of money.
Both the Premier and Minister were asked to confirm whether Hydro Tasmania has incurred a year-to-date loss of approximately $100 million as a result of the decision.
Both deflected repeatedly and spoke about anything but what they had been asked.
Is this why they broke their promise to cap energy prices?
Tasmanians already feeling the pain from rising power prices have every right to know whether the government’s mismanagement has put them at risk of further price hikes.
All Tasmanians remember the government mismanagement that led to the 2016 energy crisis, which cost the state $160 million and pushed us to the brink of blackouts.
Given the significant risk of the decision to terminate the agreement, this government owes Tasmanians an explanation about what advice it received and just how much it has cost the state.
It is outrageous that the offshore administrators of Basslink are the ones reaping the benefits of 100 years of Tasmanian investment in hydropower, while Tasmanians suffer massive price increases.
Dean Winter MP
Shadow Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction
