Rockliff Government failure leaves Tasmanians with $224 million Liberty bill

Every day, Tasmanians learn more about the cost of the Rockliff Government failure to secure a deal to keep Liberty Bell Bay operating.

The Government said it did everything it could to save Liberty Bell Bay. That's just not true. Tasmanians will be left with a bill of more than $224 million for their failure, plus the unknown cost for an army of lawyers, receivers and advisers from Deloitte and Mallesons - and still no outcome. 

That's an extraordinary price for a Government that failed to get a deal done, leaving more than 200 workers without jobs and contractors without payment.

Throughout the process, Resources Minister Felix Ellis repeatedly assured Tasmanians the Treasury loan was protected because it was secured against the ore. But in a liquidation, assets don't always realise their full value. 

There are serious questions the Government must now answer.

• Does it still expect taxpayers to recover the full value of the loan?
• How much of the $20 million Treasury loan was actually drawn down to purchase the ore?
• What was the final cost of the ore, and what does the Government realistically expect to recover from its sale?
• Most importantly, how much will this entire failed process cost taxpayers?
• How much has been spent on advisors, lawyers and receivers?

The Rockliff Government insisted it had put forward a substantial package to save Liberty Bell Bay, but a package to save it would've been a hell of a lot less than the bill taxpayers could now be forced to wear.

Tasmanian taxpayers aren't the Rockliff Government's personal ATM.

Oh yeah and... where the h*** is the Energy Minister?