Premier Jeremy Rockliff has confirmed he will slug our under-pressure major industrials with another 10.6 per cent energy transmission price hike next financial year.

It comes on top of huge increases they’ve felt over the last two years and will pile millions in additional costs onto Tasmania’s largest employers and further threaten thousands of jobs.

Our major industrials have stepped up and delivered for Tasmania’s economy for decades, but Jeremy Rockliff won’t step up for them.

Jeremy Rockliff had a clear choice:

• Support thousands of Tasmanian jobs; or
• Push ahead with another cost increase on industries doing it tough.

He chose the latter.

While the Premier continues to write letters to Canberra, he’s ignoring the powers he does have – like pausing a state-controlled transmission price hike. He can act, but he won’t.

And now, instead of a plan to support jobs, the Premier is trying to scare Tasmanians into thinking the only way to help industry is to hike household bills or taxes. It’s shameful to use Tasmanians who are also doing it tough as cover to his inaction.

Labor stands for safe, secure, well-paid jobs. Tasmanians deserve a government that stands up for jobs, protects industries, and takes responsibility, but it’s clear the Premier has given up.

Janie Finlay MP
Shadow Minister for Energy & Renewables