Key Points
A Rebecca White Labor Government will reshape Hydro Tasmania through a new Ministerial Charter that focuses on growing Tasmania’s economy and supporting secure, well-paid jobs.
As part of our Tasmania First Plan, a Tasmanian Labor Government will exit the Marinus Link project and invest in building more renewable energy for our economy.
Tasmanian Labor acknowledges that Marinus is a critical project for Australia’s future and that 92% of the benefits will flow to mainland Australia. That’s why it should be a project led by the Australian Government. Marinus will still happen – but under Labor Tasmanians will not be paying for it.
Labor’s Plan will:
- Put Tasmanians first
- Invest more into more renewable energy
projects for Tasmanian businesses and
industry.
Why we need it
The Liberals have been promising to build a second Bass Strait interconnector for more than a decade. After 10 years in office, they have spent more than $130 million and delivered nothing.
"Tasmanians have invested in the Hydro for 100 years. We should be paying Tasmanian prices for Tasmanian power."
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.
In the meantime, Tasmanians have seen a 22.5% rise in power prices in the last two years alone, and Tasmanian industries are being told they can’t access the power they need to grow.
The details
A Labor Government will exit the Marinus Link agreement as soon as possible and exercise our rights to divest from the project.
The Marinus Link project will still continue – but we won’t be the ones paying for it.