The Liberals’ so-called energy strategy fails to address carbon price losses or future changes to the Renewable Energy Target (RET), while sneaking in the ‘Christmas grinch’ in the form of another Basslink for which Tasmanians will pick up the tab, Greens Leader and Energy spokesperson Kim Booth MP said.
“Matthew Groom’s so-called Energy Strategy is nothing more than a smokescreen to cover the billion dollar loss on carbon price over the next 10 years, which he and the Premier encouraged their federal counterparts to repeal,” Mr Booth said.
“The state Liberals’ cheering on of Mr Abbott’s repeal of the carbon price will cost Tasmanians between $750 million to $1.2 billion dollars over the next ten years, for which every Tasmanian electricity consumer is already paying through their power bill.”
“The further possible changes to the RET will also have serious consequences for Tasmania, but Minister Groom’s so-called strategy does little to address those concerns.”
“Despite Basslink already costing nearly $100 million per year to rent the cable, Mr Groom now wants to load another burden on families, with an additional bass Strait interconnector.”
“Hiding this Basslink 2 proposal in the tinsel of Christmas is a very worrying development and the sort of Christmas present that will keep on biting families through their power bills for years to come.”
“Tasmania doesn’t need another strategy, we need an Energy Minister capable of reading and understanding the findings of the 2012 comprehensive and independent Electricity Supply Industry Expert Panel’s findings.”
“The independent Expert Panel made it clear that the only way to provide the lowest long term power prices is to re- focus Hydro onto its core function as a generator and end the corporation’s reckless empire building and risk taking with the public purse.”
“Tasmania is awash with surplus power into the foreseeable future and any energy strategy should focus on keeping power at home to ensure that Tasmanians have the cheapest and greenest energy in the nation produced by 100% renewable energy. This will provide business a competitive advantage, assist families to heat their homes, and provide the energy to replace fossil fuels in transport.”
“The Greens are the only party to understand the independent Energy Expert Panel’s recommendations, and we are determined to provide the lowest possible power prices for all Tasmanians, and ensure we are 100 per cent renewable,” Mr Booth said.