The Rockliff-Ferguson Government has now officially conceded it has no energy policy, leaving Tasmanian families and business exposed to electricity bill price shocks now hitting other states.
In an extraordinary display before Estimates Hearings today Minister Guy Barnett at first attempted three times to deny the policy to delink from the National Electricity Market ever existed before admitting it had now been abandoned.
This was the Liberal’s signature policy to reduce prices. It was strongly supported and driven by industry.
The entire point of the policy was to protect Tasmania from the kind of price shocks that are now hitting the National Electricity Market.
Now it has been abandoned while the market faces a crisis.
It is extraordinary that it took questions from Labor today for Mr Barnett to admit the government had now walked away from the policy – four years after the promise was made.
It is extraordinary the government would leave Tasmanian business and families exposed.
The inevitable bill shock that will hit Tasmanian businesses and households will now fall at the feet of the Rockliff-Ferguson Government.
Dean Winter MP
Shadow Energy Minister
