Guy Barnett,Minister for Energy
Today’s GBE hearings reaffirm the importance of our energy businesses in securing Tasmania’s renewable energy future.
Tasmania is already 100 per cent self-sufficient in renewable energy thanks to our nation-leading energy policies that have made Tasmania attractive for industry investment, which in turn is creating jobs across the State, particularly in our regional areas.
TasNetworks and Hydro Tasmania have played their part in delivering this and I thank them for their outstanding contribution that is benefitting our State.
The recent Annual Reports for Hydro and TasNetworks were also positive with both returning significant dividends to the State Budget that will be reinvested into our State’s recovery from COVID-19.
Both Hydro Tasmania and TasNetworks are also investing in Tasmania, not just in their important assets but also in the broader community with sponsorships and grants program that serve to enrich and enable community groups to continue supporting all Tasmanians.
We will continue to back our energy businesses, particularly as we progress the Marinus Link and Battery of the Nation projects that represent an intergenerational opportunity to make Tasmania a global leader and the renewable energy powerhouse of Australia.
The contrast today with the opposition parties couldn’t be any greater with the Labor leader-in-waiting David O’Byrne’s continued negativity about Marinus Link, and Rosalie Woodruff simply making things up.
Dr Woodruff even had the audacity to question TasNetworks safety standards when progressing new developments – despite admitting point blank she had no evidence to that effect.
TasNetworks and its contractors operate to the highest standards when it comes to safety and this was just one in a series of appallingly ignorant statements on display from Dr Woodruff today.
TasNetworks has also sought to encourage greater awareness of electrical safety in the community by developing a number of new community safety campaigns, which send an important safety message – don’t switch off around electricity.
Tasmania has what the nation wants and needs in affordable, reliable and clean renewable energy, and our energy businesses will continue to play an important role as we seize our State’s immense renewable energy potential to help grow our economy and create jobs, many in regional areas.
