Scant detail on Marinus Link still fails to clarify crucial questions – how will it be paid for

Tasmanian Labor
  • Prime
    Minister’s announcement light on detail around costs and delivery timeline
  • Canberra
    clearly does not trust Gutwein Government to deliver
  • State
    and Federal Liberals still not providing certainty on Marinus
  • The
    Prime Minister has today failed to deliver any new information on a pathway
    forward for the Marinus Link project, including crucial clarity around how the
    $3.5 billion bill will be paid.

    Shadow
    Energy Minister David O’Byrne said the “announcement” by the Federal Liberal
    Government in Launceston today was meaningless without specific detail about
    the future of the project.

    “What
    it does show is that the Morrison Government has no confidence in the Gutwein
    Government or Energy Minister Guy Barnett to deliver,” Mr O’Byrne said.

    “The
    Prime Minister has effectively expressed no confidence in the Gutwein
    Government by taking a controlling stake in the special purpose vehicle charged
    with progressing the project.

    “Like
    most Tasmanians, he clearly doesn’t have any confidence that this government is
    capable of getting important infrastructure built.

    “Tasmanians
    are right to be sceptical considering just last week we learned that Mr Barnett
    has not met with or spoken to the Victorian Government about progress of the
    critical Marinus Link project as he continues on his usual path of inaction.

    “The
    position of the Victorian Government is crucial as to whether Marinus goes
    ahead – and to Tasmanians avoiding paying higher electricity prices – but Mr
    Barnett has not so much as picked up the phone.

    “Today
    the Prime Minister has failed to say how it
    will be paid for.

    “He
    failed to provide a timeline for when it will go ahead.

    “It’s
    shrouded in uncertainty and the Prime Minister’s re-announcement today shows it
    is no closer to coming to fruition.

    “Every project this government touches it fumbles and this is yet another example.

    “For Tasmania to become the battery of the nation and for Marinus Link to reach its full potential, Tasmanians require a real commitment and we are just not seeing that.”

    David O’Byrne MP

    Shadow Treasurer and Minister for Energy

    /Public Release. View in full here.