The Minority Liberal Government must defer its planned increase of energy transmission costs for Major Industrials.

The Liberals have already admitted that transmission prices have gone up by 26% over the past two years.  But on top of that, they plan to increase them again by another 10.6% from July this year.  These increases are worth millions of dollars to the Major Industrials who use over half Tasmania’s electricity.

Major Industrials are under enormous pressure, particularly Nystar and Liberty Bell Bay.  While both situations are caused by issues outside Tasmania, skyrocketing energy costs add even more pressure during a very difficult time.  We need to be doing everything we can to protect the thousands of jobs that hang from these industrials – not just writing a letter. 

Jeremy Rockliff can’t on the one hand demand Canberra help, and on the other, not provide support that is well within his control.

Of course, that ability to support our major industrials only exists because of the public ownership of our energy assets. Something Labor strongly supports, and the Liberals are planning to wreck.

Dean Winter MP
Tasmanian Labor Leader