Tasmanian Energy Minister Nick Duigan has confirmed the state has signed up to the multi-billion-dollar Marinus Link project.
Speaking to ABC Radio Hobart on Friday morning, Mr Duigan said he signed a new deal with the federal government on Thursday night.
“I’m very pleased to say that as of last night I was able to sign that new deal having received advice and that has resulted in a significantly better deal for Tasmania,” he said.
“This is a massive deal for Tasmania, our future energy security, our energy supply — but also the Tasmanian bottom line and prosperity for our state.”
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The Marinus project will see a second underwater electricity cable and transmission line built in the Bass Strait between Victoria and Tasmania.
It is designed to give the mainland greater reciprocal access to Tasmania’s renewable energy resources.
Labor call out ‘sham consultation’
The state government has yet to release the business case for the project, but has indicated it will be released on Friday afternoon.
Earlier in the year, the government promised to release it 30 days before a final investment decision.
Speaking on Friday morning, Labor leader Dean Winter said this entire week had been a “sham consultation”.
“A sham consultation with the parliament and a sham consultation with the Tasmanian people,” Mr Winter said.
The Marinus Link will be a second underwater electricity cable and transmission line between Victoria and Tasmania. (Supplied: Marinus Link)
“Tasmanians aren’t going to have confidence in this project until [Tasmanian premier] Jeremy Rockliff releases the business case in full, so people can see what’s in it.”
Mr Winter said he and other members of parliament were told they could not publicly discuss information in the business case, when they were briefed on it earlier this week.
“There are opportunities in this deal and there are risks and Tasmanians deserve to be aware of what they are,” he said.
“There are risks around our major industrials and their ongoing viability. There are opportunities in terms of building new renewable energy.”
Labor leader Dean Winter is urging the government to release the business case. (ABC News: By Paul Verne)
Mr Duigan said the government had not released the business case yet because it was engaged in a “hard-nosed negotiation” with the Commonwealth.
“[The business case] contains some pretty sensitive information around the Tasmanian energy landscape and Tasmanian energy businesses,” he said.
“We have been fighting tooth and nail to keep that information out of the hands of the people who we are negotiating with.”
Caretaker period causes confusion
The decision to sign onto the project comes while the Tasmanian government is in caretaker period, almost two weeks after a state election in which no party has yet formed a new government.
The project will give the mainland greater reciprocal access to Tasmania’s renewable energy resources. (Supplied: Marinus Link)
Premier Jeremy Rockliff previously said the government would require Labor leader Dean Winter to sign off on the deal while in the caretaker period.
The government presented Labor and the crossbench with thousands of pages of detailed documentation, including modelling and legal advice, before the premier gave Labor fewer than 24 hours to make a decision.Â
The process was described as a “sham” and “document dump” by crossbenchers while Labor ignored the deadline and refuted the claim they were required to sign off on the deal.
The premier said he would seek further advice, ahead of the government ultimately signing the deal.