Backing renewable energy developments and job creation

Posted: 2nd Aug

From Guy Barnett,Minister for Primary Industries and Water.

The Hodgman majority Liberal Government is delivering our long term Plan to build a stronger economy and create jobs and our energy developments are part of that future.

Under this Government, Tasmania achieved zero net emissions in 2016 and is already on track to achieve our 2022 target of 100 percent self-sufficiency in renewable energy production, while delivering the country’s lowest regulated electricity prices.

Under the Labor-Green Government Tasmanian businesses and residents had to face massive power price increases of 65 per cent over seven years, despite Tasmania’s generation of clean, hydro and wind energy.

The Hodgman Majority Government is committed to business investment in Tasmania, particularly in regional areas with the Cattle Hill and Granville Harbour wind farms injecting $580 million investment, creating hundreds of jobs and contributing to the ongoing downward pressure on prices.

Our Battery of the nation and Marinus second interconnector projects will unlock billions of investment in Tasmania with developers currently assessing thousands of megawatts of wind potential, such as Epuron’s plans for a 300 megawatt wind farm in the Central Highlands.

But on the cusp of realising this economic boom for Tasmania, Bob Brown is back, this time trying to stop the $1.6 billion job-creating renewable energy project on Robbins Island.

Renewable energy initiatives, like Robbins Island, will further secure Tasmania’s energy supply, put downward pressure on power prices for all Tasmanians, drive investment and create much needed local jobs.

Yesterday the Tasmanian Greens had the chance to back our renewable energy future and they didn’t.

The Greens say they support renewable energy, but they didn’t support our hydroelectric projects, they didn’t support Basslink, and now they fail to support even more job creation in the renewable energy sector by calling for the end to wind energy generation on Robbins Island.

If there’s one thing Tasmanians can be assured of it’s that when it comes to protecting Tasmanian jobs, promoting Tasmanian ingenuity, and putting downward pressure on the cost of living, the Hodgman Majority Liberal Government has their back.

Source: Mirage News - https://www.miragenews.com/backing-renewable-energy-developments/