Federal Labor MPs and senators write to Premier over privatisation plan ‘to sell off Tasmania’

The Premier’s push to sell off some government owned businesses has angered Federal Labor MPs, Senators and candidates. Read why they are worried.

Premier Jeremy Rockliff. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

Tasmanian federal Labor MPs, senators and candidates have written to the Premier warning him of the dangers of privatising state owned assets.

They say selling government-owned businesses will lead to job losses and increased costs for Tasmanians.

In his State of the State address in the House of Assembly on Tuesday, Mr Rockliff flagged the government might sell some of its businesses including the Motor Accidents Insurance Board and Metro Tasmania to pay down soaring debt.

Tasmanian Senator Carol Brown, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Minister Julie Collins. Picture: Prime Minister’s Office

The federal Labor team sent the letter to Mr Rockliff on Saturday.

“We are deeply concerned that your government is pursuing privatisation without a mandate, putting essential services and Tasmanians at risk,” they wrote.

“Every day, Tasmanians rely on the services your government plans to sell.

“Whether it’s the poles and wires that deliver power to homes in suburbs and towns across Tasmania, or the commute to work or school and trips that keep Tasmanians engaged with their community on a bus.

“Selling these assets means Tasmanians will pay through higher costs, job losses, and service cuts.”

The letter says privatising Tasmania’s power network would “drive up electricity costs” in the same way that Opposition leader Peter Dutton’s $600bn nuclear plan “will burden Australians with higher bills”.

“Both state and federal Liberals are making energy more expensive,” they said in the letter.

“The Liberals simply don’t have a plan to help with cost of living.

“Now, both the state and federal Liberals are hitting Tasmanians with double the costs – through privatised electricity and nuclear energy price hikes.

“Tasmanians have been left in the dark about your plans to sell off these assets, with no warning before last year’s election about this planned sale.

“Tasmanians cannot afford the privatisation of these assets.”

In the letter, the Tasmanian federal Labor MPs, senators and candidates call on all their colleagues in federal parliament to join them in condemning “this plan to sell off Tasmania”.

Originally published as Federal Labor MPs and senators write to Premier over privatisation plan ‘to sell off Tasmania’