Tasmania state election 2024: Labor vows to get Tasmania out of Marinus Link project

Labor has vowed to pull the state out of the Marinus Link project, saying the federal government not Tasmanian taxpayers, should foot the entire cost.

Labor is not keen for Tasmania to pay anything for the marinus Link project.

Tasmanian taxpayers would not foot the bill for the contentious Marinus Link electricity connector across Bass Strait with Labor saying the federal government should pay for it.

Labor leader Rebecca White said if Labor wins government it would “get Tasmania out of the Marinus Link project”.

“Marinus can still happen – but under Labor Tasmanians won’t be the ones paying for it,” she said.

“We acknowledge that this is a critical project for the nation – but that is exactly why the Australian government should be the ones to pay for it.

“The Liberals have been promising to build a second Bass Strait interconnector for more than a decade.

“After 10 years in office, they’ve spent $130m and delivered nothing.”

The Marinus link is a proposed electricity and telecommunications interconnector between Tasmania and Victoria and was estimated to cost $3.1bn but there have been suggestions the cost is closer to $5.5bn.

AWU organiser Dave Meers and Labor leader Rebecca White at Nyrstar. Picture: Chris Kidd

Ms White said the government cut the project in half last August due to significant cost blowouts, and reduced Tasmania’s share of the project to 17.7 per cent, with the option to sell that share to the Commonwealth once the project has been commissioned.

“We will exercise that right as soon as we are able to under the terms of the agreement,” she said.

“Tasmanians have seen a 22.5 per cent rise in power prices in the last two years alone, and Tasmanian industries are being told they can’t access the power they need to grow.”

Labor’s energy spokesman Dean Winter said getting out of Marinus was one part of Labor’s Tasmania First energy policy, which he said would achieve “lower power prices for Tasmanians, and a guarantee that Tasmanian power will be used to grow Tasmanian industry and jobs”.

Artist's impression of the Marinus Link Undersea-HVDC-cable before being buried beneath Bass Strait sea floor.

“With current Stage One projects costs of $3.3bn, the current Tasmanian government share of 17.7 per cent equates to approximately $584m, and Tasmania would be best off getting out of it as soon as possible,” he said.

“There’s no point throwing good money after bad, at a project where more than 90 per cent of the benefit flows to the mainland.

“Tasmanians have invested in the Hydro for 100 years.

“We should be paying Tasmanian prices for Tasmanian power, but after 10 years of the Liberals, we’re not.”

Under the project, Tasmanian renewable energy will be exported to power homes interstate.

Originally published as Tasmania state election 2024: Labor vows to get Tasmania out of Marinus Link project