Guy Barnett pulling off the seemingly impossible

Never tell the Minister for Energy and Renewables something is too hard to attempt. Why pulling off the seemingly impossible has now become MPs signature move.

Minister Guy Barnett. Picture: Kenji Sato

NEVER tell Guy Barnett something is too hard to attempt.

Pulling off the seemingly impossible has now become the Energy and Renewables Minister’s signature move.

He might just be Tasmania’s greatest salesman. Does anyone remember the campaign to have Teddy Sheean awarded his VC 70 years after the fact?

Can’t be done, they said. Doesn’t have a chance.

Guy Barnett got Teddy Sheean his VC.

For the past six years or so, Mr Barnett has ignored the doubters and pushed on with the quest to make the Marinus Link dream a reality.

No small amount of scepticism has accompanied the quest — most particularly where the money was coming from.

Guy Barnett speaks to the media at Cambridge on Wednesday October 19, 2022.

Wednesday was Mr Barnett’s opportunity to tell the critics “I told you so” — although graciously he chose not to. Mr Barnettspoke after the Prime Minister, the Premier and federal Climate Change and Energy Minister Bowen took their turn.

“It is a great day, a historic day,” he said.

But securing agreement to fund the largest Australian energy project in the post-Snowy Hydro era is testament to his dogged persistence.

Mr Bowen acknowledged that. “Can I thank Minister Barnett for his engagement,” he said.

“Guy and I have been keeping Telstra afloat personally over the last few months with our telephone calls.”

It is a fair bet that the majority of those originated from Hobart or Launceston to Canberra, rather than the other way around. There is a long way to go – the final investment decision, construction, operation.

The hoped-for riches and jobs from this project are still some time off. There are questions still to be answered about how the project will play out.

There are many people who can take credit for the development of the Marinus Link project and the achievement of this milestone.

But there was only one who was going to take the blame if it failed, so it is only right that Mr Barnett’s achievement — across party lines in the first few months of a new government — is rightly acknowledged.

Energy and Renewables Minister Guy Barnett (centre) and federal Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen.

It is only right that Mr Barnett’s achievement – across party lines in the first few months of a new government

– is rightly acknowledged