The Tasmanian Greens have written to Premier Rockliff in response to the Liberals’ Government Business Enterprise (GBE) and State-owned Companies (SoCs) Reform Draft Plan. A thorough review of GBE governance is long overdue, but the government’s proposal is an ad-hoc process designed by the Liberals for political purposes to paper over their gross GBEs’ mismanagement.
Instead of the government’s proposed internal GBE rearrangement, there needs to be an independent review of the evidence, undertaken by experts, to assess how GBEs should best operate in the public interest.
Tasmania’s GBEs should work efficiently, collaboratively, and effectively in the best interests of Tasmanians. The recent dysfunction at TT-Line and TasPorts over the delivery of the new Spirits of Tasmania vessels shows that some GBEs are instead costing Tasmanians dearly.
This is not new. Forestry Tasmania and Tasracing have long been secretive, loss-making companies that provide no public benefit. Hydro Tasmania and TasNetworks need far greater financial accountability over their billion-dollar investments.
An internal review leaves the door open for the Liberals to privatise, divest from, and restructure GBEs with current government political purposes at front of mind. We’re concerned the Liberals’ plan to appoint ministerial representatives to GBE and SoC boards could be misused to further the current and future governments’ interests over the best interests of all Tasmanians.
We are concerned the Draft Plan for GBEs is a trojan horse threat to privatise some of them, given the Liberals have already announced plans to privatise the Public Trustee. Privatisation does not bring better outcomes for the Tasmanian community. It risks vulnerable people getting overlooked, price rises for basic services like power and protection of personal finances increasing, and the loss of Tasmanian jobs.
The Premier must ensure his government undertakes an independent review of GBEs and SoCs, with full opportunity for public consultation, to ensure evidence-based reforms that are in the interest of all Tasmanians.
