The Tasmanian Greens back independent economist Saul Eslake’s call for transparency over Bell Bay Aluminium’s power price and government subsidies. This is public money, and the public deserves to know what is being offered to Bell Bay Aluminium.
Hydro Tasmania and smelter-owner Rio Tinto are in troubled negotiations over a new power deal for the company. While the power price remains commercial in confidence, the Energy Minister said in Parliament this week there was an annual $60 million difference between what Rio Tinto is prepared to pay for electricity and what Hydro Tasmania is offering.
Hydro is being pressured to meet this massive annual $60 million gap between what a major industrial is prepared to pay and what it says is needed for the deal to commercially stack up. It’s vitally important the Liberal Government tells the public the power price deal that’s being offered to Bell Bay Aluminium, and any subsidies being given.
Tasmanians deserve transparency on energy supply contracts so they can understand and interrogate which deals are in the public interest, and which are not. This is taxpayers’ money.
Mr Eslake’s call for transparency around Bell Bay Aluminium’s power price contract, and any public subsidy is welcome. The amount individual Tasmanians pay for power isn’t a secret, and it shouldn’t be secret for major industrials.
Energy supply in Tasmania has a big impact on the economy, environment, and community. Maximum transparency is needed, not the Liberals’ default position of secrecy and redaction on energy project commitments, from Firmus’ AI data centres to Marinus Link.
