Ms O’CONNOR question to MINISTER for INFRASTRUCTURE and TRANSPORT, Mr VINCENT
[2.54 p.m.]
I have a question to the Minister for Transport and Infrastructure, and it’s related to my earlier question. Minister, as you know, there is a massive fuel shock happening around the world and that places an island like Tasmania, which is heavily dependent on imported oil and gas particularly. Are you able to update the Council on any briefings, plans or projects that will help us be less reliant on imported fossil fuels, but also deal with the immediate issues this state, perhaps more so than any other state because of our distance, is facing in relation to access to fossil fuels.
ANSWER
Yes, very relevant question with the pressures that are on us all at the moment. I wouldn’t like to go into details on some of the things that are being discussed, but I could say that it is being discussed on a daily basis both internally and with major stakeholders throughout Tasmania and nationally.
Ms O’CONNOR – When you say major stakeholders – the Tasmanian community car drivers would be a major stakeholder, so any detail you can provide.
Mr VINCENT – There is a group, I think they met, I stand to be corrected, Monday night or last Monday night, it might have been. There was 12 of the first one a week ago. There were 40 different bodies representing a very broad section of the community from drivers to peak bodies and everybody else that’s involved, because you imagine it is affecting truck drivers and everything. A lot of discussions are taking place at a very high level, both here within Tasmania and regular communication. The Prime Minister I understand has been part of those conversation as well as Mr Bowen on what needs to happen. I don’t have further details on specifics, but as soon as they are available, I will be certainly happy to present them to the House.
