Rockliff must come back to the table on Liberty Bell Bay power costs

With experts warning that the State Government could be lumped with potential remediation costs in the region of $200 million at Liberty Bell Bay, Labor is calling for the Premier to come back to the negotiating table and fight to save the sale of the site.

We know a deal to sell the site was close, but fell over with unworkable power costs the major sticking point after the Government significantly jacked up prices over the past few years.

The Government claims that cheaper power prices are “uncommercial”, but the investment associated with keeping Liberty Bell Bay open is surely a better use of money than the clean-up costs, lost jobs and hit to the economy Tasmania will face if it closes.

Its own Ministerial Charter says Hydro should support economic growth and job creation. That clearly has not happened here raising serious questions about Hydro Tasmania’s role in the closure and the Premier’s control over Government Businesses.

Premier Rockliff needs to come back to the negotiating table and do what he can to save the jobs at Bell Bay, and prevent yet another blow to the north.