$30 million of taxpayer funded community grants are being funnelled through Marinus Link and the associated North West Transmission Line in a thinly veiled attempt the build social license for the beleaguered $5+ billion project. This comes a week after the Federal Budget allocated $381million to offset energy bill rises generated by the project, and the Tasmanian Government’s refusal to release the full unredacted business case.
“The $5billion Marinus Link is facing growing public opposition and very real economic questions, and their answer is to take more public money to try and bribe their way back into public favour,” said Scott Jordan, Bob Brown Foundation Campaigner.
“Instead of these beads and mirrors, Tasmanians deserve to see the unredacted business case. They are putting their hand in our pockets, taking our money, then trying to bribe us with less than a penny on the dollar. And make no mistake, it is your money. Marinus is years away from being built and doesn’t generate any revenues.”
“This comes from the same governments that told us Marinus would lower power bills and now are allocating $381million to offset the projected rises to power bills. The lie that Marinus and Battery of the Nation would reduce power bills for Tasmanians is exposed. First it was, ‘bring power bills down’ then it became ‘make power bills less than they otherwise would have been’ and now they don’t even spin it. Marinus and NW Transmission will increase power bills so much that the Federal Government will subsidise the increase for a couple of years. Then what?”
“The truth with Marinus is we pay every time. We pay with our environment, we pay for its construction, we pay for its operation, and we pay for the PR bribes to convince us that it’s all ok. It’s as dishonest as it is outrageous. The Marinus Link Legacy Fund includes $13million to be spent in Gippsland and $6million to be spent in Burnie and Central Coast areas. The North West Transmission Community Benefits Sharing Program will spend another $10million,” said Scott Jordan.
