Media Release

Peter Gutwein MP
Shadow Minister for Energy

Thursday 29th April 2010

Another Bryan Green Cover-up Emerges

After revelations yesterday that Bryan Green kept the breakdown of Basslink a secret, it appears a new cover-up is emerging.

In the middle of last year the Government commissioned PriceWaterhouseCoopers to conduct a high-level review of Tasmania's energy businesses, which was expected to be released before the election, but until now the contents have been kept secret.

Former Energy Minister, David Llewellyn, said at estimates in December 2009 that the Government had:

"commissioned an expert study into the relative roles of the three energy companies to look at what, if anything, the Government should do to improve their overall added value and what, if anything, could be done to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of energy markets in Tasmania for the benefit of both customers and the public. This strategic look ahead is supported by input from Hydro Tasmania, Transend Networks and Aurora Energy. The Government expects to consider the findings of that review in early 2010."

I understand that this review raises many issues including the financial challenges to be faced by the Government owned businesses into the future as well as options for restructuring and/or privatization.

The new Energy Minister, Bryan Green, was silent last week when I called for this report to be made public. However, he has now had sufficient time to be briefed on the report and he should explain what actions the PriceWaterhouseCoopers report recommends the Labor-Green Government should take. He should also explain why Labor chose to keep this study a secret and not release it before the election.

If Minister Green won't release the report, then it is clear that he has learnt nothing from his previous disastrous foray into ministerial ranks and either he has something to hide or there is something very troubling contained within the report.