The energy portfolio is absolutely crucial to Tasmania’s long-term future and I would like to thank the Premier for giving me this tremendous opportunity.
I would also like to thank Matthew Groom for his leadership in this area over a number of years stretching back to when he was first elected in 2010.
I want to be clear: my priority as Energy Minister will be to deliver the cheapest, most reliable power to Tasmanians.
We also have a phenomenal opportunity to provide further benefits to Tasmania by using our historic investment in fully renewable, baseload hydro energy to position ourselves as the renewable energy battery of Australia.
The Government has a strong agenda and a clear plan when it comes to energy policy in Tasmania and I intend to continue on the good work of Matthew Groom, who was not only a passionate advocate for the sector as Minister, but who also provided the stable leadership needed to navigate the energy crisis that threatened Tasmania.
I will shortly meet with Tasmania’s three energy businesses and look forward to driving this important portfolio.