The Prime Minister Scott Morrison pledged a further $75 million in funding for the Marinus Link project whilst campaigning in Northern Tasmania yesterday.

The Marinus link is estimated to cost $3.6 billion. Renew Economy has calculated that to be about 3.5 times the entire regulated asset value of all the transmission lines in the whole of Tasmania.

“The Marinus link is a very expensive piece of infrastructure full stop but it’s astronomically expensive for a small state like Tasmania.” Said Leanne Minshull Senate Candidate for the Local Network.

“More and more people are questioning the value of this project, including energy experts and business leaders. Now, even in a high spending, pre-election marginal seat pork barrelling pitstop, the PM could only find $75 million in the kitty for the increasingly contentious project.”

“If Marinus was an energy priority, or even a political one, the PM could have pledged to cover the entire cost – he managed to find $5.4 Billion for Hells Gate Dam in Northern Qld easily enough”

“The pipe dream of Marinus is being kept alive to justify energy projects like the Robbins Island wind farm and others, in communities that are opposed to them. We need to get fair dinkum about our energy future. We need to bring down emissions, bring down power prices and lock in long term well paying jobs – Marinus is a distraction to this task.”

Further media enquiries contact Leanne Minshull 0455999460