Legislative Council, Tuesday 4 November 2025
Ms FORREST question to MINISTER for ENERGY and RENEWABLES, Mr DUIGAN
I’ve been informed that the strategic benefit payment for landowners affected by the Marinus Link transmission line – North West Transmission Developments will only be paid to those who sign up for the option agreement before 1 December. My questions are: is this the case, and if so, could this be regarded as either unconscionable conduct or as an unfair contract under Australian consumer law?
ANSWER
Mr President, I will seek some advice. Let me begin by reiterating our government’s commitment to the Marinus Link, Project Marinus, as a hugely important project for the state of Tasmania. It is the backbone of our energy agenda. It is the single piece that will put us on a course to the Tasmanian Renewable Energy Target (TRET), the 200 per cent renewable target that we have here legislated in Tasmania. Obviously after the 2024 election, shareholder ministers –
Ms Forrest – The question was pretty specific.
Mr DUIGAN – I will get to the question, thank you very much. But I will use my time as much as I like to talk about my understanding, and how we have arrived at the place that we have arrived at, thank you. Now, where was I?
In 2024, shareholder ministers issued a revised statement of expectations to TasNetworks, asking them to develop a fair and contemporary compensation framework for farmers through consultation for the North West Transmission Developments. As a result, TasNetworks has been progressing land access arrangements for the North West Transmission Development with, of course, the principal delivery of compensation. That is via the Land Acquisition Act 1993, where individual business circumstances or landholder circumstances will be examined. If there are injuries determined, that would be fed in as part of the compensation provided, and that’s by way of the Valuer-General.
There are access‑fee payments, participation payments, option‑fee payments, there is community benefit sharing. I’m pleased to say that we have finalised the detail for our strategic benefit payment, which is a nationally consistent payment for private landholders impacted by the North West Transmission Developments, and will be over and above any other compensation payments that landowners may be eligible for. It does align with NSW and Victoria: $200,000 per kilometre over 20 years and 25 years respectively in those jurisdictions. It is seen as a way of opening the gate and facilitating those discussions to get landholders engaged in that process.
I was very pleased, I must say, to be at Gawler the other day at the farm of Adam Wardrop, and Richard Smith [names tbc] was there, to hear about how TasNetworks have been engaging with those farmers, noting that this is a transmission line which is, in very large part, an upgrade of an existing transmission line, but these farmers had seen a reduction in the number of towers that they would host for the new transmission line, because the towers, while they are larger and taller, there are fewer of them. Richard Smith currently has 10 towers; he will end up having eight because they are spaced further apart.
There will also be a better alignment, which has been changed, for his business and his opportunity to run pivot irrigation and things of that nature. That is indeed a net benefit for his business. In terms of what the strategic benefit payment is for, it is to encourage landholders to open the gate, to be part of the process, and at some point that time will elapse. TasNetworks will continue to work with farmers and continue to work with landowners. We want them all to be on the journey with us, because we think we have developed what is a very, very fair and reasonable compensation package and incentive for them to join with us.
Supplementary Question
Ms FORREST (Murchison) – Mr President, that question was not answered at all. May I have a supplementary question?
Mr PRESIDENT – The member for Hobart.
Ms FORREST – I will be very specific. I appreciate the filibustering of understanding all the things I knew about the process. The question was and remains, with regard to the strategic benefit payment, I’ve been informed that farmers or landowners will need to sign up for the proposed option that the minister referred to by 1 December. Is this the case? He talked about a possible end date. Is 1 December, or the beginning of December, the date? If it is, and farmers or landowners are being pressured to sign by that date, could it be regarded as unconscionable conduct or an unfair contract under Australian consumer law?
Mr DUIGAN – Mr President, the government has set the framework for the strategic benefit payment. It is TasNetworks’ responsibility to deliver on the North West Transmission Developments. The 1 December deadline for the SBP has been set to ensure the project can be delivered on time and on budget; TasNetworks communicated this to landowners in June 2025. TasNetworks is committed to collaborating with all landowners who have not signed up by 1 December and will work with them on a case-by-case basis.