Press conference with Senator Helen Polley and Tasmanian Minister for Energy and Renewables Nick Duigan at Bell Bay, Tasmania

HELEN POLLEY: Welcome to Bell Bay. I'd have to say this is the best office in Northern Tasmania when it comes for the views. I'm very excited today to welcome Minister Chris Bowen here back to Bell Bay, the Climate Change and Energy Minister, and also State Minister Duigan, it's fantastic to be here. This is a day that all Tasmania should be very proud of.

We will be announcing, or the Minister will be announcing further support for renewable energy, and Tasmania has a very proud history of leading the nation when it comes to renewable energy. And I have just returned from Norway where they have been very successful on offshore wind farms.

So, I'm delighted. I know that the Minister Is a great friend to me in the Federal Parliament, and he's a very good friend of Tasmania, so I'll invite you now, Minister, to speak to us.

CHRIS BOWEN: Thank you very much, Helen, and it's great to be here with you and with Nick.

Well, it's a good day for jobs, it's a good day for energy, and it's a good day for Tasmania. Today I'm announcing that I have declared the Bass Strait Offshore Wind Zone. This wind zone has the potential to create 20 gigawatts of new reliable renewable energy. That's a lot of energy, enough for millions and millions of homes.

It's also enough to create many thousands of jobs, up to 12,000 in construction, 6,000 ongoing.

There's a couple of good things about offshore wind. It's very energy rich, because it's pretty windy out there. It's also windy consistently, not at any particular time of the day, but all through the day and the night, which is very important when it comes to the reliability of our energy grid.

It's also jobs rich. Because these turbines are so efficient, because they work so hard, one turn of one offshore wind turbine, just one turn of one turbine, creates as much energy as the solar panels on your roof do all day.

But because of that they need more maintenance, they need more maintenance than onshore wind turbines, and as a result that means more jobs. And because by definition you need a ship to get the workers to the turbines, you therefore create shipping jobs and port jobs as well.

So this is good news for this part of the world when it comes to the economic future.

Now, we've worked hard to get this right. It's a good thing, but it takes good management. So this has been open for consultation for a long time, and I have made changes, as I have with all the other zones in response to feedback. There's a shipping corridor to make sure that shipping can get through with no impediments, we've done a little bit more offshore to deal with some amenity concerns, but it's still 7,100 square kilometres, which is a very big zone.

There will be people who say it should be bigger, there will be people who say it should be smaller, but I think we've struck a good balance.

The process now is that having declared the zone, I have now called for applications for feasibility licences. They will be open until 12 March 2025. That will give proponents, private sector proponents, the opportunity to consider the zone that I've declared, consider where they would like to place their offshore wind farm and to apply now for a licence. And based on Gippsland, which is just to the north, which was a very competitive process, I'm hopeful of strong interest.

So this is a good thing. There are issues we will need to manage going forward. I know there will be people with questions, fisher people, for example, commercial and rec fishing. The good thing about offshore wind is that it can co-exist with both types of fishing.

Overseas we know - there's no offshore wind in Australia yet - but we know that offshore wind's existed since the 90s, early 90s in Europe. Offshore wind can and does co-exist with fishing, which is very important in this part of the world, I know. I know Nick's particularly passionate about it.

An offshore wind farm normally has turbines around two kilometres from each other, and there's normally a very small exclusion zone around the turbine, so you can't go within, say, 50 metres of the turbine, but apart from that you can continue to fish. And indeed, there's plenty of evidence from overseas that fishing actually improves. It's a bit like an artificial reef - when you sink a ship you create an artificial reef and fish come in to explore, and it's a pretty similar thing with offshore wind.

Now all those issues will continue to be worked through. The feasibility licence applicants will need to show how they'll work with commercial and rec fishing, and they'll need to get their environmental approvals separately.

But this is a good day. This isn't something about tomorrow or the next day or next week, or even next year. It will take several years to get offshore wind up and running, 'cause it's a long process, and we're starting from scratch.

Australia, the largest island in the world, didn't have   doesn't have any offshore wind, and it wasn't legal until last year. But having fixed that, we're now in a position to proceed, and I'm very pleased to be able to declare this site today.

Minister Duigan and I will also be signing a Renewable Energy Transformation Agreement, putting on paper what we're already doing, really: the two governments working very closely together to ensure Tasmania plays an important part in Australia's renewable energy future, making sure that our two policies are entirely consistent and working cooperatively together.

And that's a good thing. As I said, Nick and I already work closely together. It's a good thing, but we are formalising that in the Renewable Energy Transformation Agreement that we're signing today.

I might hand over to Nick to say a few words, and then we'll take questions.

NICK DUIGAN: Thanks Helen, thanks very much Chris, and great to have you here in Tasmania, you know, at what is agreed to be the best office view in, not even in Northern Tasmania, but all of Tasmania.

But look, Tasmania really welcomes this announcement today. We obviously have a very proud and rich tradition in renewable electricity and energy, and this is the beginning of a new stage, a very new and exciting prospect for Tasmania.

We know that Bass Strait represents one of the best offshore wind energy zones anywhere in the world. It is consistent in its wind speeds and its energy production, and it's very close, you know, to getting to market. So, we are very excited with this outcome today. It's something that we've been watching.

We're here at Bell Bay, which of course we see as a really strategic part of the whole Bass Strait wind energy piece, because we think it offers a staging port for not only potentially Tasmanian offshore wind energy, but broader opportunity as well.

So Tasmanian State Government already has memorandums of understanding with a number of offshore wind proponents who are interested in participating in this zone, and you know, up to five gigawatts of energy, which, as the Minister says, is a lot of energy in the context of what we produce on the island now.

So, you know, as I say, this is a new dawn for renewable energy in Tasmania, a place that already has a very long and storied tradition in renewable energy, so we're really excited for the opportunity that this brings. You know, we look forward to working with proponents and partners to get this up and running, and we look forward to the jobs creation and the prosperity that this potentially brings to Tasmania. This is important that Tasmania shares in the transition, and this is a great opportunity for that to occur.

So, I thank the Minister and look forward to seeing the development of this as has been described. This is a long term play, this will be a relatively slow burn, but we are doing work, you know, today we're having a get together with industry participants here at Bell Bay about what they would envisage for our offshore renewable services hub that we have committed some funding for here at Bell Bay, and I know Tas Ports is already doing some scoping about what their port offering will look like longer term.

So, a lot going on, and with those few words, happy to take a few questions. I suspect you've got some for Chris.

JOURNALIST: I was just about to ask you quickly to touch on that last point you made. You said it will be a slow burn. What period of time are we looking at before this is all [indistinct]?

NICK DUIGAN: Look, as of today I believe we can have proponents seeking to have their licences looked at, so you know, that's a three-month period, and we'll have people with licences to participate.

You know, this is going to be years in the development, and I'm not going to, you know, necessarily put a flag in the sand and say it will be done by this date, but this is a really substantial opportunity. These are very large developments that have a lot of spin off benefits for the wider community. This is a big deal for Tasmania, and we are well placed to participate strongly in this sector.

JOURNALIST: And the MOUs that the Government has already signed, are those developers wanting to build in this new zone, or are they for the different area of Bass Strait?

NICK DUIGAN: No, so we have MOUs with two proponents who have projects contained within the proposed zone, or the zone that's been announced today, so they will be   they will see this as a very positive day, and the start of the next chapter in their projects.

JOURNALIST: Exactly how tall and how far from the shore will any wind turbines be?

CHRIS BOWEN: I'm probably best placed to answer that.

NICK DUIGAN: Thank you.

CHRIS BOWEN: Well, if you look at the map you can see that it's a minimum of 30 kilometres offshore. That's slightly further away than the original proposal I put out for consultation. That's what consultation is for, that deals with any concerns about amenity. At 30 kilometres you can hardly see them on most days, you really have to work hard to see an offshore wind turbine at 30 kilometres.

The height will vary depending on the proponents, but you're looking at over 200 metres tall.

JOURNALIST: Tell us about the community feedback you did receive about this zone?

CHRIS BOWEN: Yeah, much more muted than other areas, I must say. In other areas it was much more controversial. Here a smaller amount of feedback, but that doesn't mean we take it less seriously. Read through the more than 200 submissions, and you can see that reflected.

Again, there's always a mix of views. You'll get people very strongly in favour of the jobs, you'll get people with legitimate issues and concerns about fishing that they want to see addressed, and we do address those. You'll get some people who are just against it. But we work through all the feedback, and then I think we got a very good balance today.

JOURNALIST: What were the main issues in those 200 submissions?

CHRIS BOWEN: I think fishing and amenity.

JOURNALIST: What about the Greens? Any reaction from them, or-  

CHRIS BOWEN: Not to my knowledge.

JOURNALIST: Why is Australia, I guess, after Tasmania's power? Will Tasmanians benefit more than anyone else as a result of this zone being established?

CHRIS BOWEN: Yes. Tasmanians will benefit from the jobs created and the economic opportunities, and from the energy. Now of course, Nick and I are working to ensure better connections between Tasmania and the mainland as well through Marinus Link, so that energy also gets sent to the mainland, but Tasmania, it's Tasmanian energy feeding into the Tasmanian grid, and then can be shared with the mainland.

But the good thing about the Marinus Link, which all three governments, Federal Commonwealth, Victorian, and Tasmanian are working on together, is that it's good for everyone. It's good, again, because it brings on more renewable energy in Tasmania, so it's more job creation, more electrons for Tasmanian industry, but also, it's a two way cable, so if Tasmania needs to call on the national grid, as it does from time to time, it's more energy flowing to Tasmania at [indistinct] peaks, for example.

And it's just more security for Tasmania, because when you're just relying on Basslink, if something goes wrong with Basslink then Tasmania's very isolated. Marinus provides an insurance policy.

JOURNALIST: What happens if the Federal Labor Government isn't re-elected?

CHRIS BOWEN: Well, in that unfortunate event, then Peter Dutton does not believe in a renewable energy future for Australia. Now he has said he will cancel three offshore wind zones. Obviously, he hasn't said anything about this one.

But they don't know what they're doing. I mean, he said he wouldn't cancel the Gippsland zone because it was smaller than the Illawarra zone. Well, the Gippsland zone is 15 times bigger than the Illawarra zone. So, I don't know what he's talking about.

But we are working every day, not only to make progress on Australia's renewable energy future with more renewable energy connected to the grid this year than any other year in Australian history. That's a good thing, but we've got more to do, and we'll need a second term at least to do it.

JOURNALIST: I might have another question now on that for Minister Duigan, if I could. So, I mean, you know, Mr Bowen raises a really interesting point. If Peter Dutton gets in, and he can, will you have some influence over him, do you think?

NICK DUIGAN: Well, certainly Peter Dutton has backed in the Gippsland renewable offshore zone, and I would expect this to be similar because this is in Bass Strait, and we know that Bass Strait offers, you know, the best, among the best offshore renewable energy prospects anywhere on earth.

So, you know, I would expect him to be consistent with that.

JOURNALIST: Is there a reason that you're standing with the Federal Labor Minister rather than backing Dutton's plans for nuclear?

NICK DUIGAN: Look, you know, what I would say is that the Federal Opposition has no plans for nuclear here in Tasmania. You know, Tasmania is a very different circumstance. We've got our hydro, and that provides our base load, and we're in a very fortunate position, you know. Talk about energy balance on the mainland is a different question.

Here in Tasmania, we have been a renewable powerhouse for 100 years, and we'll be that into the future.

JOURNALIST: So would it be in the Liberal state government's best interests that the Federal Labor Government gets back in?

NICK DUIGAN: Absolutely, I'm not going to touch that. We are a renewable  

CHRIS BOWEN: Just take the first bit of that answer.

NICK DUIGAN: We are absolutely behind our Federal and Opposition counterparts, absolutely standing with them, but, you know, Tasmania is an interesting and a unique energy case, and we are a renewable state.

JOURNALIST: And the state government's had a very good relationship with the Federal Labor Government.

NICK DUIGAN: Look, you know, I've enjoyed working alongside Chris. We have shared - you know, Tasmania has a globally significant target of 200 per cent by 2040. To get there we need to be delivering projects, we need project Marinus to proceed, we need a whole raft of things to happen in our state. And, you know, I would say I've enjoyed working with the Federal Minister because he's been supportive of that agenda.

JOURNALIST: Just taking a quick step back. Will establishing an offshore wind zone affect the quality of life for anyone who lives in viewing distance of the zone?

NICK DUIGAN: You know, I think it's  one of the great things about this zone is it is a minimum 30 kilometres off sure. You know, 30 kilometres is a long way, and you need a very, very good day to see a wind turbine at 30 kilometres offshore.

You know, consideration has been given to commercial and recreational fishing in the zone. Those activities continue, that's important to me, and I think, you know, the feedback has been taken, it has been listened to, there has been amendment to the zone, so I'm comfortable.

I think, you know, there will be a range of views, but this is a real opportunity for Tasmania.

JOURNALIST: I just have another question for you, if that's okay.

CHRIS BOWEN: Sure.

JOURNALIST: While you're here, Clean Energy Tas is calling on you to back in the Robbins Island wind farm. Any thoughts on that?

CHRIS BOWEN: Well, I actually spoke to Clean Energy Tas this morning to update them about what I was announcing today. But there's very important processes to go through. I'm the Minister for Climate Change and Energy, I'm not Minister for the Environment. I don't issue environmental approvals, and nor should I.  That's a very separate process at arm's length. There are legal obligations on Minister Plibersek which she must work through very carefully.

Obviously, there's no bigger fan of renewable energy than me, in Australia and in Tasmania. The more renewable energy we have the better. It's also got to comply with federal and state environmental laws, anywhere it goes, that's a process that proposals have to go through. I understand proponents will be disappointed when they have to wait longer than they'd like or they get an answer that they didn't like, but it's very important for community confidence in any proposal, and I'm just talking generally here, that it's gone through all the necessary checks and balances.

And again, some will be easier and smoother than others, but they must all go through that process. My job is to promote renewable energy. Minister Plibersek's job is to make sure that environmental approvals are issued if it's in the right place, and she is working that issue through.

JOURNALIST: Personally though, do you have an opinion on it?

CHRIS BOWEN: No, because   and nor should I, because that's a matter for the Environment Minister. I support renewable energy, but I also support the Minister for the Environment doing her job and making sure that all checks and balances are in place.

And I understand the proponents will be arguing for it, I daresay the state government will be arguing for it, that's their right and obligation. The Federal Environment Minister must work through all the issues carefully.

JOURNALIST: Helen, I've got a question for you, if that's okay. Just about   you said you'd been to Norway, and you'd been looking at wind farms there, is that right?

HELEN POLLEY: Yes, I did, and energy providers, and we met with them, talked about the success that they've had for a very, very long time. They send   most of that energy goes to other European countries, including Britain, and what we've got planned here, I think you'll find that there will be a lot of interest from investors.

We also went to Brussels, and I know that there's European companies looking to invest more in Australia, and as a representative of this state I was very proudly pushing our history and our excitement about being part of that global future.

But we should never underestimate what this is going to mean for industries that are already here in Northern Tasmania and Tasmania generally, and also the ability to attract new investment and new manufacturing in this state, which is only the best sort of outcome that we need for our economy. And I think this is another example that shows that state and federal governments can work together if they put the welfare of all Australians – and our priorities is obviously renewable energy, so, I think it's another example of the collaboration between the two levels of government.

And it was very exciting to see and to hear from those companies in Norway that have actually been doing this for a very, very long time, and they've found all the same results. And as a keen fishing person I was also concerned about that.  So, I had my fears well and truly overshadowed by the fact of the great success, and you know, I think it's exciting.

CHRIS BOWEN: Are we all done?

JOURNALIST: Yep, thank you.

CHRIS BOWEN: Thank you.

NICK DUIGAN: Thank you.