Tasmania's Liberal State Council has heard repeated calls for party unity as Australia's last remaining Liberal state government continues to come to terms with governing in minority. The Premier, Jeremy Rockliff, also used his speech to party members to reveal how a planned Renewable Energy Dividend Scheme will affect Tasmanian's electricity bills.
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00:00 Coming together to celebrate economic wins at the Liberal Party's Tasmanian State Council.
00:07 The results are in. Tasmania is leading the nation in many ways and our lifestyle truly is the envy of the world.
00:15 While still coming to terms with governing in minority.
00:18 As a government we've had a tough time of it lately. We've been knocked off course by events.
00:24 The Premier used the occasion to announce a renewable energy dividend scheme will start before next July.
00:30 In years when Hydro Tasmania earns more than $100 million in profit,
00:35 half of the profit above that threshold will be distributed to Tasmanian households through bill credits.
00:42 For example, Tasmanians could expect a saving of around $100 off their power bill for the year if Hydro delivered a dividend of around $160 million.
00:52 The announcement came one day after the government revealed potential cost blowouts for two new planned undersea power cables
00:59 may trigger it to abandon the project known as Mariner's Link.
01:03 Perhaps more interesting than who is at the conference this year is who isn't.
01:07 That includes John Tucker and Lara Alexander, the two members who defected and put the government into minority.
01:14 Their influence is still being felt here. It's been mentioned in the speeches.
01:18 And the Premier's key policy announcement around a Tasmania first energy policy does coincidentally or not echo the concerns
01:26 that John Tucker has raised over Mariner's Link and energy prices.
01:30 While the backbench pair's defection has been the most obvious sign of conflict in the party,
01:35 there were also repeated calls for unity among remaining Liberal Party members.
01:40 Let's continue to focus on what we do agree on and work through the other areas constructively and professionally behind the scenes.
01:47 Michael McKenna, who works for Catholic Care, narrowly won the vote for party president
01:52 in a tight contest with fellow conservative Clarence Mayor Brendan Blomley.
01:56 family.
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