65-591: Hydro Tasmania , known for most of its history as the Hydro-Electric Commission (HEC) or simply The Hydro , is the trading name of the Hydro-Electric Corporation , a Tasmanian Government business enterprise which is the main electricity generator in the state of Tasmania , Australia . The Hydro was originally oriented towards hydro-electricity , due to Tasmania's dramatic topography and relatively high rainfall in
130-759: A High Court challenge to the Commonwealth's powers. The new Hawke Labor Government in Canberra had opposed the Franklin dam and had moved to stop its construction. The compromise between the State and Federal government and conservationists led the HEC to see the end of an over fifty year long dam making enterprise in the construction of the Henty River and King River power developments. The conservationists and
195-578: A "Concert for the Franklin", and electronics entrepreneur Dick Smith committed to civil disobedience. Many people who had not previously considered conservation issues decided that wilderness was a vote-worthy issue, as evidenced by the following ballot paper write-in campaigns. In the federal Lowe by-election in Sydney, March 1982, volunteers at every polling booth encouraged voters to write "No Dams" on their ballot paper, and 9% did so. At that first 'Write-in' campaign, few people knew that they could write
260-443: A German competitor and again in 2005 when it allowed the sale of part of its financial interests in wind farm company, Roaring 40s to a Hong Kong-based company CLP Power Asia . However, the present policy of all three major political parties is against privatisation, and community opinion mostly supports public ownership . Hydro Tasmania in the 2000s saw the loss of the old dam building generation. The Anthony Power Development ,
325-422: A fortnight. A film, The Last Wild River , was shown on Tasmania's two commercial television stations. In June 1980, an estimated 10,000 people marched through the streets of Hobart, demanding that the government not proceed with construction. This was the largest rally in the history of the state. The Labor state government, under premier Doug Lowe , backed down from the original proposal, and agreed to place
390-464: A group of cavers ( speleologists ) found over 100 caves in the region. Concerns also began to be raised about habitat loss for endangered species. On 12 December 1981, the state government held a referendum , the Power Referendum 1981 , in an attempt to break the deadlock. The referendum gave voters only two choices, one for each dam proposal. In rounded figures, 47% voted in favour of
455-608: A message on their federal ballot paper without invalidating their vote. In the ACT House of Assembly mid-1982 election, up to 40% of voters wrote "No Dams" on their ballot paper. In the federal Flinders by-election in Victoria in December 1982, 40% of voters wrote "No Dams" on their ballot papers. In November 1982, the conflict stepped up a notch when Brown announced that a blockade of the dam site would begin on 14 December. On
520-456: A non-hydro power station. That plant had been mothballed and was to be sold when the crisis took place. The plant was recommissioned because of the crisis restoring a capacity of about 200 megawatts (270,000 hp) and diesel generators were brought in from the mainland with a generating capacity of 200 megawatts (270,000 hp). Hydro Tasmania publications Other publications Government of Tasmania The Tasmanian Government or
585-425: A number of agencies grouped under areas of portfolio responsibility. Each portfolio is led by a Secretary, who reports to one or more government ministers , a member of Parliament. Since reorganisation in 2022 the departmental structure is the following A range of other agencies support the functions of these departments. The Government of Tasmania also owns and operates a number of state-owned companies : As
650-551: A referendum on the issue, which only offered two choices: the Gordon below Franklin dam and the Gordon above Olga dam. There was widespread condemnation that the referendum did not offer a 3rd choice of not having any dam on the Gordon River, and various opinions were offered as to the best way of communicating this at the ballot box. As it turned out, of the 92% of eligible voters to attend the voting booths that day, 47% voted for
715-892: A reporting requirement to the Treasurer of Tasmania , currently the Hon. Guy Barnett MP. Hydro Tasmania was projected to pay the Tasmanian Government a dividend of A$ 122 million in 2024. In 1914, the State Government set up the Hydro-Electric Department (changed to the Hydro-Electric Commission in 1929) to complete the first HEC power station, the Waddamana Hydro-Electric Power Station . Prior to that two private hydro-electric stations had been opened
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#1732771852213780-422: A significant number of people into the local community enriching the social fabric and culture of each state. Most constructions in this era were concentrated in the centre of the island. As the choice of rivers and catchments in the central highlands were exhausted, the planners and engineers began serious surveying of the rivers of the west and south west regions of the state. The long term vision of those within
845-517: A solution, which led to a deadlock between the two houses of parliament. In 1981, Australian Democrats Senator Don Chipp initiated a Senate inquiry into "the natural values of south-west Tasmania to Australia and the world" and "the federal responsibility in assisting Tasmania to preserve its wilderness areas of national and international importance". From early 1981, archaeologists uncovered evidence of human habitation dating from about 15,000 years before present in caves which would be flooded if
910-560: A state election was called for 15 May. In May 1982 the Holgate Labor government was defeated by the strongly pro-dam Liberal Party under Robin Gray . The new Premier immediately ordered the original plan to go ahead and passed the necessary legislation. Gray attempted to dissuade the federal government from intervening by threatening to secede from the Commonwealth if they did so. The federal government initially declined to intervene in
975-476: A state of Australia, Tasmania is represented in the federal House of Representatives and Senate . Tasmania has five representative in the federal House of Representatives for the electoral divisions of Bass , Braddon , Denison , Franklin , and Lyons . Tasmania also has twelve Senators in line with other states. 29 local government elections are conducted under the Local Government Act using
1040-413: A vote of 4 to 3 in the federal government's favour. Judges Mason, Murphy, Brennan and Deane were in the majority and justices Wilson and Dawson with Chief Justice Gibbs were in the minority. This ruling gave the federal government the power to legislate on any issue if necessary to enforce an international treaty and has been the subject of controversy ever since. Justice Lionel Murphy wrote most broadly of
1105-861: A week as there was nowhere else to hold him. In February, a Hobart rally against the dam drew approximately 20,000 people. On 1 March, the movement launched a day of action, which they labelled 'G-Day'. 231 people were arrested as a flotilla of boats took to the Gordon River. In Hobart, the Wilderness Society flag was flown above the HEC building. On 2 March the Wilderness Society backed the publication of what were then rare full-page colour advertisements in The Sydney Morning Herald and Melbourne's The Age newspapers of what would soon become an iconic photograph: Morning Mist, Rock Island Bend, Franklin River by Peter Dombrovskis . It
1170-792: Is the City of Launceston and the smallest council is the Flinders Council (which serves Flinders Island and the surrounds, with just over 800 electors) Franklin Dam The Gordon-below-Franklin Dam (or simply Franklin Dam ) project was a proposed dam on the Gordon River in Tasmania , Australia , that was never constructed. The movement that eventually led to the project's cancellation became one of
1235-525: The 1983 election . The new government, under Bob Hawke , had promised to stop the dam from being built. A legal battle between the federal government and Tasmanian Government followed, resulting in a landmark High Court ruling in the federal government's favour. In 1978, the Tasmanian Hydro Electric Commission (HEC) announced intentions to construct the dam. The original proposal was for two dams: The idea polarised
1300-633: The Australian Labor Party won the federal election with a large swing. The new prime minister , Bob Hawke , had vowed to stop the dam from being built, and the anti-dam vote increased Hawke's majority - some federal Victorian seats were notable for having a strong interest in the issue. However, in Tasmania, the vote went against the national trend and the Liberals held all five seats. Hawke's government first passed regulations under
1365-653: The Government of Tasmania is the executive branch of the Australian state of Tasmania . The leader of the party or coalition with the confidence of the House of Assembly , the lower house of the Parliament of Tasmania , is invited by the governor of Tasmania to form the executive. The governor appoints the premier of Tasmania . Since 8 April 2022, the premier of Tasmania has been Jeremy Rockliff , leader of
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#17327718522131430-468: The Hare-Clark voting system of multi-member proportional representation. Elections for mayor, deputy mayor and half the councillor positions are held during September and October in each uneven numbered year. These include six cities (three in greater Hobart , one covering each of Launceston , Burnie , and Devonport ) and twenty-three municipalities. The largest council (by number of eligible voters)
1495-694: The Launceston City Council 's Duck Reach Power Station , opened 1895 on the South Esk River (it was one of the first hydro-electric power stations in the southern hemisphere. Reefton Power Station in New Zealand is the first municipal hydro-station, beginning operations in 1888) and the Mount Lyell Mining and Railway Company 's Lake Margaret Power Station , opened in 1914. These power stations were taken over by
1560-650: The Legislative Council and the House of Assembly . Executive power rests formally with the Executive Council , which consists of the governor and senior ministers, and informally called the Cabinet . In practice, executive power is exercised by the premier of Tasmania upon the advice of the Cabinet, who are appointed by the governor, but who hold office by virtue of their ability to command
1625-648: The Liberal Party . The current ministry of Tasmania is the Second Rockliff ministry . Tasmania is governed according to the principles of the Westminster system , a form of parliamentary responsible government based on the model of the United Kingdom . Legislative power rests with the bicameral Parliament of Tasmania , which consists of the governor of Tasmania , and the two chambers:
1690-706: The National Electricity Market (NEM) and electricity deregulation. In anticipation of Tasmania joining NEM, the Hydro-Electric Commission was broken up on 1 July 1998, creating three separate state-owned companies: Tasmania joined NEM in May 2005. Starting from the 1990s, Hydro Tasmania has been investing in wind farms, the first one being the Huxley Hill Wind Farm on King Island, which was completed in 1998. This
1755-538: The 1990s but failed to convince the public of its merits. They have now reversed this policy. The Labor Party and the Tasmanian Greens have never openly supported privatisation; however many speculate that the Labor Party will support this move in the future. Some evidence of this first arose in late 2003 when a Labor government allowed Hydro Tasmania to sell its subsidiary software business, Hydstra, to
1820-698: The Franklin Dam decision's broader environmental and social implications in terms of the UNESCO Convention's common heritage of humanity principle, stating that "The preservation of the world's heritage must not be looked at in isolation but as part of the co-operation between nations which is calculated to achieve intellectual and moral solidarity of mankind and so reinforce the bonds between people which promote peace and displace those of narrow nationalism and alienation which promote war...[t]he encouragement of people to think internationally, to regard
1885-497: The Franklin River in a new Wild Rivers National Park . Instead of the original 'Gordon below Franklin' proposal, Lowe now backed an alternative, the 'Gordon above Olga' scheme. While this was above the Gordon's junction with the Franklin, it still would have intruded into wilderness quality areas. This compromise did not appease the environmental groups, who maintained a policy of no dams in southwest Tasmania. In July, both
1950-483: The Gordon below Franklin option, with the remainder voting informally (45%) or for the Gordon above Olga option (8%). The conservationists were ultimately successful in their campaign to stop any dam on the Gordon River, and the proposal and early works on the Gordon-below-Franklin Dam ended in 1983 when it was blockaded by the environmentalists and the recently elected Liberal State Government lost
2015-608: The HEC and Duck Reach was closed in 1955. Lake Margaret was closed in 2006, but after a multimillion-dollar refit was recommissioned in 2009. Following the Second World War in the 1940s and early 1950s, many migrants came to Tasmania to work for the HEC with construction of dams and substations. This was similar to the Snowy Mountains Scheme in New South Wales and similar effects in bringing in
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2080-408: The HEC and the politicians in support of the process, was for continued utilisation of all of the state's water resources. As a consequence of such a vision, the politicians and HEC bureaucrats were able to create the upper Gordon river power development schemes despite worldwide dismay at the loss of the original Lake Pedder. The hydro-industrialisation of Tasmania was seen as paramount above all, and
2145-418: The HEC in the 1980s acknowledged that there were a limited range of options for further power development schemes, and it was inevitable that the substantial workforce within the HEC specifically employed in the investigation and development of further dams would eventually become redundant. Since the late 1990s HEC water storages have been progressively drawn down due to power demand exceeding long term supply,
2210-772: The Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area, which covered both the Franklin and Gordon Rivers. However, Tasmania itself was still divided, with a pro-dam rally in Hobart also attracting around 2,500 people. While the blockade was ongoing, Norm Sanders resigned from the Tasmanian House of Assembly to contest a seat in the Australian Senate . He was replaced in the Assembly by Bob Brown , who had only been released from jail
2275-485: The Tasmanian community. It gained support from some sections of the community for generating jobs in an area of the state that was struggling economically. It was suggested that the construction of the dam would assist in bringing industry to Tasmania, on top of the jobs that it would create directly. The initial opinion polls showed around 70% support for the dam. However, the protest movement which had gathered to fight
2340-447: The blockade. Protesters impeded machinery and occupied sites associated with the construction work. Nearly 500 people were imprisoned for breaking the terms of their bail. This caused an overflow of prisons in the region. British botanist David Bellamy was jailed, which gave the dispute international attention. The author John Marsden , after being arrested at the blockade, was placed in the maximum security division of Risdon Prison for
2405-500: The campaign against the dam, both areas were listed on the UNESCO World Heritage Area register. The campaign that followed led to the consolidation of the small green movement that had been born out of a campaign against the building of three dams on Lake Pedder in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Over the five years between the announcement of the dam proposal in 1978 and the axing of the plans in 1983, there
2470-594: The central and western parts of the state. Today, Hydro Tasmania operates thirty hydro-electric and one gas power station, and is a joint owner in three wind farms . The Minister for Energy, currently the Hon. Nicholas Duigan MP, has portfolio responsibility for Hydro Tasmania. Hydro Tasmania operates under the Government Business Enterprises (GBE) Act 1995 and the Hydro-Electric Corporation Act 1995, and has
2535-485: The complaints from outsiders were treated with disdain. Following the flooding of Lake Pedder by the HEC for the upper Gordon Power Development and the subsequent backlash against the HEC incursions into the south west wilderness of Tasmania , environmental groups of the 1970s and 80s alerted the rest of Australia to the continued power that the HEC had over the Tasmanian environment and politics. Numbers of Tasmanian politicians either rose or fell on their alignment with
2600-772: The construction of the Lake Pedder Dam earlier in the 1970s began to reassemble in response to the announcement. The Tasmanian Wilderness Society which had formed from the anti-Lake Pedder Dam and South West Tasmania action groups, the Tasmanian Conservation Trust , and the Australian Conservation Foundation began to mount a public interest campaign concerning the river. The photographs of Dombrovskis and his colleague, Olegas Truchanas , attracted significant attention. The campaign generated 30,000 letters of support in
2665-519: The culture of their own country as part of world culture, to conceive a physical, spiritual and intellectual world heritage, is important in the endeavour to avoid the destruction of humanity." The High Court ruling ended the dam's construction, and the plans have never been revived. On 5 July 1983, a Huon Pine known as the Lea Tree , over 2000 years old and about 9 feet (3 metres) across was chainsawed and set alight. Three people who are thought to be
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2730-589: The dam were to be built. The most significant cave had been rediscovered by geomorphology student Kevin Kieran in January 1977, and he first named it Fraser Cave after the then Prime Minister, Malcolm Fraser , because ...we were trying to direct the attention of politicians to the area...' . It was renamed Kutikina in mid-1982, as suggested by the Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre . Kiernan and
2795-399: The dam's construction. British botanist and TV presenter Professor David Bellamy addressed 5,000 people at a Melbourne rally. By the end of 1982, any perception that "greenies" equated with hippies had been greatly challenged, for example in Sydney, Bob Brown and Bellamy addressed 500 people at a candle-lit dinner serenaded by string quartet, ABC's classical music radio station featured
2860-634: The dam. In April 1983 the Australian Government sent a Mirage jet and later an RF-111 , from the Royal Australian Air Force, to undertake a reconnaissance mission over the dam to gather evidence that the Tasmanian Government was not complying with Federal legislation to stop work. The issue was brought before the High Court with the first day of hearings on 31 May 1983. The government of Tasmania claimed that
2925-516: The dispute by offering a compromise dam, sited on the Gordon River above the Olga River, which would have avoided flooding the Franklin River. However, almost no-one wanted this compromise. Conservationists were concerned that the Franklin River area and surrounding wilderness would be damaged, and those in favour of a dam preferred an option that would utilise the Franklin's water as well as the Gordon's water. The Tasmanian Government then offered
2990-418: The dispute. During 1982, active membership of anti-dam organisations increased a hundredfold in mainland states. The iconic "No Dams" triangle sticker was printed. Rallies and events were held in cities around Australia. Bob Brown toured the country raising support for the anti-dam campaign, attempting to convince Liberal Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser to intervene and override the state legislation allowing
3055-502: The existing National Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act 1975, and then passed the World Heritage Properties Conservation Act 1983, which prohibited Franklin River dam-related clearing, excavation and building activities that had been authorised by Tasmanian state legislation. However, the Tasmanian government ignored both the federal regulations and legislation and continued to order work on
3120-533: The federal government had no powers under the Constitution to pass either the regulations or the legislation. They claimed that as the right to legislate for the environment was not named in the Constitution, and was thus a residual power held by the states, that the World Heritage Properties Conservation Act 1983 was unconstitutional. The federal government, however, claimed (successfully) that they had
3185-529: The federal legislation was supported by the constitutional powers of a federal government to pass laws about corporations and about the people of any race (in this case the aboriginal race, whose sacred caves along the Franklin would have been inundated). The resulting court case became known as Commonwealth v Tasmania . On 1 July 1983, in a landmark decision, the High Court on circuit in Brisbane ruled by
3250-462: The most significant environmental campaigns in Australian history. The dam was proposed for the purpose of generating hydroelectricity . The resulting new electricity generation capacity would have been 180 megawatts (240,000 hp). The proposed construction would have subsequently impacted upon the environmentally sensitive Franklin River , which joins with the Gordon river nearby. During
3315-452: The original Gordon below Franklin scheme, 8% for the compromise Gordon above Olga scheme, and 45% voted informally. There had been a significant campaign for voters to write "No Dams" on their ballot papers, and in total more than 33% of voters did this; these were initially all counted in the informal vote, but some were later recounted as formal as they also included a valid vote for one of the two dam options. The ongoing crisis resulted in
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#17327718522133380-529: The overcoming of which was the original reason the Gordon-below-Franklin dam was proposed. The shortfall has been offset first by drawing down water storage and in latter years through increasing volumes of fossil fuel power generation, at first fuelled by oil and more recently by gas and, via the Basslink cable link to Victoria, coal. In the early 1990s, eastern state governments prepared for
3445-467: The perpetrators were photographed with the tree in the background. This photograph also shows graffiti containing expletives , which appears to be directed against environmentists on the tree. This was likely done by people who were angry that the project was cancelled. However, dam-building by the Hydro was not finished. The corporation was still able to construct a 'compromise' power development scheme on
3510-460: The previous day after spending nineteen days behind bars for his role in the blockade. Throughout January 1983 around fifty people arrived at the blockade each day. The state government made things difficult for the protesters, passing several laws and enforcing special bail conditions for those arrested. Bulldozers were unloaded at the site from a barge under the protection of police. A total of 1,217 arrests were made, many simply for being present at
3575-486: The pro-dam and anti-dam groups (the former of which also included the union movement) initiated an advertising blitz in Tasmania. The HEC claimed that up to 10,000 potential jobs would be lost if the dam was not built. The conservative-dominated Legislative Council then blocked the Labor government's 'Gordon-above-Olga' compromise, instead insisting that they proceed with the original proposal. The two parties could not agree on
3640-425: The replacement of Lowe as premier by Harry Holgate , a Labor politician who was markedly more supportive of the dam proposals. In response, both Lowe and Mary Willey , another Labor MP, resigned from the party and sat in the parliament as independents. This resulted in the loss of a Labor majority in the lower house. Norm Sanders , an Australian Democrats MP and anti-dam campaigner, moved a no-confidence motion, and
3705-655: The right to do so, under the 'external affairs' provision of the Constitution as, by passing legislation blocking the dam's construction, they were fulfilling their responsibilities under an international treaty (the UNESCO Convention for the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage , Australia having signed and ratified that convention and the Franklin River having been listed on it). The Commonwealth government also argued (successfully) that
3770-408: The same day, the UNESCO committee in Paris was due to list the Tasmanian wild rivers as a World Heritage site. The blockade, at "Warners Landing" ( 42°34′7″S 145°41′24″E / 42.56861°S 145.69000°E / -42.56861; 145.69000 ) drew an estimated 2,500 people, from not only Tasmania, but also from interstate and overseas. This resulted in the subsequent proclamation of
3835-509: The support of a majority of members of the House of Assembly. Judicial power is exercised by the Supreme Court of Tasmania and a system of subordinate courts. As with all states, upon federation , Tasmania accepted the authority of the federal High Court of Australia to overrule the state judiciary. The Second Rockliff ministry was sworn in on 11 April 2024. The table of ministers can be found below. The Tasmanian Government delivers services, determines policy, and issues regulations through
3900-470: The support of the HEC and its power development schemes in the south west and West Coast of Tasmania. When the HEC proposed a dam on the Gordon River, sited below the Franklin River, there was widespread and vigorous opposition. During the Franklin River 'No Dams' campaign it was common for members of families to be in conflict with one another by being aligned with the HEC proposals or the Conservationists. The Tasmanian Labor Government attempted to resolve
3965-485: Was accompanied by the caption "Could you vote for a party that will destroy this?". Folk rock singer Shane Howard from the band Goanna wrote " Let the Franklin Flow ", and released it in April 1983. It was performed by members of his band and members of folk band Redgum under the pseudonym, Gordon Franklin & the Wilderness Ensemble. It was released as a single with a B-side, "Franklin River – World Heritage", written and recorded by Bob Brown. On 5 March 1983,
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#17327718522134030-412: Was considered to be part of the last hydro-electric power development in Tasmania. In 2008, the 1,000 GWH Project saw upgrades to parts of existing structures operated by the Hydro, and on-going progress towards being a carbon neutral operation. In 2020, Tasmania has an annual renewable electricity capacity of 10 TWh, equivalent to its average annual electricity consumption. In early 2016, as Tasmania
4095-405: Was followed by two wind farms at Woolnorth with a combined capacity of 140MW. Construction of a fourth power station, the Musselroe Wind Farm with a generating capacity of 168 MW was completed in 2013. It was argued in support of the privatization of Hydro Tasmania that it would result in an increase in revenue and an improvement in company efficiency. The Liberals supported privatisation in
4160-432: Was reaching the lowest water levels ever encountered, there was a fault in Basslink which led to the shutdown of the link to the mainland for about 6 months creating the 2016 power crisis. After Basslink came operational in 2006, the Bell Bay Power Station was decommissioned in 2009, resulting in a reduction of electricity generation capacity of 240 megawatts (320,000 hp), and leaving only Tamar Valley Power Station as
4225-429: Was vigorous debate between the pro- and anti-dam lobbies, with large protests from both sides. In December 1982, the dam site was occupied by protesters, leading to widespread arrests and greater publicity. The dispute became a federal issue the following March, when a campaign in the national print media, assisted by the pictures of photographer Peter Dombrovskis , helped bring down the government of Malcolm Fraser at
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