Greens back Kennett on Alcoa

GREENS state leader Greg Barber has backed former Liberal premier Jeff Kennett’s call for Alcoa to disclose its secret carbon tax energy deal with Federal Government.
“For the first time in a long time I find myself in complete agreement with Jeff Kennett,” Mr Barber he told the Independent.
He said the Victorian Government posted a $483 million liability for Alcoa in the latest annual report of a shelf company for the former State Electricity Commission, which Mr Kennett sold off while ruling the state.
But the precise size of the federal rebate to Alcoa and State Government under the carbon tax deal with Canberra remained unclear, Mr Barber said.
He warned that Alcoa could close its Geelong operations in two years after a recently announced $42 million bailout to keep operating at Point Henry finished.
“Jeff Kennett sold off the SEC assets but kept the liabilities but if you live long enough you’ll see anything, including Jeff Kennett committing to transparency,” Mr Barber said.
“Alcoa’s not going to tell us what their plans are. Given the two subsidies (to Point Henry and Portland plants) wrap up in a short time they’ll probably announce their decision to close the day the subsidies runs out.
“I don’t see any offering from the state or federal government of enough to keep them here.
“It would be nice if they told us, gave us some warning so people could get on with planning their life.’’
Mr Kennett called in last week’s Independent for the Alcoa deal to be disclosed because it was a rebate on a tax rather that a bona fide commercial arrangement, the disclosure of which would leave the company at a disadvantage.
Alcoa has told the Independent that a confidentiality agreement prevents it revealing the nature of its arrangements with Canberra.