NEARLY 80 Momentum Energy call centre jobs will be relocated from Melbourne to Tasmania if the Liberal State Government is re-elected, premier Will Hodgman has pledged.

The mainland retail arm of Hydro Tasmania will be asked to bring 79 jobs in its call centre to a centre such as Cambridge or Kingston, Mr Hodgman told the Sunday Tasmanian.

“A Tasmanian government-owned business should have its call centre operations providing jobs for Tasmanians and we will take action to ensure that happens,” he said.

Momentum retails electricity in Victoria, NSW, South Australia, Queensland, the ACT and the Bass Strait Islands. The cost of the relocation would be absorbed by Hydro Tasmania.

Mr Hodgman said he expected a site would be identified within the first year of a re-elected Liberal government.

“It makes sense that areas such as Cambridge or Kingston that have existing call centre infrastructure are highly likely to be investigated as a potential site,” he said.

Momentum announced the establishment of a call centre employing 30 people at Cambridge in 2012.

Vodafone moved a call centre from Huntingfield near Kingston to the Hobart CBD in 2015, leaving a facility once expected to house 1500 workers.

It was sold late last year for $4.5 million.

Governments have long sought to establish Tasmania as a call centre capital, with varying degrees of success.

Vodafone repaid $330,000 of a $4 million Federal Government handout after failing to meet agreed staffing levels.

Mr Hodgman said the 80 jobs would add to 10,000 created since his government was elected in 2014.

“Our number one priority is jobs, and this is great news that will help even more Tasmanians join the workforce,” he said.