Tasmanian premier Jeremy Rockliff has vowed that, if re-elected, his government would commit a whopping $12 million toward creating the world’s largest chocolate fountain. Rockliff cited the hypothetical chocolate factory as “the greatest thing to happen to tourism since Mona.”

The confectionary promise may have the air of a primary school captain election – we never got those fizzy drink bubblers – but when you have access to the state’s treasury, why not? Perhaps the government does need a little more Willy Wonka energy.

During a visit to the Cadbury chocolate factory – the largest in the southern hemisphere – on Sunday, Rockliff proved himself a man of the people by having the guts to address the state’s woeful lack of chocolate rivers.

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The hypothetical “chocolate experience” would include the chocolate fountain, a chocolate lab where guests can make their own chocolate bar, a chocolate studio, a chocolate emporium, a café, a playground “and so much more”, the premier said.

The project has been dreamed up with the help of tourism professional Simon Current, who explained that the project would cost around $100 million and is the result of “15 years of research and collaboration in conjunction with Cadbury.”

It is not clear whether the public would be able to interact with the chocolate fountain, nor what food safety protocol would be in place for the fountain – particularly since the existing Cadbury factory ceased tours in 2008 due to increased food safety scrutiny.

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While $12 million may be a drop in the ocean for a company as profitable as Cadbury, fellow Tasmanian politicians have raised concerns about transparency and whether a chocolate fountain is the best use of public funds.

Independent member Meg Webb said of the chocolate dream, “That [$12m] is a huge amount of money when you think about the ways it could be spent in areas that are absolutely screaming out for government support and are actually government responsibilities.”

Whether the Wonka-esque chocolate fountain comes to fruition is allegedly a matter for the polls during an early election called for by Rockliff, Australia’s last remaining Liberal premier, for March 23.

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