confirms Spirits will dock at Geelong
distracts from proper public scrutiny
questions about new operation remain unanswered
After months of secrecy and uncertainty the government today announced its
decision to move the Spirit of Tasmania ferry berth from Station Pier in
Melbourne to Geelong.
Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Shane Broad, said the Government’s decision to authorise such
a significant move in the middle of the coronavirus crisis is questionable.
“Changing the
Spirit of Tasmania’s ferry berth from Station Pier to Geelong is a major
decision that will have serious implications for the state’s tourism, freight
and domestic travel,” Dr Broad said.
“This is already a period of incredible uncertainty
for the Spirit of Tasmania business, with no guarantees that land-based jobs
will be protected with passenger numbers plummeting as a result of the impact
of Covid-19.
“There was no
clarity from today’s announcement as to when the new Spirits will be delivered
and how much they will cost. We don’t even know if a construction contract has
been signed.
“There are significant questions that remain
unanswered about this move – particularly in relation to the lease arrangements
at the Geelong port, including
the cost and duration of the lease, and the attitude of passengers towards the
move. Some market research has been done, but with passenger numbers severely
impacted by Covid-19, the ability to communicate this decision to tourism
customers is limited.
“Decisions
relating to the operations of the Spirit of Tasmania service have been shrouded
in secrecy and uncertainty for months and
Tasmanians deserve more transparency from the Government on the matter.
“This service doesn’t belong to the Government – it belongs to all Tasmanians who deserve to have their concerns listened to and questions answered.”
Shane Broad MP
Shadow Minister for Infrastructure
