The Tasmanian government is considering leasing out the brand-new Bass Strait ferries until a berth that can safely accommodate them is built at the port of Devonport. The premier revealed today that may not be until early 2027 and interim berth options are either unsafe or too expensive. The news has sparked a furious reaction from the business lobby which has labelled the situation a calamity.
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00:00Halfway across the world, the bigger and better Spirit of Tasmania ships are almost ready.
00:09The problem is, their home port is not.
00:12The completion of berth three is likely to be February 2027.
00:20The best case scenario is October 2026, and the government's proposed interim solution
00:27to temporarily upgrade another berth has been ruled out as unsafe and commercially unviable.
00:34I think we can all be agreed that if it is unsafe, it is unreasonable.
00:40Now the government has to figure out what to do with the ships, the first of which has
00:45to leave Finland by mid-November.
00:47It's leaning towards leasing them out.
00:50The TT line is exploring and scoping as we speak to determine whether or not it is viable
00:57for us to lease these vessels and obtain some money back for the people of Tasmania.
01:04If that fails, it's also looking at places to store them.
01:08Most notably southern Tasmania, Hobart, Malaysia or Scotland, to name a few.
01:15Critics say the government has mismanaged the entire project.
01:19Sending the spirits to Singapore was a bad option.
01:22Having them sitting in the Derwent doing nothing is a bad option, and leasing them out to another
01:26country is a bad option.
01:28These are all bad options for our state.
01:31It's more than just embarrassing, this is a calamity for Tasmania.
01:34It's one that we will be feeling for many generations to come.
01:38The government's tried to soften the blow, announcing a $26 million tourism package that
01:44includes a $10 million voucher scheme, more double day sailings and subsidised fares.
01:49But it's unlikely to make up for the cost of the new spirits not running.
01:54Economist Sol Eslake says that's $350 million per year.
02:00We were going to see 40% additional capacity coming through on those spirits.
02:05What these initiatives need to do is turn the dial so we can continue to see that type
02:09of capacity increase.
02:12Working in a construction site that was meant to be finished back in August.
02:17The Premier says his focus is on getting the job done.
02:21We must look forward and do the best we possibly can to minimise any brand or reputational
02:29damage.
02:33A government trying to stay afloat.