The Australian Greens recently met with a group proposing that Bass Strait should be officially classified as part of Australia’s National Highway network, the concept has been championed for nearly 20 years by Mr Peter Brohier.
Today the Party announced they will be submitting to the parliamentary budget office a proposal to estimate the costs of such a proposal, and how this may assist a long term solution to fix the challenges of freight across Bass Strait.
Senator Peter Whish-Wilson stated costs associated with Bass Strait freight had plagued Tasmania since before Federation and successive Tasmanian and Federal Government programs hadn’t managed to provide a sustainable long term solution, such as a self funding model.
“ The Bass Strait freight equalisation scheme cost tax payers over $100m last year alone, if this continues we will clock up a bill of more than $1billion dollars in freight subsidies during the next decade.
“ Everyone seems to just focus on throwing more tax payer money at the problem, but what the Greens will be exploring is sustainable long-term infrastructure financing and development options.
“Tasmania’s geographic isolation is its blessing and curse.
“Our remoteness and clean green image allows to sell our products at a premium for the benefit of our primary and secondary producers.
“The other side of the coin is the freight costs associated with this remoteness.
“It’s to be hoped any alternative proposals by other parties on this issue will also be independently costed.”
• What Peter Brohier said on TT last year
• Yesterday on TT: Wilkie pushes Parliament to intervene in Tassie freight woes
