The Labor-Green Opposition has today acknowledged that the Liberal Government has kept our election commitment and will deliver lower fares and upgraded facilities on the Spirit of Tasmania ferries that will bring more tourists to our State.
Inexplicably, however, Labor and the Greens are now opposing lower fares and more tourists and falsely alleging there are doubts about the replacement of the ships in eight years.
The Liberal Government is committed to replacing the vessels by 2022-23 as per the commitment under the previous government.
Of course, Labor promised in the 2010 election campaign to buy two new ships by 2014, but they broke that promise, one they clearly were never going to keep.
Today’s opposition to lower fares and more tourists comes from the members of the previous Labor-Green government who left us with an accumulated deficit of $1.1 billion and raided the superannuation fund.
The Liberal Government’s new business model for TT-Line is about lower fares with more passengers, and it is utter speculation to say that this will undermine TT-Line’s profitability over this period.
In fact, this business model improves the bottom-line compared to business as usual.
Our approach will be of particular benefit to regional tourism, such as across the North-West and West coasts.
But in his opposition Bryan Green is effectively telling those in his own electorate who rely on tourism, who want to see an increase in tourism visitation, that he doesn’t support their industry.
Rene Hidding, Minister for Infrastructure
