Media release – Josh Willie MP, Shadow Treasurer, 30 October 2024

Scottish storage solution putting local jobs at risk

Premier Rockliff’s extraordinary decision to put the new Spirits into storage in Scotland raises serious questions about even more local jobs being put at risk.

The new Spirits need to come to Hobart to be fitted out with Tasmanian products, as part of the Liberals’ promise that $100 million would be spent with local suppliers.

How is that going to happen if the new Spirits are stored in Scotland and then leased to a foreign country?

Jeremy Rockliff needs to answer some simple questions today:

  • How much is it costing Tasmanians to store the new ship in Scotland?
  • How long do they plan to store it there for?
  • Why isn’t the new ship coming to Hobart for fit out now?
  • When will the fit out happen in Tasmania?
  • Can he guarantee his farcical leasing plan won’t put the local fit out at risk?
  • Does he remain committed to delivering $100 million of local content on the new ships?
  • And how much local content has been locked in so far?

Premier Rockliff’s Spirits fiasco is already set to cost the Tasmanian economy $3 billion. The last thing Tasmanian businesses need is another broken promise over the new Spirits.