The Government yesterday released a flurry of statements desperately attempting to control the narrative around its $75 million bailout of TT-Line – conveniently timed just after the truth emerged at a Public Accounts Committee hearing.
Across five separate releases issued on the same day, the government tried to frame human error as minor housekeeping, announced a $16 million terminal contract to distract with good news, while Labor fired off multiple statements calling out the “biggest infrastructure stuff-up in Tasmania’s history.” The coordinated media dump – complete with technical jargon about fenders and gantries – represents a masterclass in burying bad news under bureaucratic babble, all while Tasmanian taxpayers foot the bill for years of spectacular mismanagement that left new ferries floating aimlessly around the globe because someone forgot to build them a berth.
Regular Spirit Replacement Update, 27 October 2025
Berth 3 is progressing well and is on track for completion in October 2026.
Spirit IV has been fitted out and is now undergoing gantry testing in Geelong.
Spirit V will travel to Tasmania for the first time next year.
The Government commends the diligent work of TT-Line’s chair Ken Kanofski and CEO Chris Carbone in their short time with TT-Line.
Finances
The Spirit replacement project has been significant and the company is currently in possession of four ships.
Together, the Government and TT-Line’s new management team are closely managing the government business’ finances.
On 26 July, the Tasmanian Government agreed to support an increase in the borrowing limit for TT-Line.
TT-line has requested $100 million in equity from the Government. As part of the interim Budget, the Government will invest $75 million into TT-Line.
Treasury will work with Board in the event that the additional $25 million is required.
Hull
Since Ken and Chris have been appointed, they have been meticulously reviewing the Spirit project.
They have uncovered a number of discrepancies as part of this work.
This includes an issue with three of the wharf fenders in Devonport.
TT-Line, in the early days of the project, changed the specifications of the fenders.
The new specifications were wrong.
This means the fenders were built much stronger than required.
TT-Line is now working with Tasports to rectify this.
As part of the most cost-effective overall solution, the hull on both ships required minor strengthening at the point where it touches the fenders.
There are no problems or issues with the hull of the vessels. They are being modified as part of the most cost-effective solution for dealing with the fender issue.
This will be done within the current project funding. There is no change to the total project cost.
Geelong gantry
Spirit of Tasmania IV arrived in Geelong at 6pm on Sunday, 19 October 2025, after Spirit of Tasmania II departed for Devonport.
The ship’s first journey across the Bass Strait was a success.
Testing of the gantry is now underway.
Deck 7 ramps are slightly off centre as they align with the deck 7 doors on the new vessel at berth. There is no operational impact and is largely accommodated by the additional width in the design of the deck 7 ramps.
There are some minor alignments of Deck 5, which only occur at extreme tides – this was known and necessary to allow the existing ships to operate from the facility.
Importantly, the company went through a similar commissioning process with the existing Spirit vessels at Geelong. They made at least two commissioning visits for the existing Spirits during construction and encountered similar issues that were rectified.
Small configuration changes are normal and expected with new ships and wharf infrastructure.
This is the purpose of testing.
Media release – Dean Winter MHA, Shadow Treasurer, 27 October 2025
Government finally admits to Spirits bailout
On the eve of TT-Line appearing before the Public Accounts Committee – where the truth was going to be exposed anyway – the Liberal-Green Government finally came clean about its bailout.
Financially, TT-Line has been taking on water and sinking for more than a year. After having bailed out Finnish ship builder, RMC, TT-Line is now being bailed out itself with $75 million of Tasmanian taxpayers’ money.
Labor has been raising this for nearly a year but has consistently been brushed off by the Liberals and told there was nothing to see here.
In a blatant attempt to get all their bad news out the door at once, the Government also revealed that the “very minor” hull and wharf upgrades the new ships require before even entering service will cost $9 million.
The bill from the biggest infrastructure stuff up in Tasmanian history keeps growing, and it’s Tasmanians who are paying the price for incompetence.
Media release – Janie Finlay MHA, Deputy Labor Leader, Shadow Minister for Primary Industries & Aquaculture 27 October 2025
Liberal-Green Government tries to bury more bad news
On the same day that the latest CommSec State of the States Report revealed Tasmania’s economy is shrinking, partly due to ‘anaemic private sector demand’, the Liberal-Green Government quietly released the terms of reference for its politically motivated review into the state’s largest primary industry.
You can’t make this stuff up.
Today, they’ve dumped bad news left, right and centre – a Spirits bailout this morning, and now this politically motivated “independent” salmon review slipped out after their Ministers had already faced the media pack for the day.
It’s a cynical tactic from a Liberal-Green Government in chaos, desperate to bury the fact Tasmania’s economy is shrinking because they’ve sold out Tasmanian workers and industries to stay in power.
This review isn’t about sustainability – it’s about politics. It’s about Jeremy Rockliff keeping the Greens and Peter George on side, no matter the cost to Tasmanian jobs.
While Labor does not support this review, we will always stand up and advocate for workers throughout the process. We are determined to keep the process focussed on the facts, and in doing so look forward to the review dispelling the myths about the industry peddled by the Bob Brown Foundation, the Greens and Peter George.
Tasmania’s salmon industry is one of our greatest success stories, supports thousands of jobs and hundreds of local businesses across regional communities. It should be celebrated and supported, not traded away for political convenience.
Labor will always back Tasmanian workers, families, and the industries that keep our regional communities strong.
Media release – Kerry Vincent, Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, 27 October 2025
Vos Construction to build new Spirit of Tasmania passenger terminal
VOS Construction and Joinery has been awarded the $16 million contract for its work on the new Spirit of Tasmania passenger terminal in Devonport.
The terminal is scheduled to be operational in time for the first sailing of the new vessels from Devonport to Geelong in October 2026.
The terminal building – a timber-framed building that will be built with locally sourced timber that showcases Tasmanian materials – is the public face of the site.
Its design reflects Tasmania and its landscapes, reinterpreting Devonport’s maritime heritage through a contemporary port shed form.
Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Kerry Vincent, said it was fantastic that a great Tasmanian business would build the new Spirit of Tasmania passenger terminal.
“Vos has already played an important role in delivering the project at Devonport, and this contract will further support Tasmanian jobs and our economy,” Vincent said.
“As well as supporting local businesses, the Spirit of Tasmania project is delivering employment and training opportunities, particularly for young Tasmanians.
“This contract is an important next step ahead of the new Spirit of Tasmania ships coming into service.”
Vos Construction Manager Northern Tasmania Kieran Rimmelzwaan said the terminal project included the construction of the terminal building itself, car parking, landscaping and a wash bay.
“This work follows Vos’s previous work on the site, which involved building seven ancillary buildings,” he said.
“We also built two retaining walls at the site. The first, at the southern end, is 163 meters long and separates the freight yard and the freight entrance driveway, while the second is 175 meters long and located further north.
“Across the life of the Devonport project, Vos and its subcontractors will have approximately 100 to 120 people involved with the work, both on-site and at the workshop.
“Vos is a major employer of apprentices on the north-west coast, so it is important that the company secures work like this for the work development of its apprentices and the industry’s overall benefit.
“It allows us to keep employing apprentices, which benefits the building and construction industry on the north-west coast.
“Up to 20 per cent of Vos’ workforce at the site will be apprentices, either working directly for Vos or for one of its subcontractors.”
TT Line Company Pty Ltd CEO Chris Carbone congratulated Vos Construction and Joinery on its selection as the terminal building contractor.
“Construction activities on site were progressing on schedule to go live in October 2026,” Carbone said.
“All marine pile casings are complete ahead of schedule.
“The fabrication and delivery of the gantry is a key focus of the project team.
“Its fabrication commenced in May this year. A trial assembly was held this month and was successful. The gantry will now be painted and packed for shipping to Tasmania.”
Carbone said he expected the gantry to be shipped to Tasmania in the first week of January 2026 and arrive in Devonport in February 2026.
Media release – Josh Willie MHA, Labor Leader, 22 October 2025
Tasmanians deserve transparency on the Spirits bailout
Following yesterday’s Public Accounts Committee hearing, the onus is on the Liberal-Green Government to be upfront with Tasmanians about the scale and timing of the bailout for TT-Line.
Under questioning from Labor, TasCorp confirmed TT-Line was on track to become insolvent within 12 months before its borrowing limit was increased in July. TasCorp also revealed it has asked the Liberal-Green Government to consider including “some form of financial support” for TT-Line in the upcoming budget.
Any bailout for TT-Line will impact Tasmanians through reducing funding available for services that people rely on like health, housing, and education, which is the true cost of the ferries fiasco.
Tasmanians deserve transparency.
The Liberal-Green Government must come clean about how much the bailout will cost, when it will happen, and what cuts will be made elsewhere in the budget to pay for it.
Every extra dollar in debt and interest is a dollar that can’t go into our hospitals, schools, or housing – the services Tasmanians rely on every day.
The Liberals’ botched handling of the Spirits project has already cost the state billions in lost economic activity, and now Tasmanians are being asked to pay the price again.
Labor has been pursuing transparency from the government about the likelihood of a financial bailout for TT-Line for nearly 12 months, but every step of the way we were met with resistance from the Liberals.
This is the biggest infrastructure stuff-up in Tasmania’s history, and more proof you just can’t trust this Liberal-Green Government to manage money or deliver for Tasmanians.
Media release – Anita Dow MHA, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, 21 October 2025
ICYMI [in case you missed it]: Tasmanians to pay the price for the Liberal-Green Spirits bailout
Today’s Public Accounts Committee hearing has blown the lid off the Liberal Government’s handling of the Spirits of Tasmania fiasco, with TasCorp confirming TT-Line was on track to becoming insolvent within 12 months, before its borrowing limit was increased in July 2025.
TasCorp Chair Gary Swain told the committee that TasCorp had asked the Liberal-Green Government to consider including ‘some form of financial support’ for TT-Line in the upcoming budget.
He also revealed there are “a couple of different ways” this could be implemented, which will be obvious to Tasmanians on 6 November, when the budget is handed down.
After repeated denials and spin, Tasmanians now have it in black and white – TT-Line’s finances are sinking, and the Liberal-Green Government are preparing another bailout that will impact Tasmanians.
The bailout will add directly to the Liberals’ spiralling debt, driving up interest payments that already cost taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars every year. It’s money that can’t be spent on the services Tasmanians rely on like health, education and housing.
The tourism industry has already suffered billions in lost economic activity because of the Spirits delays. Now Tasmanians are being asked to pay the price again, this time through fewer resources for the services they rely on every day.
This is the biggest infrastructure stuff-up in Tasmania’s history, and more proof that Tasmanians just can’t trust this Liberal-Green Government.
Media release – Josh Willie MHA, Labor Leader, 18 October 2025
Spirit IV leaves Hobart, long list of questions remain unanswered
While Spirit IV may have left Hobart, a long list of questions about the continuing fiasco remains unanswered, and these questions won’t go away just because the vessel has left our shores.
Tasmanians still don’t know the cost of docking Spirit IV in Geelong, now it can’t be laid up like originally planned and needs 12 crew for another year before it enters service.
The extent and cost of required hull upgrades remain a secret, as do questions about where the works will take place, and when TT-Line and the Liberal Green Government knew the works were necessary.
It’s still unclear how much of the local content commitment has been delivered, although we do know that the lion’s share of it of it wasn’t local at all.
All these unanswered questions only add to growing uncertainty about TT-Line’s finances, and whether or not a bailout will need to be included in next month’s budget.
Tasmanians can’t trust this Liberal Green Government when it comes to the Spirits replacement project, which has been plagued by cost blowouts, delays and cover-ups.
Spirit IV may have left Hobart, but that doesn’t mean we won’t stop holding this Liberal Government, now propped up by the Greens, to account on behalf of Tasmanians.
Media release – Anita Dow MHA, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, 16 October 2025
Another embarrassing chapter for Spirits fiasco, when will it end?
Just when Tasmanians might have started to think the Spirits fiasco couldn’t get any worse, the Liberal-Green Government has found a way.
In the latest embarrassing chapter of the saga, it has been revealed that Spirit IV is unable to dock at the interim berth it was headed for in Geelong.
After forgetting to build the berth at Devonport for the new Spirits, you’d think the Liberal-Green Government would have learned its lesson.
Tasmanians have also learned that Spirit V will be following in her sister’s footsteps and stopping over in Scotland for months on the way to Tasmania. Not content with making Tasmania an international laughing stock once, Premier Rockliff has chosen to double down so the message really sinks in.
Over last 18 months, Jeremy Rockliff’s Liberal Government has made the Spirits replacement project a case study in incompetence and waste.
Now they are being propped up by the Greens, the outcomes aren’t getting any better.
This Liberal-Green Government can’t be trusted to get the basics right.
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