The Premier must today provide a guarantee the people of Flinders Island will have a shipping service that meets the needs of its businesses and residents.
The State Government provides around $250,000 in taxpayer funding to underpin a freight shipping service for Flinders Island however, yesterday’s standoff between Tasports and the operator demonstrates just how fragile this relationship has become.
The security, and adequacy, of shipping services to the island is one of its biggest concerns and addressing this issue is critical to this regional community achieving its potential.
The government is well aware of these concerns. Today the Premier is visiting the island and he needs to step in and do what his hapless Minister Graeme Sturges wouldn’t yesterday – and that is to provide a gaurantee that the Island will not be cut off should the dispute between the operator and Tasports escalate further.
The Premier shouls also provide the people of Flinders Island with an explanation as to whether his government is “ecstatic” about the state of shipping services to the island.
The shipping operator made this claim on ABC radio yesterday.
To say it has left Flinders Island residents scratching their heads would be an understatement.
Peter Gutwein MP, Shadow Treasurer
