The Tasmanian Greens today said stricter lease conditions would be needed to ensure that the future commercial operator of the West Coast Wilderness Railway was not able to walk away from the contract without responsibility.
Greens Infrastructure spokesperson Tim Morris MP said the move to transfer employees from Federal Group to the Abt Rail Corporation was welcome, saying the Greens had been calling for such a measure since the outset.
“The Greens have been long term supporters of the West Coast Wilderness Railway and welcome the announcement that the jobs have been secured for existing workers,” Mr Morris said.
“We called for this security to be given as soon as the announcement was made by Federal Hotels to pull out of their contract with the Tasmanian government.”
“What is urgently required now is that a long term solution be found to the operating and governance arrangements for this iconic railway.
“What we do not want is another half baked lease that is all care and no responsibility for the new commercial operator of the railway.”
“This is an iconic experience and brings jobs and wealth to the west coast.”
“The west coast is in the thick of internationally recognised iconic destinations, with the Franklin River just recently judged the best wild river experience in the world and the Tarkine rainforest topping a CNN list of the world’s last great wilderness areas.”
“We have been urging the Minister since the outset to release the lease agreement with Federal Hotels in order to bring some transparency to the process of finding a new commercial operator.”
“If public money is going to continued to be invested in keeping the Abt Railway on track, then the public have the right to know exactly what the operator’s conditions and responsibilities are.”
Tim Morris MP Greens Tourism Spokesperson Monday, 25 March 2013
