Just when you thought the Spirits fiasco couldn’t get any worse, it has.

As if secretly bailing out a Finnish shipbuilder and forgetting to build a wharf wasn’t enough, Minister Eric Abetz has today admitted that the new Spirits are “defective” and will spend even more time hidden in Europe.

The Spirits fiasco is already the biggest infrastructure stuff up in Tasmania’s history. The cost of Berth 3 has blown out from $90 million to $493 million. Not having the new Spirits operating is costing our economy $500 million a year.

Jeremy Rockliff has spent millions hiding Spirit IV in Scotland and he was nearly tricked into leasing it out as a floating refugee camp by a shipbroker.

It will be a wonderful day when the new Spirit of Tasmania vessels are finally sailing across Bass Strait – but that will be no thanks to Jeremy Rockliff and the way he’s handled the project.

Jeremy Rockliff appears to have completely given up on nearly everything he does. After all the cost blowouts, delays and debacles associated with the Spirits, Tasmanians will have very little confidence this Premier is up to the job of delivering anything.

Dean Winter
Tasmanian Labor Leader