The double-page Spirits advertising spread in today’s major Tasmanian newspapers is yet another waste of taxpayer money by the increasingly desperate Rockliff minority Government.

The ad claims that if the new Spirits are leased to another operator they won’t be second-hand when Tasmanians get them. How extraordinary.

The government also tries to rewrite history by saying TT-Line is “fast-tracking” the new berthing infrastructure. The berth was meant to be ready now, but it won’t be until 2027.

The facts speak for themselves. The ships are five years late, 500 million over budget, we still have nowhere for them to berth and Tasmanians are paying $50,000 a week to store them in Scotland. 

Tasmanians won’t be fooled by this PR exercise.

Spending thousands of dollars of taxpayer money on this latest blame-shifting effort is a blatant waste. It is also pointless. 

People already know that the Spirits project has been a monumental stuff-up. If the Government had answered questions on the project from day one, they wouldn’t need a double-page ad.

Instead of spending taxpayer money trying to shift the blame, the Government should focus its efforts on bringing the Spirits home to Tasmania.

Anita Dow MP
Deputy Labor Leader
Shadow Minister for Infrastructure