A Dean Winter Labor Government will deliver a Fresh Start for the Spirit of Tasmania vessels by fuelling them with locally produced Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) – supporting jobs, cutting emissions, and finally realising the full potential of our new Spirits.

The dual-fuel Spirits were designed to run on LNG, but the Liberals want to keep them running on dirty diesel.

Labor will issue a Ministerial Direction to TT-Line to secure LNG refuelling at Devonport and commit to running the Spirits on LNG. The necessary space at the port has already been reserved, and a long-term supply agreement will give operators the confidence to invest.

This plan grows the economy, creates jobs, and supports Tasmania’s clean energy future – without costing the State Budget a cent. With two years needed to prepare the infrastructure, the time to act is now.

By making this decision, Labor will:

• Trigger more than $70 million private investment to upgrade LNG facilities in Devonport.
• Create 150 construction jobs, and 15 ongoing jobs.
• Support Tasmania’s clean, green image by slashing emissions from one of the state’s top five emitters.
• Guarantee long-term fuel price certainty and energy security for TT-Line.
• Unlock LNG supply opportunities for regional industries.

The Liberals have made a mess of the Spirits, but Labor is ready to clean it up. It’s time for a Fresh Start – for the Spirits, for the North-West, and for Tasmania.

Dean Winter MP
Labor Leader

Anita Dow MP
Deputy Labor Leader
Shadow Minister for Infrastructure