It took about 10 seconds for the TasPorts GBE hearing to reignite the blame game over the Spirits fiasco.

TasPorts’ Acting Chair directed blame for Tasmania’s biggest infrastructure stuff-up squarely towards TT-Line. 

When asked whether TasPorts’ should take any responsibility for the debacle, the acting Chair extraordinarily responded “no”.

A survey conducted recently by EMRS revealed Tasmanians disagree - holding TasPorts more responsible than TT Line for the Spirits fiasco. In fact, Premier Jeremy Rockliff cancelled bonuses at TasPorts and proposed merging them with TasRail because they’ve been so bad.

Premier Rockliff told Tasmanians he was “pissed off” with the situation and urged all parties to take collective responsibility for the Spirits fiasco. 

Despite all this, Minister Kerry Vincent today agreed with his Acting Chair and said he didn’t think TasPorts had any responsibility for the fiasco either.

TT-Line were perfectly capable of delivering the project in Geelong with Geelong Port. If TasPorts’ hands are completely clean, why couldn’t they do the same in Devonport?

And given Michael Grainger was sacked as Chair of TT-Line for allegedly "playing the blame game", what will the Premier do about the appalling display from TasPorts today?

Anita Dow MP
Deputy Labor Leader
Shadow Minister for Infrastructure