The new Spirits project, when fully delivered, is going to be a great thing for the Tasmanian tourism industry. But the Liberals’ failure to deliver is costing our tourism operators dearly and they need our support now, not in 2026.

I’ve been clear that under my leadership, Labor strongly support industries that create jobs – which is why we strongly back our tourism operators. Few industries contribute more to job creation and growth than our tourism industry.

Due to Michael Ferguson and the Liberals’ failure to deliver adequate wharf infrastructure at Devonport, despite having years to prepare, the new Spirits vessels will not be able to be used at full capacity until 2026.

To recover lost capacity and increase tourism revenue that operators have been anticipating, Labor is calling for a doubling of TT-Line day sailings and a dedicated tourism representative on the TT-Line board.

Labor’s proposal includes:

• Doubling Day Sailings: Adding up to 150 extra day sailings to recover lost capacity, increase tourism revenue, and bring tens of thousands more self-driving visitors to our state this summer
• The mandating of a dedicated tourism industry seat on the TT-Line board to make sure the industry is properly represented on the board of the company that should be focussed on them.

I've been clear that Labor is changing under my leadership - which is why we're not just going to criticise the government, but also put forward ideas to help create jobs and make Tasmania the best place to grow up, work and retire.

We encourage Premier Rockliff to immediately adopt our proposals, support Tasmania's tourism industry, and start getting the Spirits back on course.

Dean Winter MP
Labor Leader
Shadow Minister for Tourism & Hospitality