The former Jacqui Lambie Network turned Independents Miriam Beswick and Rebekah Pentland have sided with the Liberals yet again.

It’s been a rough week for the duo. They threw their support behind disgraced former Minister Michael Ferguson after his fate had already been sealed, and now they are cheerleading a Liberals’ policy that will deliver a slap in the face to Tasmania’s tourism and hospitality sector – leasing the new Spirits to another country for the next two summers.

If the ships are leased to another country, the Tasmanian taxpayers have spent $1 billion to support another country’s tourism and hospitality industry while our own suffers through the worst trading conditions they’ve faced in years.

Not only is the project five years delayed, $500 million over budget, with no berth constructed, but the billion-dollar ships might not even be new by the time they arrive. Premier Rockliff needs to immediately rule out leasing our new Spirits overseas.

When they were elected, I wonder if Tasmanians knew they were getting two more Liberals?

Shane Broad MP
Leader of Opposition Business in the House of Assembly