Jeremy Rockliff has now spent more than one million dollars of Tasmanian taxpayer money to hide Spirit IV in Scotland.

As revealed by the Government, Spirit IV is racking up $380,000 per month in crew costs, close to $200,000 for the first 30 days of storage in Leith, and approximately $100,000 for the second 30 days of storage.

We still don’t have any idea how much Tasmanian taxpayers have been forced to spend on ancillary costs like power, fuel, and maintenance. The Government have said those costs are being incurred on a ‘do and charge’ basis but 56 days after Spirit IV arrived in Scotland, they’ve revealed nothing.

Other hidden costs of Jeremy Rockliff’s Scottish Spirit hideaway include broker fees and the tens-of-thousands of dollars spent on full-page newspaper spreads back here in Tasmania trying to spin the story.

It just doesn’t make sense to be spending this much taxpayer money to hide the ships when even TT-Line says a lease is unlikely. How much longer is Premier Rockliff going to keep up this madness?  

It’s time to bring the Spirits home where we can finish the fit out, keep them safe and get them ready for service. 

Dean Winter MP
Labor Leader