Labor has accused TT-Line of “cutting” day sailings on the Spirit of Tasmania ferries, following projections that show a reduction in sailings for the upcoming year.
Leader Dean Winter says there are currently fewer day sailings scheduled for the coming year, with only 170 confirmed across 2024/25, a decrease from the 197 sailings offered over 2023/24.
“It’s inexplicable that during this crisis around the ferry fiasco the government is actually cutting the number of day sailings,” he said.
“The government says that they’re cutting 27 day sailings this summer and I’m really concerned about that. It doesn’t make any sense.”
The criticism comes as tourism operators struggle with the delays in the delivery of the new ferries, which Winter says has forced them to adjust their operations and search for alternative sources of income.
“We need to make the best of a really bad situation and that means making our existing Spirits work as hard as possible,” he said.
“So that we can get as much of those of that fantastic Tasmania produce off the island and bring as many tourists from interstate onto the island.”
But according to Transport Minister Eric Abetz, the Opposition has failed to crunch the numbers properly.
“Depending on the demand there will be extra day sailings,” he said.
“To try to compare with a projection thus far compared to the actuals last year is quite disingenuous.”
TT-Line earlier this month announced the addition of eight extra day sailings to its schedule in January, February, April and May 2025.
