A decision on whether the first new Spirit of Tasmania ferry will be leased is expected within days, as the cost of keeping the ship in Scotland ticks over $1 million.
The ferry is being actively marketed for lease to an international operator while Devonport’s upgraded berthing facilities remain under construction.
Labor leader Dean Winter has long spoken against storing the vessel overseas, arguing it should already be in Tasmania.
“Tasmanians own the ports, we own TT-Line and there is no reason why it shouldn’t be coming here and there’s no reason why Premier Rockliff shouldn’t just admit they’re much cheaper and easier to have it here,” he said.
“These new spirits are going to be absolutely fantastic for our state. 40% more passengers, more freight [which] means more money going into regional Tasmania and more jobs. But we do need to bring them home.”
Transport Minister Eric Abetz previously stated that regardless of location, the ship incurs $380,000 monthly in crew costs alone.
Other expenses to be made public include nearly $200,000 for the first 30 days of storage in Leith, followed by around $100,000 for the subsequent month.
Premier Jeremy Rockliff assured Tasmanians on Tuesday that a decision on leasing will be made “very soon”.
“We’ll do our due diligence and we’ll ensure that we get the best value for taxpayer funds,” he said.
“And should we not be able to lease the Spirits, then, of course, we’ll bring the Spirit back to Tasmania.”
