Calls for TT line to get on board with extra weekend sailings

Tasmania’s peak body for farmers, TasFarmers, is calling for the urgent ongoing commitment of additional sailings for the current Spirits of Tasmania vessels, until the new vessels are brought online. The aim to provide immediate support for the tourism and agricultural sectors.

Ian Sauer, President of TasFarmers said the TT-Line board needed to step up and act decisively to provide the state with certainty and consistency, to restore confidence.

"Certainty and consistency equals confidence, and that's exactly what we need a lot of after this spirit debacle," said Mr Sauer.

"We (TasFarmers) are calling for extra sailings up to three times a week permanently in place until the new spirits come online in Tasmania. 

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"We specifically want one of these extra sailings on a Sunday and to be fully dedicated to tourism.  This would help clear the eight-month backlog of caravans and camper trailers coming into and leaving Tasmania.

"Right now, it’s just too difficult for people to holiday in Tasmania with their caravans or campers, and that’s hurting our tourism sector."
In addition to concerns about tourism, TasFarmers is urging for a solution to the growing freight crisis after one of the state’s key shipping companies, SeaRoad, announced a six-week maintenance period for one of its vessels during the peak summer season.

Mr Sauer said, " We know SeaRoad is doing urgent maintenance for at least six weeks on one of its vessels over the summer which is the peak production period for our members.

“This is an opportunity for the State to sweat the assets it has to meet demand, the current vessels operated profitably during COVID for freight purposes and there is no reason why we shouldn’t do the same thing now given demand from the agriculture and tourism sectors.

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"Expanding interim capacity will not only ease freight demand but also give farmers the confidence to grow their operations. This means more products can be transported across Bass Strait efficiently. In the medium term, it will also introduce more competition into the market, which will help prices".

TasFarmers has been vocal in its call for reforms to Government Business Enterprises (GBEs), including TT-Line  through an update of their charters and a move away from purely financial metrics to measures of performance to focus more on stimulating economic activity, growing wealth, jobs, confidence and  the needs of the community.

"To do the same old same old is not an option unless we don’t want anything to change.

"We’re urging the TT-Line not to prioritise only their financial bottom line and shareholder dividends, but to consider the broader financial and social well-being of Tasmania," Mr. Sauer said.