· Government confirms Spirits may dock at Geelong
· Decision would impact tourism, freight and domestic travel
· Tasmanians being kept in the dark
Moves to shift the Spirit of Tasmania ferry berth from Station Pier in Melbourne to Geelong will have serious implications for the state's tourism, freight and domestic travel.
Peter Gutwein today confirmed the Government is considering abandoning Station Pier, with Geelong appearing to be the preferred option.
Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Shane Broad, said Tasmanians were being kept in the dark.
"The Spirit of Tasmania vessels provide a vital lifeline between Tasmania and the mainland for tourism, freight and domestic travel and part of the value of the service is that it docks at Station Pier as it's close to the Melbourne CBD and with central access to freight routes to the East and West," Dr Broad said.
"Hundreds of Tasmanian businesses, employing thousands of workers, depend on the reliable and accessible service that the Spirits provide.
"Moving the service to Geelong will add considerable travel times for freight vehicles and people travelling into the City of Melbourne or further East up the coast.
"We understand negotiations with the Port of Geelong are well advanced - when was Peter Gutwein planning on telling Tasmanians about this major disruption?
"Peter Gutwein's secrecy surrounding the vital Spirit of Tasmania service is completely unacceptable. This service doesn't belong to the Government - it belongs to all Tasmanians."
Shane Broad MP
Shadow Minister for Infrastructure
