Claims made by the union movement on the ABC about the TT-Line refurbishment are false and xenophobic, and should be immediately retracted.
Last night, in a reckless quest for a headline, would-be Labor senator John Short claimed on the ABC that 100 workers from Eastern Europe were carrying out work on the refurbishment of one of the Spirit of Tasmania ferries in Sydney.
I am advised that this claim is false.
Further, I am advised that suggestions made on the ABC that the local participation rules of the refurbishment contract have been breached are also false.
I am advised that the facts of the matter are as follows:
1. Trimline, the turn-key contractor, is delivering on its commitment that at least 50 per cent of work on the refurbishment will be done by Tasmanians. In fact, local participation has exceeded their initial expectations;
2. Spirit II is being progressively refurbished alongside in Devonport and on the run across Bass Strait. As above, Trimline has advised TT-Line that 200 Tasmanian workers and 20 local companies have been subcontracted work on this project;
3. Spirit I is currently being refurbished in a compressed timeframe during its scheduled dry dock in Sydney in order to ensure continuity of service. Of the 156 workers, the vast majority are Australian.
This irresponsible scaremongering comes as the unions nationally, aided and abetted by Labor, are running a paid fear campaign against Australia’s Free Trade Agreement with China, which will be of great benefit to this State.
The Spirit of Tasmania refurbishments are an exciting project for Tasmania that will help achieve the Hodgman Liberal Government’s vision of attracting 1.5 million visitors a year to our State by 2050.
Already, ahead of the launch of the refurbished vessels, forward bookings for day sailings are up an astonishing 108 per cent.
I call on Mr Short to immediately retract his trashing of the Spirits of Tasmania brand, using shameless xenophobic language.
If he wants to be a Senator for Tasmania, the very least he can do is deal in facts and stand up for the State, rather than recklessly trashing one of our key brands.