Legislative Council, Tuesday 23 September 2025
Ms FORREST question to MINISTER for INFRASTRUCTURE and TRANSPORT, Mr VINCENT
What were the additional borrowings provided to TT Line specifically to fund? Further to that, are there any design features on the new vessel that need additional work, other than the final fit out, to make the vessels fit for service? Are there any issues that have not yet been disclosed publicly?
ANSWER
Mr President, I thank the member for the question. In regard to the extra capital funding that may be required or is required for TT Line, that will be going through the budget process that the Treasurer is working on at the moment. I believe the second part of the question, if we just clarify, that was around extra work that may be needed?
Ms Forrest – Design features and any work needing to be done, beyond the fit out that’s being done.
Mr VINCENT – All my knowledge on that is, the fit out is happening there at the moment, but when it goes over to Geelong, it will be having trials on the gantry over there. If any alterations need to be made, they will be made while it’s over there. That is all the knowledge I have at this point in time. Unless you know something specific there that I could follow up on, which I’m happy to do of course, that’s my knowledge at present.
Supplementary Question
Ms FORREST (Murchison) – I have a supplementary question.
Mr PRESIDENT – The member for Murchison.
Ms FORREST – The money has already been forwarded, the additional funding during the election period by way of extended borrowing. That’s a decision already made. My question was: what were the additional funds specifically to fund? That was the question. And as the minister responsible, I expect you to know that. I just need to think about that one.
The other point I was making is: it was related to any design features of the vessel not related to the fit out. A lot of that was always going to be done in Tasmania. To be more specific, is there any work required to the bow or the beam to strengthen it to enable it to safely berth against the fenders in either Geelong or in Devonport?
Mr VINCENT – Mr President, I seek more advice on that costing. Sorry for the time taken there. The extension to the debt ceiling was made during the election campaign –
Ms Forrest – Election period.
Mr VINCENT – Election period, sorry, in relation to concerns raised by the board on the long-term stability of the debt level of TT Line and that’s been made. That is still ongoing work being done on that ceiling required for it to remain operational.
Ms Forrest – What was it set to fund? Why did they need to do it? What were they needing to fund – that was the question.
Mr VINCENT – Because of the debt level that TT Line is presently carrying.
Ms Forrest – So you increase the debt to deal with the debt level?
Mr VINCENT – No, the capability of the debt level to be able to be serviced.
I am not aware of any structural issues that need to be taken care of at this point in time at all but I’m happy to follow that through and just check on anything. I know of minor things. In relation to the fender work done, there are some small adjustments being done on the Devonport Wharf which are to take in the strengthening slight movements in the fenders to allow for the strengthening parts of the ship that have strengthened to take against the fenders. I don’t believe there’s any of that needing to be done in Geelong, not that I’ve been informed at this point in time.
Ms Forrest – No, that needs to be done to the ships, not in Geelong.
Mr VINCENT – I’m unaware of what needs to happen on the berth to make slight adjustments to it there to match up with the ship. I’m happy to follow up on that for you. Thank you.