Legislative Council Tuesday 12 June, 2018

Ms  FORREST  to LEADER of the GOVERNMENT in the LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, Mrs HISCUTT

With regard to the King Island shipping service provided by Bass Island Line - this is a repeat of a question I asked a few weeks ago because that part was not answered -

(1)  Since the commencement of the John Duigan -

(a)        What was the proposed schedule of sailings, including docking times, to date?

(b)        What was the actual schedule of sailings, including docking times, to date?

(c)        Of the delayed or cancelled scheduled services, what was the reason for the delay or cancellation?

(d)        How were the delays or cancellations communicated to King Island residents?

(e)       Where did each service dock on the Tasmanian mainland?

ANSWER

Mr President, I thank the member for Murchison for her question.  

(1)  (a)      The commitment from Bass Island Line - BIL - is for the John Duigan to operate on a weekly schedule, departing Geelong on Sunday, departing Grassy on Monday and departing Bell Bay on Wednesday.

       (b)      The John Duigan is operating as per this schedule. 

       (c)      There is no commitment to leave at a particular time on those days.  That is impractical for a range of operational reasons, including the weather, delivery and load times for the cargo presented to port                       and customer demand on a given voyage. 

       (d)      BIL releases via email and through telephone contact the intended departure and arrival times to assist our customers and their transport coordination.  Any changes to upcoming departure and arrival                         times are always communicated in a timely manner via email, again to assist the customers.

I have a table that I will seek to table shortly.  This table proposes the actual departure and arrival times since the John Duigan came into service. Following this, it should be noted that a total of 87.5 per cent of all John Duigan voyages arrived and departed in line with the proposed schedule.  Vessel movements during the first two weeks followed an exceptional schedule due to the fact the John Duigan was transitioning into service and the need to be at Grassy Port on Friday 18 May 2018 for the official community event and naming ceremony.  This was well attended by customers and stakeholders.

Post-event, John Duigan has been operating exactly as per BIL's commitment departing Geelong on Sunday, departing Grassy on Monday and departing Bell Bay on Wednesday.  There is also no commitment around the other ports of call.  BIL makes such decisions based on operational requirements and customer demand.

In line with that commitment to customer service, BIL has agreed with JBS Swift that it will add a Devonport call for livestock cargoes only and when cattle bookings are made.  Minor upgrades are required to Devonport ramp infrastructure; therefore BIL has called at Stanley for livestock until the Devonport works are completed in July. 

Ms  Forrest  - Does the table include the answer to which dock they went into?

Mrs HISCUTT - It has a voyage number, it has a date, it has a depart place, it has a time, it has an arrival place and a time of arrival.  I seek leave to table the answers and have it incorporated in Hansard. 

Leave granted.

Schedule tabled.