A fed-up Tasmanian government has taken action as it pushes for Spirit of Tasmania port infrastructure to be delivered as soon as possible, appointing two infrastructure experts to oversee the works, and asking the ferry company boss to resign.
Premier Jeremy Rockliff said appointing experts to oversee the works was intended to "stop the blame game" and deliver solutions as he continues to be peppered with questions about the scandal-plagued project to build two new Spirit of Tasmania vessels, and infrastructure to house them.
The two bigger and better Spirits will eventually call Devonport's berth three home after they arrive from Finland in coming months, but it's not set to be ready until January 2026.
In the meantime, the new ferries will use an upgraded berth one, but its shallowness means the new ships will only be able to carry as much freight, passengers and caravans as the current vessels.
After Infrastructure Minister Michael Ferguson took aim at TT-Line in a parliamentary committee this week, saying he'd been repeatedly assured the berths at Devonport would be ready by August 2024, Premier Jeremy Rockliff has stepped up the pressure on the ferry operator.
"I have been clear of my disappointment in these delays, and it's frankly not acceptable," Mr Rockliff said.
"We will pull out all stops to get this done as soon as possible.
"I'm not interested in excuses, or the blame game. I want solutions and I want them now. That's what Tasmanians deserve and expect."
Mr Rockliff has placed the man in charge for managing the $786 million Bridgewater Bridge upgrade, Ben Moloney, with working with TT-Line and ports operator TasPorts to deliver the upgrades at berths one and three.
Mr Maloney previously oversaw the delivery of the Royal Hobart Hospital upgrade, which was beset by cost blowouts and delays.
Another infrastructure expert, Peter Gemell, who the government says has more than 40 years experience in managing major infrastructure projects, will oversee the project.
Mr Rockliff said shareholder ministers Eric Abetz and Mr Ferguson would also issue a further ministerial directive to the businesses that allow for the Department of State Growth to have "greater responsibility and access".
TT-Line boss out
Following the announcement of the intervention on Wednesday, the government issued a press release stating it had "requested and accepted the resignation of the chair of TT-Line, effective immediately".
It did not mention Michael Grainger by name.
The joint statement, from Mr Ferguson and Transport Minister Eric Abetz, said it had "become clear the relationship between the government and the chair has become untenable".
"The government is committed to delivering the new Spirits and the infrastructure to support their arrival.
"The Tasmanian government is confident that the project can now move forward — collaboratively and in partnership with TT-Line, TasPorts and the Department of State Growth — and we look forward to soon welcoming the new Spirits into the waters of the Mersey," the statement said.
TT-Line had vowed to hit back over parliamentary barbs
Mr Ferguson told this week's parliamentary inquiry into the spirit project that he was "aware of concerns in the civil contracting industry" about the berth three works as far back as October last year.
He told the inquiry he was "firmly assured" by TT-Line that there was no cause for concern and the project was on track, and was not told a tender signed with a builder to upgrade berth three had fallen over until April this year, almost two months after the decision was made.
TasPorts chairman Steven Bradford also told the inquiry he'd been "consistently concerned" with TT-Line's progress in upgrading the berth, and had regularly raised them with the operator and the government.
"They have chosen, at all points, to do it themselves. That is their choice," he said.
Earlier on Wednesday, TT-Line declined to comment on the appointment of the two infrastructure experts, or the new ministerial direction.
But in a statement, chair Mike Grainger said he disputed elements of the evidence presented to the committee, and looked forward to "setting the record straight" when he appears before the committee next month.
"Out of respect for the (Public Accounts Committee process), while noting the significant community interest in the matter, we will be providing our factually correct evidence to the PAC first," he said.
"At a high level, the board, which met on Tuesday, stands by its recent decisions and the processes around those decisions, particularly related to paying additional funds to Finnish shipbuilder Rauma Marine Constructions to complete our two new Spirit of Tasmania ships.
"Further, we look forward to explaining in greater detail the context for the decisions the board took in relation to the terminal development at berth three in Devonport."
Labor infrastructure spokeswoman Anita Dow said she couldn't blame Mr Rockliff for appointing the two experts to oversee the project.
"Under Mr Ferguson's watch, this project has spiralled into the biggest infrastructure stuff-up in Tasmanian history," she said.
"Jeremy Rockliff could appoint all the king's horses and all the king's men, but it still won't get this disaster back on track.
"The Spirits are five years late, $500 million over budget and unable to operate at full capacity when the first ship is operational – and we are still not sure when this will be."
