Time to Roam Magazine Issue 11 - October/November 2014 | Page 8

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upfront industry news

CUTTING THE COSTS TO CROSS TO TASSIE
BY JENNIFER PERRY

The cost of crossing Bass
Strait has long been a
bugbear for caravan and
RV owners as well as
Tasmania’s tourist industry,
but finally there may be
some relief in sight.

Clive Palmer’s solution

Both State and Federal politicians
are now focussed on the issue. The
incoming Tasmanian Government
plans to boost tourism numbers by
an extra half million visitors over the
next six years. The booming caravan
and RV sector as a key target.
The Tasmanian Government believes fares for
the TT-Line ferry running between Melbourne and
Devonport should be reduced by 20 per cent.
“We are aware there have long been
concerns from the caravan and motorhome
community, “ a spokesman for Tasmanian
Infrastructure Minister Rene Hidding said.
“We have asked TT-Line to prepare a business
case to implement our policy, with a refocussing
on passengers and tourists and their vehicles. We
are particularly interested in making day sailings
more attractive and increasing their frequency.”
The Federal Government should provide more
assistance given the Bass Strait crossing is part
of the National Highway network, Tasmanian
Tourism Council CEO Luke Martin believes.
“In Tasmania’s case, the Tasmanian

Government funds the infrastructure,
the ships, so the Federal Government
gets away lightly with the relatively small
assistance it provides,” Mr Martin said.
The assistance is provided via the
Commonwealth’s Bass Strait Passenger Vehicle
Equalisation Scheme. Introduced by the Howard
Government in 1996, it provides a per-vehicle
rebate paid through discounted fares. Since its
introduction passenger numbers have increased
from 150,000 to about 350,000 annually.
The scheme offers a rebate of up
to $420 each way for vehicles towing
caravans as well as motorhomes.
However the Tasmanian Tourism Council
says the rebate has lost its value as it was not

What are the costs?
CARAVAN - $729
Caravan owners pay as much as $729 one way from Melbourne to Devonport
for a Toyota Landcruiser towing a Jayco Silverline in high season.

CAMPER TRAILER - $389

indexed against inflation for the first 12 years.
“It does not cover the full cost of vehicle
transport, with TT-Line charging an additional
$79 each-way to cover the gap between the
rebate and the actual cost of passage, which is
passed onto the passenger,” Mr Martin said.
He argues restoring the relative value of
the subsidy would cost taxpayers $12m, but
would only require an increase of 5000 visitors
to Tasmania each year to offset the cost.
Palmer United Party (PUP) MP Jacqui Lambie
has referred to it as the “Bass Strait Transport
cost crisis” and said it was “strangling Tasmania’s
economic life” in her Senate maiden speech.
While Lambie’s and the PUP’s crucial
balance of power position could help ensure
the issue is tackled, Mr Martin is sceptical.
He said it was easy for politicians to “shoot
off their mouths” without real solutions and
described some of Clive Palmer’s ideas for
reducing TT-Line