Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee, , 6:56:26 to 7:16:12
Status of the Tasmanian Freight Equalization Scheme review and its impact on local businesses.
Topics: Infrastructure, Government spending
Speakers: Speaker 28, Unknown Speaker, Hon Anthony Chisholm, Senator Glenn Sterle, Megan Scott
>> You got longer than that, but you want to get something else?
>> Yeah.
>> I can't do anything in four minutes.
>> If you want the call.
>> Yeah, I'll take the call. That's right. Um, my questions uh relate predominantly to the Tasmanian freight equalization >> Don't know if we need to change officials table or anything, but >> um, I understand the government expected to receive the final report of the Tasmanian transport schemes review by June or by mid year. And now it's nearly November. Do we have any visibility of when that may actually be publicly released?
>> Uh the report was handed to the government on the 6th of July uh this year and the government's currently considering uh the recommendations and response.
>> Thank you. And so Minister, can you explain why the report's still not being publicly released or any factors that have caused those delays?
>> Uh just the government going through its 25% increase. Uh and that's something that has been well received by uh those people I've engaged with on this issue. Uh I wanted to acknowledge the role that Sen Senator Troll played uh in that important work in the first term of the proud of our record in terms of uh being a government that have delivered for TFZ
>> Thanks Minister. Um I mean there's quite a bit of hyperbole in that but um quite a lot of facts. >> Have you got a uh have you got a timetable then when the government thinks they may implement or release your intended plans given the scheme businesses planning? I mean, you won't find a business in Tasmania that won't say that uh freight is a huge contributor to all their costs. We've even had Bogues and Lonsen who've cited freight as a serious issue. Businesses want to know for the future some certainty of what they're facing in terms of freight costs. This runs out in the middle of next year. Do we have any time frame that you can share with us?
>> And and uh what those businesses would also know was the Labor government that actually delivered um as part of Tfairs
course. [snorts] Have you done any has have you minister aware of or department? Are you aware of any [snorts] analysis of any delays to actually responding to those the report and the reforms? I mean we've got businesses that are looking ahead and thinking whether they're going to stay in business or not because of lot all sorts of inputs including freight costs. Have you done any analysis into what that might be or the impact it's having on Tasmanian businesses?
that uh listens to those concerns and is very active on this issue and you only
[snorts] I mentioned Bogues before and we've had Woolworth as well with beef, Tasmanian beef citing freight costs. Is this just not a priority? I mean it's been what four months we're near the end of the year. And will you release the report publicly by the end of the year with contrast to the record of the coalition
a decade. >> You said release it in January. We've delivered uh we've delivered the 25% increase uh which will which has been in place now. Uh I know that's been wellreceived. We've conducted the review uh and government will respond to that at the appropriate time
on that. I take that is that is the answer. So um thank you. Uh we will now break till 4:15. Are you still have got question? No, that's it. And I think Senator Payman was seeking the call quickly. And okay, cool.
>> I think Melinder is due to come in as well.
>> All right, mate. Thank you. [snorts] broadcasting. Thank you very much. We're