Dealmaker: PM talks up Premier’s role in landing $188m wharf deal
‘Western Australia wanted to pinch our port. We wouldn’t let that happen’: Federal Labor were full of praise for Liberal Premier Jeremy Rockliff and his advocacy on behalf of Tasmania.
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Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has praised Liberal Premier Jeremy Rockliff for his advocacy on behalf of Tasmania while formally announcing funding for upgrades to Hobart’s Macquarie Wharf.
The bitter dispute over the future of the salmon industry in Macquarie Harbour was put to one side as the Prime Minister and Federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek was flanked by the Premier, local MP Andrew Wilkie and Senator Catryna Bilyk at Wednesdays media event.
The federal government will fund $188m in wharf upgrades for Hobart — securing the future of the Australian Antarctic program in Hobart for the next 30 years.
The money will be used to redeveloping the crumbling Macquarie Wharf 6 as a permanent home for the icebreaker RSV Nuyina.
Mr Albanese praise Mr Rockliff’s role in getting the deal across the line.
“Every time we meet we don’t have a Labor or a Liberal hat on,” Mr Albanese said.
“What we have on, in his case, is a Tasmanian hat, and in my case, an Australian hat. That’s what Australian taxpayers want, that’s what Tasmanians want.
“This is about jobs here in Tasmania, but it’s also about making sure that Tasmania continues to be the center of being a gateway for the Antarctic as it should be.
“It’s an investment in Hobart, an investment in Tasmania, and an investment in the future of Australian science.
“We know in terms of jobs, the Antarctic and Southern Ocean sector employs nearly 1000 people here in Tasmania.
“It contributes more than $180m to the Tasmanian economy each and every year.”
Ms Plibersek also said the Premier was instrumental in helping to break an impasse over the berthing costs at the wharf.
“I also want to particularly thank the premier for his personal interest in this,” Ms Plibersek said.
“Getting the Premier involved really has made all the difference to getting this project up and running, cracking through a bit of bureaucratic inertia.
“So thank you very much, Premier for your personal interest and engagement here.”
Mr Rockliff said he was pleased to have secured the upgrades to keep Hobart at the forefront of Antarctic science.
“Western Australia wanted to pinch our port. We wouldn’t let that happen,” he said.
So bringing together common sense discussions around the table, working through these matters in a very collegial and a way that is driven by solutions and outcomes. And we’ve delivered a great outcome for Tasmania today.
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Originally published as Dealmaker: PM talks up Premier’s role in landing $188m wharf deal
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