Ferguson defiant over Spirit of Tasmania ferries furore
Labor have threatened the possibility of a no-confidence motion in the Deputy Premier over the replacement Spirit saga. Here’s whether they will have the support of the parliament.
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Parliament returns on Tuesday with the prospect of Labor moving a no-confidence motion in Michael Ferguson, who remains in cabinet as Deputy Premier and Treasurer.
Sixteen members of the 35-seat House of Assembly are likely to back the motion.
His fate rests in the hands of four crossbench MPs: independents David O’Byrne, Miriam Beswick, Rebekah Pentland and Craig Garland.
If two of them backed a no-confidence motion, it would succeed.
Former TT-Line chairman Michael Grainger told the Public Accounts Committee on Tuesday that the ferry operator had not been supported by the government and actively hampered by TasPorts.
Allegations the Deputy Premier has vehemently denied. Mr Ferguson said he had the full backing of the Premier.
Labor deputy leader Anita Dow urged Premier Jeremy Rockliff “to move Michael Ferguson on” before parliament resumes next week but stopped short of confirming that the party would put forward a vote of no confidence in Mr Ferguson.
“We’re considering our options and we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it,” Ms Dow said.
“He really is the architect of this fiasco, and it’s absolutely incredible that he’s still involved in this project.
“He’s still at the helm of this project. He’s still a shareholder minister, he’s still the treasurer, and he’s still on the sub-committee of cabinet that’s meant to be getting this project back on track.
“This is the decision the Premier can take today; to say enough is enough, to draw a line in the sand, to hold Michael Ferguson to account, to preserve any ounce of credibility that the Premier still has around this significant infrastructure project.”
Independents Miriam Beswick and Rebekah Pentland said they shared frustration over the delays to the new Spirits, but did not appear inclined to back a no-confidence motion.
“Corruption, malfeasance or serious misbehaviour would have to be proved beyond doubt before we’d consider supporting a vote of no-confidence, they said.
Independent David O’Byrne’s agreement to support the government in motions of no-confidence contains an exception in cases of “gross incompetence, serious misbehaviour, or reprehensible failures of policy and governance”.
“As I have said previously, I will not support opportunistic motions in parliament which serve no one except parties or individual MPs seeking to benefit themselves politically,” he said.
“Having said that I will not hesitate to act in the best interests of the state should it be warranted.”
Mr Garland could not be reached on Tuesday but member for Clark Kristie Johnston added her voice to calls for Mr Ferguson to resign.
“Michael Ferguson’s position as a Minister, Treasurer, and Deputy Premier is untenable in these circumstances,” she said.
‘We’ve all been let down’: Ferguson defiant amid ferries row
Earlier: Acting Premier Michael Ferguson says evidence given by TT-Line bosses about the troubled replacement Spirit of Tasmania ferries showed the attitudes he was dealing with trying to keep the project on track.
Former TT-Line chairman Michael Grainger told the Public Accounts Committee on Tuesday that the ferry operated had not been supported by government and slowed by TasPorts.
But Mr Ferguson said the evidence reflected the difficulties he had faced as shareholder minister.
“We all saw on full display the sorts of challenges we’ve had to deal with, particularly given the relationship between TT-Line and TasPorts,” he told ABC radio on Wednesday.
“The culture and the attitudes that were on display yesterday are the culture and attitude we’ve had to deal with and they have been very challenging.
“What you are seeing there is a response to us holding them accountable for not getting this done.”
Mr Ferguson said he had taken all prudent steps to ensure the new ferries project and the associated infrastructure was delivered on time and on budget.
“We’ve all been let down. The culture and the attitudes we saw yesterday, I think people will see they contributed to the mess,” he said.
“I developed my own concerns … I started raising those concerns with TT-Line, I’ll tell you one thing, I was scoffed at.
“They said: ‘Minster ‘Do you know something we don’t know?’ The rest is history. They’ve failed to deliver and we’ve all been let down.”
TasPorts CEO Anthony Donald contradicted the evidence given by TT-Line about the Devonport terminal construction that the port operator refused to build the berth upgrades.
“TasPorts made multiple offers to TT-Line to manage both its work package and the Terminal 3 project which were rejected by TT-Line,” he said in a statement.
“These offers included appointing additional project managers and modifying consultancy agreements, as well as detailed project schedules to assist. TasPorts was firmly of the view that managing both projects would deliver both project and fiscal efficiencies.
“TT-Line’s Terminal 3 site was vacant and available for access up until December 2022, and then facilitated access was provided once TasPorts’ contractor was on site undertaking project works.”
Member for Clark Kristie Johnston added her voice to calls for Mr Ferguson to resign.
“Minister Ferguson has overseen an infrastructure stuff-up of monumental proportions that has, and will continue, to cost Tasmanians greatly.
“Furthermore, I believe he has misled Parliament in an attempt to avoid responsibility.
“Tasmanians deserve nothing but the highest standards of integrity and honesty from Ministers of the Crown. Minister Ferguson has failed them. The community tell me that they feel let down by him and don’t trust him.
“Michael Ferguson’s position as a Minister, Treasurer, and Deputy Premier is untenable in these circumstances.”
Greens Transport spokeswoman Helen Burnet said Mr Ferguson had questions to answer.
“Michael Ferguson has been the sole responsible shareholder minister during the period which saw cost blowouts and delays in delivering the new ferries and berths.
“His ineptitude in managing this critical project has been shocking, and now he has a lot of questions to answer about whether he’s been transparent with Parliament – especially given he’s still a shareholder Minister to the ferries debacle he’s overseen.”
Taxpayers could be slugged for another month amid Spirit lease talks
The new Spirit of Tasmania IV, which is currently berthed in Scotland, may remain there for up to an additional month at a cost of more than $23,000 a week to taxpayers.
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