Anthony Albanese says Tasmanian government must ‘deliver’ on promised Macquarie Wharf upgrade

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has issued a stark warning to the Tasmanian government, urging it to deliver on a vital project that has wider implications for Australia.

A disagreement is raging between the Tasmanian government and the Commonwealth over planned upgrades to Macquarie Wharf, which is crucial infrastructure for the ongoing operations of the Australian Antarctic Program. Picture: iStock

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has been unable to give an iron-clad guarantee that Hobart will remain the gateway to Antarctica and the home of the RSV Nuyina, warning the Tasmanian government that it must deliver upgrades to Macquarie Wharf if the state is to hold onto the prized mantle.

His comments come amid a dispute between the Commonwealth and TasPorts over the redevelopment of the wharf after the port authority asked the federal government for $515m to start the works.

Environment and Water Minister Tanya Plibersek has argued that this would represent a more than 14-fold increase on what the Commonwealth already pays to use the infrastructure.

BURNIE, AUSTRALIA. NewsWire Photos JUNE 20, 2024. The Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, was in Burnie on Thursday with Senator Anne Urquhart. They visited TasRail's Burnie Shiploader Project. Picture: PMO via NewsWire

Planned upgrades to Macquarie Wharf 6 are seen as particularly crucial, because this is where the Nuyina berths. The $528m icebreaker has been plagued with refuelling and technical issues and TasPorts has deemed the vessel unsafe to traverse under the Tasman Bridge.

The stalled negotiations over the wharf have prompted the Western Australian government to signal its interest in discussing “future arrangements” of the Australian Antarctic Program (AAP) with the Albanese government, sparking concerns from Tasmania’s Antarctic sector that WA could seek to poach the AAP for itself.

Speaking on ABC Radio on Friday morning, Mr Albanese was asked if he could guarantee that Tasmania would remain the home of the Nuyina, to which he replied, “Well, it should”.

“The Tasmanian government needs to get on with delivering [the wharf upgrade],” he said.

A disagreement is raging between the Tasmanian government and the Commonwealth over planned upgrades to Macquarie Wharf, which is crucial infrastructure for the ongoing operations of the Australian Antarctic Program. Picture: iStock

“We’ve [got] substantial money on the table, of course, for Macquarie Point, for the urban redevelopment there. Part of that has to be looking after the Antarctic port there. This is really important.”

The Prime Minister said Tasmania “should remain the gateway to Antarctica” but the Rockliff government needed to ensure Wharf 6 was upgraded.

He said the Commonwealth was not planning on entering talks with the WA government “because [Tasmania] is the right destination” for the Nuyina.

“You’ve got all the research facilities here as well. It’s the closest destination [to Antarctica] and it’s the right thing to do,” Mr Albanese said.

“We’re committed to Hobart remaining the home base of the RSV Nuyina. And this goal currently needs to be delivered on. It’s as simple as that.”