Outgoing TT-Line chiefs set to give evidence on who knew what when about ferry and port delays

The government’s handling of the troubled TT-Lines ferries project will come under scrutiny when two key players front a parliamentary committee to give their version of events.

Spirit of Tasmanian IV first sea trial. Picture: Spirit of Tasmania

The government’s handling of the troubled TT-Line ferries project will come under fresh scrutiny when two key players front a parliamentary committee to give their version of events on Tuesday.

The government has come under fire for cost blowouts and delays with the delivery of the two new ferries — and the associated port infrastructure in Devonport.

The cost of port upgrades at Devonport had increased from $90m to $375m and their completion has been delayed by infighting between TT-Line and TasPorts.

The new ferries will be forced to operate at reduced capacity until the port facilities are ready.

Former Infrastructure Minister Micheal Ferguson has repeatedly denied misleading either the public or the parliament about his knowledge of problems causing delays to the project.

The Public Accounts Committee will on Tuesday hear evidence from former TT-Line chair Michael Grainger about what the company told the government and when.

Mr Granger was asked to resign by the government after appearing to dispute evidence given to the PAC by Mr Ferguson and TasPorts last month.

TT-Line Company Limited Bernie Dwyer announced he too would end his decade-long stint as CEO soon after.

Mr Dwyer will also appear before the committee on Tuesday.

The government pledged in 2017 that it would deliver the ferries “two years ahead of schedule” by 2021 – but this never occurred.

The first vessel is expected to arrive in Tasmania later this year, and the second in the first quarter of 2025.

Mr Ferguson resigned as infrastructure minister in August.

Labor leader Dean Winter said he was eagerly awaiting Mr Granger’s version of events

“Mike Granger is a long-term highly respected former chair of TT-Line,” he said.

“I’m sure that he’s going to be telling the truth of what happened.

“There’s two issues at play: one’s the honesty of Michael Ferguson and whether he’s always been honest and accurate with the parliament and with the Tasmanian people, but it’s also about the confidence.

“This isn’t just a project which only impacts government.

‘This is a project that means that its lack of delivery is costing Tasmania’s tourism hospitality industry $500m every year.

“That is money could be going into jobs into regional Tasmanian economies that desperately need it at the moment.”

Mr Winter said Labor also had questions about why one of the newly commissioned ships remained in Finland when it should be on its way south.