Victorian authority denies Bass Strait Freight permit

A southwest Victorian authority has denied a freight company’s plea to use a port which could bolster competition for livestock producers.

A freight company has reached an impasse after a three-year battle to boost livestock trade between Tasmania and Victoria.

Bass Strait Freight director David Harris, the Tasmanian government and TasFarmers have called for answers after the port manager, Great Ocean Road Coast and Parks Authority, denied a permit for a trial use at Apollo Bay.

Mr Harris said for three years, Bass Strait Freight had sought use of the Port of Apollo Bay, resulting in about $400,000 in fees. The former port manager was the Colac Otway Shire Council, before GORCAPA took over its responsibility in July.

“We could’ve built a wharf for that [money],” Mr Harris said.

The company currently uses a Gippsland port, Welshpool, for its freight. He said Port of Apollo Bay usage meant it would halve the current freight trip and benefit livestock producers and the broader meat industry.

Mr Harris said they had decided to “give up” the pursuit to use the port, but hoped for further reasoning on the permit decision.

“You can cause this amount of economic damage, but you need to have a good reason,” he said.

The Weekly Times asked GORCAPA for its reasons behind the permit rejection, but the authority declined to comment.

GORCAPA chief executive Jodie Sizer said the port was managed with the Port Management Act 1995, and the Port Management (Local Ports) Regulations 2015.

“Our role as the port manager is to ensure that port operations are carried out safely, efficiently, and effectively,” she said.

TasFarmers president Ian Sauer said he believed the ACCC needed to investigate the permit refusal.

Mr Sauer campaigned for the port to be used in 2024 for a one-off Need for Feed delivery of donated hay, which was denied.

“We found it unprofessional, un-Australian and completely distasteful that the Port of Apollo Bay wouldn’t allow donated fodder to leave for Flinders Island when they had the worst drought in 120 years,” he said.

“The fodder had to come from Port Welshpool and it was $90,000 extra a boatload.”

He said port access would provide significant opportunities for Tasmanian and Victorian agricultural businesses.

“The King Island farmers don’t have choice, and they don’t have competition,” Mr Sauer said.

“We don’t care who provides the service. We think it’s wrong that GORCAPA are creating a barrier for free trade between the states.”

Tasmanian Transport Minister Eric Abetz said the Tasmanian government was supportive of re-establishing direct commercial shipping via the Port of Apollo Bay.

He said the mutual benefits would be “substantial” for employment, business and growth.

“The decision of GORPCA to refuse to grant the relevant permits is a very disappointing outcome, and one that reduces the practical options available to King Island to secure safe and reliable access to mainland markets,” he said.

“Without specifying a rationale for its inexplicable decision this is a matter which should potentially excite the interest of the ACCC.”

The Weekly Times contacted Victorian Port Minister Melissa Horne’s office for comment, but was referred to GORCAPA.