Northern Territory Shadow Treasurer John Elferink

LABOR’S FINGERPRINTS ALL OVER FERRY FIASCO

Victor P Taffa

The Labor Government’s incompetent handling of the Mandorah ferry tender contract has been a debacle from the word go.

Member for Port Darwin, John Elferink, said today’s announcement that Sydney-based Fast Ferries had been dumped as preferred tenderer and the existing provider is again being courted to deliver the service is nothing short of farcical.

“It’s hardly a surprise that the Government chose to bury this announcement until late on Friday afternoon – if this was my blunder, I’d be embarrassed too.” Mr. Elferink said.

“The decision to remove a contract from a long-term local provider and award it to a Sydney company that doesn’t even have an operational ferry defies any logic whatsoever.”

“The Government wants Territorians to buy local – but then awards major Transport contracts to interstate companies.” Mr. Elferink said.

“While Government has let the Planning Department cop the blame for this schmozzle, the fingerprints of two senior Labor ministers are all over this mess.”

“Transport Minister, Gerry McCarthy, launched the tender process with the clear intent of bringing in an alternative provider and he appointed his mate, Local Government Minister Rob Knight, to chair a committee to oversee the process.” Mr. Elferink said.

“Now they have had to abandon this plan and go cap in hand to the current ferry operator, which leaves the Territory taxpayer vulnerable and exposed during the negotiation process.”

“It’s unfortunate that the current operator has been put through this because of the Government’s manifest ineptitude.”

“The Country Liberals will use next week’s Parliamentary sittings to push for the Public Accounts Committee to investigate this dirty process and to push for answers as to how it all went so terribly wrong.” Mr. Elferink said.