Launceston Chamber of Commerce says answers are needed over the Spirit of Tasmania port construction at Devonport.
With the controversy surrounding the project dragging on, the Chamber says it’s concerning business won’t be able to access the much-needed additional freight capacity over the peak summer trading periods.
Chamber chief executive Alina Bain says local businesses are looking for certainty around freight costs and capacity, particularly with the busy summer period looming for the tourism and hospitality industries.
“This latest project delay will impact further the competitive positions of many of our businesses, along with their ability to grow,” she said.
“It’s disappointing for our tourism sector and for all Tasmanians.
“The delay prevents the attraction of high yielding self-drive visitors, negatively impacting demand and revenue generation across our state at a time where businesses are impacted by the downturn in discretionary spend.”
