“TasPorts is unwilling to work efficiently and effectively to deliver this asset”: Ruth Forrest

Anthony Donald
I’m not going to point fingers. I am humbled and firmly of the view that the steps taken by TasPorts were appropriate and we are absolutely focused on doing everything we can to support our customers through this.

Leon Compton
Anthony Donald wanted to look forward, which meant many of our questions were left unanswered. Ruth Forrest, you heard yesterday’s interview. TasPorts is satisfied with its role in the fiasco of the alcohol business. You?

Ruth Forrest
No. Short answer, Leon. I think it was a little disappointing to hear that Mr Donald didn’t take any responsibility for this. I think, as I said earlier, Leon, that the Public Accounts Committee should not blame people, not point fingers, but try to find out what happened, why it happened, how we can avoid such a fiasco. again and what it actually cost the state. And so to say that they, well, Mr. Donald, to say that he felt he had done everything he could, is essentially contrary to the evidence that the committee heard.

Leon Compton
What kind of evidence is this?

Ruth Forrest
Well, there is evidence, and we have been given, as you know, Leon, a lot of evidence publicly. We were provided with documents, in particular from TT Line, but also from the office of the minister, the former minister, about the work that they had carried out, you know, the communications and records that were kept on this matter, the work that was to be done. It is clear that TasPorts was unwilling to work efficiently and effectively to deliver this asset. Regardless of whose problem it was, the evidence outlined many possibilities where TasPorts, as the port infrastructure manager, builder and support staff, would be required to do this. And there were simply a lot of failures, but to say that they did everything they could, I think, is not supported by facts.

Leon Compton
Will your committee collect more evidence to try to understand what happened and when? This can’t go on forever. You’ll have to report back at some point. Will the Public Accounts Committee, which you chair and which is looking into this issue, continue to collect evidence based on what we continue to learn about this story?

Ruth Forrest
Yes, Leon, you’re right. At some stage the Public Accounts Committee will have to report. We have had some delays in obtaining evidence for valid reasons. I mean, Chas Kelly will appear before the committee in mid-November. He delayed his appearance because he wanted to wait until all the modeling in the river was completed, which was done on the last day of the hearing at which he was originally scheduled to appear. We had problems with delays in getting new, well, the Minister of Infrastructure was Prime Minister at the time, as you remember. And now it will be Kerry Vincent. It might be a little easier if Kerry goes before the committee. But we’re having trouble identifying some of the people we really need to hear from to understand what happened and when. And when people knew about it and when they could act, in particular the relevant then minister.