Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

asked the Minister representing the Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, upon notice, on 18 May 2012:

With reference to the Tasmanian Freight Equalisation Scheme and the Bass Strait Passenger Vehicle Equalisation Scheme:

(1)   What measures does the Government have in place to ensure that the TT Line does not use any support payments under either the Tasmanian Freight Equalisation Scheme or the Bass Strait Passenger Vehicle Equalisation Scheme to assist it in undercutting other competitors in relation to freight costs.

(2)   Is the amount paid in relation to the Bass Strait Passenger Vehicle Equalisation Scheme a set payment, irrespective of the quantity of vehicles carried.

(3)   What monitoring is undertaken to ensure that motor vehicle traffic across Bass Strait is not displaced on any particular trip in favour of freight carried by the TT Line.

Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Minister for Infrastructure and Transport has provided the following answer to the honourable senator's question:

(1)   Under the Bass Strait Passenger Vehicle Equalisation Scheme (the scheme) the rebate is provided to the driver of an eligible passenger vehicle in the form of a reduced fare charged by a service operator such as TT-Line and they are reimbursed on the actual claims.

(2)   No.

(3) The scheme is a rebate scheme rather than a freight management scheme. Compliance reviews of claims and annual audits of all service operators under the scheme are undertaken to ensure rebates have been claimed for eligible passenger vehicles; and the correct rebate has been claimed for each vehicle type.