Ms BURNET (Clark) – Madam Speaker, recently, the Paul Watson Foundation ship the Northern Horizon was berthed in the Port of Hobart for repairs, for decking out their ship to prepare their trip south to protect the southern oceans from Japan’s whaling fleet, which is set to return to the carnage of times past, cruelly hunting whales, the most beautiful giant sentient beings of our oceans.
I will give a bit of background on what the Paul Watson Foundation does.
The Paul Watson Foundation has many functions. It is essentially there to protect marine ecosystems. They also work with the United Nations and international organisations to find solutions to stop poaching in areas beyond national borders and they also work to protect the United Nations World Charter for Nature. They also look for solutions to protect coral reef systems and find solutions to address the unlawful killing of marine mammals.
On Sunday, 5 May, I toured the ship, the Northern Horizon with Senator Peter Whish‑Wilson; former Sea Shepherd crew members; Glenorchy City Councillor, Molly Kendall and her husband, Andrew, and Oscar on the invitation of Captain Lachie McLean. The ship was berthed at Princess Wharf. Ironically, it is an ex‑Japanese coast guard ship which has been decked out under the colours of the Paul Watson Foundation. I met with crew and heard plans to fit out the ship using the skills of local companies such as Taylor Marine, potentially buying equipment such as dinghies, engines and having the ship in dry dock for cleaning and repairs.
Earlier, on 3 May, I wrote to TasPorts CEO, Mr Anthony Donald on behalf of the Paul Watson Foundation to request the reconsideration of the berthing fee that TasPorts was charging. I said in my letter:
It is of significant concern that one of the defenders of the southern oceans and sub Antarctica and Antarctic waters, Paul Watson and the Paul Watson Foundation, will not be able to dock for three months at Hobart’s Constitution Dock because of significant berthing fees. The Northern Horizon was en route to do more vital work in protecting the southern oceans, intending to berth in Hobart for 90 days. Proposed commercial fees of $1200 per day for the first fortnight then price on approval are prohibitive for a not-for-profit organisation.
This plea, unfortunately, fell on deaf ears. I received a letter in response on 6 May from TasPorts. I have since discovered that instead of the Northern Horizon staying in port to undertake repairs, supporting local Hobart and Tasmanian businesses, the crew eating in local restaurants, providing education to locals, which is always very popular as to their work in the southern oceans, the ship has set sail and taken their business elsewhere.
Effectively, the Paul Watson Foundation was being charged a ridiculous amount per day and have left the Port of Hobart for an affordable berth. The Port of Hobart was not bustling with ships at the time and there were certainly various spare berths for ships in the Port of Hobart.
You have to ask, what are the implications of this obstinate position by TasPorts despite the request to reduce their berthing fee? Unfortunately, this monopoly on the Port of Hobart has had a detrimental impact on Hobart’s reputation as a gateway city to the Antarctic, a city that wishes to welcome defenders of the southern oceans. What are the implications for Hobart as an Antarctic gateway city to shun the good work of defenders of the southern seas and the environment, the gateway city that does not welcome the not-for-profit Paul Watson Foundation? What are the implications for Tasmanian businesses that miss out on tens of thousands if not hundreds of thousands of dollars of business?
Hobart is is proud to be a gateway to the Antarctic with many scientists, businesses, ships of visiting countries embarking on the journey south from our well‑appointed port. A report released in November 2023 identified that the Antarctic economy generated $183 million per annum. Yet TasPorts could not see fit to charge anything but what can only be described as as an exorbitant daily fee of $1200 for this defender of our oceans and waters around Antarctica.
When I wrote to TasPorts on 3 May, asking for a reduction to a more reasonable fee, given the port had few ships in port, and given there had been other situations where the Sea Shepherd and other not-for-profit organisations had berthed for much more affordable rates, I was utterly shocked to be stonewalled with this reply from TasPorts.
