[Greens-Media] Tas Greens_Minister Derailed as Greens Release Name of Potential Buyer_T Morris MP

[greens at parliament.tas.gov.au]

MINISTER DERAILED

Public Deserve Answers After Spending $160M
   
Tim Morris MP
Greens Shadow Infrastructure Spokesperson
  
Thursday, 20 November 2008
Contact: State Parliamentary Offices of the Tasmanian Greens, (03) 6233
8300

www.tas.greens.org.au


The Tasmanian Greens today called on the Minister for Infrastructure
Graeme Sturges to cease feigning ignorance about the state of play in
relation to the sale of Pacific National Tasmania (PNT) and to let the
public know what is actually going on with their rail network.

Greens Shadow Infrastructure spokesperson Tim Morris MP said there is
immense public interest in the future of Tasmania's railways, not to
mention the $160 million of public funds that have been committed to
upgrading the network under the Rail Maintenance and Management Deed
(RMMD), and the public therefore deserve full disclosure from the
Minister on this issue.

Mr Morris also said that it would be irresponsible for Minister Sturges
to agree to any sale unless the new operator was willing to commit to
undertaking the $38 million rolling stock refurbishment that PNT
originally agreed to, but subsequently reneged on.

"The Minister must know that the identity of the mysterious preferred
purchaser of PNT is Patriot Rail Corp from Florida, because the sale
process cannot get past first base unless the Government is willing to
re-assign the RMMD," said Mr Morris. 

"I just hope that the Minister is ensuring that any potential purchaser
of PNT, such as Patriot, is informed about the need to undertake the $38
million rolling stock refurbishment that was supposed to be PNT's
responsibility in return for the RMMD. PNT may have reneged on that, but
the new purchaser must carry out this badly needed rolling stock
upgrade."

"It is not good enough for Minister Sturges to hide behind the excuse
that this is a commercial sale, as the government and the public do hold
a very real interest."

"There must be a reason for the Minister's feigned ignorance around the
negotiation process for PNT, and his apparent determination to keep all
matters relating to the sale secret, but I am unaware of any
justification for this behaviour," said Mr Morris.  




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