Politicians weigh in to stoush over maritime fees

BY CARLI WILLIS

Queensland’s Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey has slammed comments made by the Federal Member for Leichardt Warren Entsch about the Torres Strait Island Regional Council’s (TSIRC’s) multimillion-dollar legal battle with Sea Swift.

Mr Entsch called for the resignation of the TSIRC Mayor and CEO. Minister Bailey told the Torres News it was “highly inappropriate” of Mr Entsch to comment on an active court case between the two.

“The Mayor and CEO of TSIRCl have my full confidence,” he said.

Earlier this month public court documents were cited in the media revealing TSIRC’s pursuit of 253 invoices for the use of island boat ramps and landing facilities to the sum of more than $66 million.

TSIRC Mayor Phillemon Mosby said it was disappointing Mr Entsch did not talk to him before taking his position – based on only a few hours on the islands – publicly.

“Our gesture of welcoming such government dignitaries, based on our Ailan Kastom, has been taken for granted,” Mayor Mosby said.

Mr Entsch conceded he had not contacted the Mayor but defended his call.

He said it would be devastating for the region if Sea Swift withdrew their services or raised freight costs.

“I’ve been aware of this for quite some time, and I was hoping common sense would prevail and the matter would be resolved amicably,” he said.

Sea Swift Chief

Executive Officer Dwayne Freeman told the Torres News the company’s priority was to settle the case and move forward.

“We remain committed to keeping Northern Australia connected through our freight services to remote parts of Far North Queensland, including the Torres Strait, and the Northern Territory,” he said.

TSIRC’s 15 island communities, covering 42,000 square kilometres of sea country, rely on Sea Swift for delivery of essential foods and goods.

Mr Entsch said he visited Poruma, Masig,

Mabuiag and Moa Islands on a recent trip to the Torres Strait.

He also visited Waiben and Horn Island in the neighbouring Torres Shire region.

He said a photograph he took on Moa Island showed significant cracks in the infrastructure of a boat ramp, which he said had not been maintained properly.

“I was surprised to find out Council is charging very significant fees, for Sea Swift to be able to access these ramps,” he said.

He said due to the essential nature of the service, Councils should not charge Sea Swift for the use of the infrastructure.

Cr Mosby said under maritime law ships landing in ports were required to report and pay.

“Every plane that lands on our communities throughout our 14 islands, those islands will have air strips and they have to pay to land, like anywhere in the country,” he said.

“The same rules apply to any shipping company that comes into the Torres Strait that lands at any ports.

“Why should the Torres Strait be any different?”

He said as a nonrateable, grant-reliant council, the organisation relied on those revenue streams.

In October last year the Albanese Government committed $40 million to repair and replace aging infrastructure across the Torres Strait, a sum that was matched by the Queensland Government in March this year.

Under the $80 million dollar commitment, funds were to be distributed between three