Treasurer Eric Abetz has defended TT-Line’s long-term debt, comparing it to a home mortgage and insisting the government will back the company no matter what.
During a heated question time this morning, Abetz faced repeated questions from opposition leader Josh Willie about the Spirit of Tasmania replacement project and its debt burden stretching to 2052.
The Tasmanian Public Finance Corporation told a parliamentary committee on Monday that TT-Line would not clear its roughly $1.145 billion debt until 2052 and would likely need continued government support for years to come.
Abetz likened the repayment timeline to paying off a house.
Treasurer Eric Abetz says TT-Line’s debt situation in wake of Spirit of Tasmania bungle is ‘normal’. The bungle sure is normal! But how long will it take to pay back the TT line debt AND the stadium debt of $2 billion?  #nonewstadium #politas
— Roland Browne (@slowguns.bsky.social) September 8, 2026 at 1:19 PM