Ferry tender questions

THE awarding of a contract for the Maria Island Ferry service was referred to police and the Integrity Commission after claims one of the applicants was coached by a senior bureaucrat.

The Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment yesterday said the incident occurred after a call for expressions of interest into the ferry service in April last year.

“Prior to applicants being assessed, the probity adviser informed the department of an allegation that a Parks and Wildlife Service officer had email communication with one of the potential applicants about the process,” a department spokesman said.

“On the day the allegation was received the assessment process was suspended and advice obtained from the inde- pendent probity adviser.”

The department took action to ensure the bureaucrat was not part of the process, which was restarted after applicants had been advised and were given a chance to resubmit their applications.

“The successful tenderer was not an applicant involved in the initial email communication,” the spokesman said.

The process was again reviewed and the allegations were referred to the Integrity Commission and Tasmania Police. Police later advised no crime had been committed, the spokesman said.

The bureaucrat subsequently resigned.

“The department is satisfied that the process delivered procedural fairness for all applicants and this view was supported by the independent probity adviser.”

Premier Will Hodgman said he had been briefed on the matter.

“Certainly there are proper probity guidelines that need to be followed,” he said.

“If there’s a breach of property guidelines then that is not appropriate.

“There are probity guidelines in place for a good reason, this to ensure good process and good outcomes.

“I’ll obviously be seeking further information as to the background of it.”

Upper House member Ruth Forrest said she would ask the Integrity Commission to look into the matter further.

“If these sort of things are going on someone needs to have a look at it and the appropriate body is the Integrity Commission,” she said.

“It does concern me. Every potential tourism operator in the state should have an equal footing.

“If this approach has been taken in one situation, has it been taken in others? I don’t know.”