Ms O'CONNOR - Through you, minister, in May this year, Mr Donald, I wrote to you, you were relatively new in the job, about the vessel MV Corvina, which was loaded with donations made in good faith and stuck at the TasPorts apron. Are you able to provide an update on what's happened with the Corvina?
Mr DONALD - Yes. Our latest update on that is the generously donated goods have been removed from the vessel and have been put into storage. We are working with Project Philippines to catalogue those items, to containerise them and TasPorts will be funding their relocation to the destination of Project Philippines' choice.
Ms O'CONNOR - That sounds like a pretty elegant solution, Mr Donald. When are those goods likely to be shipped to the Philippines?
Mr DONALD - That is a matter for Project Philippines.
Ms O'CONNOR - Just so we can get some clarity here, TasPorts will be ready to ship those goods to the Philippines when they have been audited and loaded into the container? Then they will head north? It could happen any time in the next few months?
Mr DONALD - It could happen in the next 48 or 72 hours. It could happen in a few months. That is a matter for Project Philippines.
Ms O'CONNOR - Thanks for bearing with it and coming up with a solution. Is Project Philippines happy with TasPorts' response?
Mr DONALD - I think they would acknowledge that they are happy for us to provide the support. I know that they are disappointed not to see the vessel in a safe state that enables us to fulfil the original suggestion that they could acquire the vessel for $1.
Ms O'CONNOR - Last question on this line of questioning, Chair. What is going to happen to the MV Corvina?
Mr DONALD - It would be disposed, sold.
Ms O'CONNOR - Sold, and the owner of it is Project Philippines?
Mr DONALD - No, the Corvina is currently owned by TasPorts. We would dispose of the asset for someone who is going to pull it apart and scrap it. I would love to be in a situation where someone buys that off us for a $1. I think it will cost us a considerable sum of money.