Beachport Boat Yard

Mr McBRIDE (MacKillop) (14:47): My question is to the Minister for Infrastructure and Transport. Can the minister advise when the Beachport boat yard will be getting its new travel lift? With your leave, and the leave of the house, I will explain.

Leave granted.

Mr McBRIDE: The Beachport travel lift is a vital piece of machinery that is used to move fishing boats in and out of the boat yard. It has been out of service for at least two years, and a crane has been used instead. However, fishermen are frustrated at the constant delays from the department in getting this new piece of machinery.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS (West Torrens—Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Minister for Energy and Mining) (14:48): Thanks for the question, member for MacKillop. I thank him for his constant advocacy on behalf of the Limestone Coast. The boat yard is a critical marine facility that serves the rock lobster commercial fishing industry, and it operates out of Beachport in the south. I am advised that the boat yard serves approximately 40 boats and provides for their launching, retrieval and storage. The boat yard operates a vessel straddle carrier and a mechanical ship lifter originally designed to lift and move up to 60-tonne boats. The straddle carrier was taken out of service in April 2022 due to its poor condition, and since that time boats have been craned in and out of the water.

In August 2024, the department completed an open market procurement for the supply of a brand-new 60-tonne straddle carrier. I expect that contract fabrication delivery of a new straddle carrier be executed by the end of September of this year and I expect to have it fully operational by May 2025. I know it's taken time but, again, we had to wait until April 2022. If work had started earlier on that, we wouldn't be in this position we are now.

The Beachport Professional Fishermen's Association has been involved in developing the specifications for the unit on which procurement was based. Once the contract has been executed, the department will advise all the stakeholders, including the local member of parliament, and provide further details and particulars of that unit. Thanks for the question.