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Now I get it!

There's a bit of a fuss here in Tas since it seems that shipping charges via the Port of Melbourne are about to go through the roof. It's a big enough problem that would pretty much wreck the Tas economy, since many of the state's exporting industries wouldn't be viable at such a huge cost for shipping. Most shipping in and out of Tas presently goes via Melbourne to either interstate or overseas markets.

The workaround is looking at either direct international shipping, or shipping via Sydney or even Brisbane. It's further away obviously, but if the Vic Govt is going to hold another state to ransom then there's not much choice but to look at the alternatives. I've also heard mention of shipping via Adelaide and even NZ as possible solutions.

The real problem with privatisation is that governments inevitably blow the money. Where in 2015 is the money from selling the Gas and Fuel Corporation, the State Electricity Commission and all the other things that were sold off in Victoria during the 1990's? The money inevitably disappears over time and the debt is run up again, that's how governments work. Personally, I'd rather have a debt backed by an asset of ongoing value, be it gas pipes, railways or whatever, than to have a debt backed by nothing but future taxation revenue.