The Australian Government spent $44.7 million in 2016–17 on the Bass Strait Passenger Vehicle Equalisation Scheme (the Scheme), and $44.1 million in 2015–16.

Under the Scheme, passengers travelling with a vehicle across Bass Strait can receive a rebate applied against the vehicle fare charged by a ferry operator.

Over the two year monitoring period BITRE estimates that:

• The number of sea passengers with a motor vehicle may have been 29.0 per cent higher than without the Scheme.
• Just under 26 450 additional visitors to Tasmania travelled by sea due to the Scheme in 2016–17 (27 650 new visitors in 2015–16).

These additional visitors to Tasmania spent an estimated $71.4 million in 2016–17 ($74.6 million in 2015–16).

• Bass Strait Passenger Vehicle Equalisation Scheme (BSPVES) Monitoring Report No. 16
  

  BSPVES-Monitoring-Report -6 [PDF: 1.25 MB]