Bass Strait Passenger Vehicle Equalisation Scheme

The BSPVES also includes provisions for commuters who must fly between mainland Australia and King Island or the Furneaux Group due to the absence of ferry services.

[4] As a result of the Australian Government temporarily increasing the BSPVES, passengers on the Spirit of Tasmania ferry between Melbourne and Devonport were able to bring their vehicle at no extra charge from 1 March 2021 to 30 June 2021.

[5] Administered by Services Australia on behalf of the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications & the Arts, the scheme operates under Ministerial Directions.

[3][12] Critics have argued that the scheme’s focus has shifted toward promoting tourism, particularly by subsidising "driving holidays for mainlanders," rather than addressing broader economic and transport needs.

[12][13][14] Additionally, reports have highlighted administrative inefficiencies and inconsistencies in the scheme’s implementation, which have compounded challenges in achieving equitable transport links and hindered Tasmania's economic integration with the mainland.