Above, the sharply contrasting MSM media coverage of two very similar ferry projects.

From The Advocate, yesterday:

A bungled delivery of two Bass Strait ferries, in which the vessels were finished before a berth was ready, has cost $717 [£360m] million more than an original business case. And the overall cost to taxpayers will be even higher, with bailout money and the price tag for ongoing temporary berths not included in the figure.

https://www.theadvocate.com.au/story/9245119/botched-bass-strait-ferries-717-million-over-budget/

How do the two projects compare?

Once you normalize the accounting treatment, the Tasmania and Scottish ferry disasters become much closer than the headline numbers initially suggest. In fact, Tasmania may now rival or exceed the Scottish so-called ‘fiasco’ in total public-sector economic impact.

Once those additional Tasmanian costs are included, the effective Tasmania exposure likely rises roughly to £400m–£470m equivalent, while the Scottish project sits at £360m.